eight of them. Four courses he assigned to the line of Eleazar, and
four he assigned to the line of Ithamar. Samuel is said to have
added eight courses more, and the remaining eight were added by
David. The Scriptures, however, assert that David arranged the whole
twenty-four courses. This arrangement continued till the captivity.
After the captivity only four courses returned--namely Jedaiah,
Harim, Pashur, and Immer. The Babylon Talmud mentions Jojarib
instead of Harim. To restore again the number of courses,
twenty-four lots were cast into a box, and each head of the four
courses, which returned, drew six lots--one for himself, and five for
the courses which they wished to revive. The restored order of
courses continued as of old, except in the case of Jojarib, who
yielded the first rank to Jedaiah, as Jedaiah was of the family of
the High-priest Joshua, the son of Jozedek. They soon increased in
numbers, and we read that each course kept a station of 2,400
priests at Jerusalem, and half a station at Jericho. The lesser
number was stationed at Jericho to give honor to Jerusalem.

279 Nisan answered to part of March and April. The reign of kings was
counted from this month, so that if a king began to reign in Adar
(February and March), in the following Nisan he would be reckoned to
have reigned two years.

280 The passover was the first of the three feasts, beyond which one
could not neglect a vow.

281 Part of August and September.

282 Part of September and October.

283 Lev. xix. 23-25.

284 Ps. xxxiii. 15.

285 Part of July and August.

286 Part of November and December.

287 Part of February and March.

288 Part of April and May.

289 That is, for the new moon observances.

290 The Talmud states that when the sun and moon were first created they
were of equal size. The moon became jealous of the sun, and she was
reduced in bulk. The moon then appealed to God, and she was consoled
by the promise that Jacob, Samuel, and David were to be likewise
small. As, however, some injustice seemed to have been committed,
God ordained "a sin-offering" on every new moon, because the moon
had become less than the sun!

291 The Sanhedrin treated gamblers and usurers as thieves.

292 Those who bred pigeons, to bet on their quickness