266. This seems high and somewhat severe,
but in a high office it is not out of place. For the grace of the
Levites is such that Moses spoke of them as follows in his
blessing: “Give to Levi his men, give Levi his trusted
ones, give Levi the lot of his inheritance, and his truth to the holy
men whom they tempted in temptation, and reviled at the waters of
contradiction. Who said to his father and mother, I know thee
not, and knew not his brethren, and renounced his children. He
guarded Thy word and kept Thy testimony.” Deut. xxxiii. 8, 9.