A kingdom of priests, and, &c.— The latter clause seems explicative of the former; and might be rendered, even an holy nation; a nation separated and set apart by me, and for my service, as priests are separated; and so, from their relation to GOD, called holy: and, as priests were to be holy in themselves, as well as relatively holy; so were the Israelites set apart, not only to preserve the knowledge of the true God, but to shew their improvement of that knowledge by their own becoming practice and experience. In the former ages of the world, we have observed, the royal and priestly offices were commonly united in the same person.
The expression here may probably allude to this particular; as, no doubt, it is to this distinguished separation of the Israelites, that St. Peter in his 1st Epistle, and St. John in the Revelation, allude, when they call Christians a chosen generation,—a royal priesthood,—an holy nation,—a peculiar people,—kings and priests unto God. Houbigant renders it, Exodus 19:5. Ye shall be a people peculiar to me above all others.—Exodus 19:6. Ye shall be unto me a priestly kingdom, and an holy nation: God hereby, says he, signified, on one part, that he would be the future guide and protector of the Israelites; and that he would constitute a theocracy on the other part; that the people should be so engaged to him by religion, as the priests then were; and that the Israelites should be so distinguished from other people, as the priests were distinguished from other men.