Rosen. recte LXX, dià Tŷs μýtpas auris, et Vulgatus in locis genitalibus. Ged., Booth.-In the bed-chamber. Prof. Lee. fem. Arab. &, fornix; tabernaculum. An alcove; a recess, place of retirement, tent, Num. xxv. 8. In the latter part of the verse we have,, which has generally been interpreted in reference to the person of the Midianitish woman, but most probably refers to the place where both persons were killed, and therefore should be translated in her tent, i.e., the tent into which Zimri had brought her. Ver. 9. καὶ ἐγένοντο οἱ τεθνηκότες ἐν τῇ πληγῇ, τέσσαρες καὶ εἴκοσι χιλιάδες. Au. Ver.-12 Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace. Bp. Patrick. My covenant of peace.] The word peace, in Scripture, comprehends all manner of blessings: and therefore this is a solemn promise and engagement to make him and his family prosperous: the particular blessing which he entails upon him, following in the next verse. But some will have this to signify, that he should be the great reconciler of God to his people, and had done at present. Philo seems to think make peace between them hereafter, as he things; when he saith, "God crowned his this and the priesthood to be two distinct Pool.-Object. They were but 23,000, with two gifts, peace and the priesthood." piety, διτταῖς δωρεαῖς, εἰρήνῃ καὶ ἱεροσύνῃ, 1 Cor. x. 8. Answ. The odd thousand here And the Jews make peace to consist in a added were slain by the judges according to long life of prosperity; which was fulfilled the order of Moses, the rest by the imme-in Phineas's person, who lived till the latter diate hand of God, but both sorts died of times of the judges (Judg. xxi. 28). Pirke the plague, the word being used, as oft it is, Eliezer interprets it, for the sword, or hand, or stroke of God. He gave him the life of this world, and of the next.' Bp.Patrick. Those that died-were twenty and four thousand.] There were but twenty and three thousand who died of the plague itself, as the apostle tells us (1 Cor. x. 8), Au. Ver.-9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. but there were a thousand more taken off in the plague time, or during the plague, as the 66 Rosen-Do ei fœdus meum pacis, i. e., promitto ei omnis generis felicitatem. Pax enim sæpe res omnes secundas complectitur; fœdus vero promissum, ut Gen. ix. 9. Ver. 15. ne בַת־צוּר רָאשׁ אֶפּוֹת בֵּית־אָב Hebrew words may be read: for in the compre twenty and four thousand, Moses - θυγάτηρ Σούρ, ἄρχοντος ἔθνους Ομμώθ, оÏKOV TαTрias ÉσTI Tôr Madiáμ. Au. Ver.-15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian. Rosen.-Peste autem illa viginti quatuor hominum millia interierunt. At Paulus Bp. Patrick. He was head over a people, 1 Cor. x. 8 duntaxat 23,000 ponit. Plerique and of a chief house in Midian.] The Hebrew respondent, 23,000 a Deo, 1,000 a Pinchaso word ummoth (which we translate people) ejusque sodalibus et judicibus cæsa esse, signifies nations; so that if we translate these Paulum vero intelligere tantum illa 23,000, words exactly, they sound thus, "he was Sed Apostolus non ipsa verba Mosis hic head of nations, of a house of a father in allegavit, sed sensum; nec propositum ei Midian; that is, chief of divers families, fuit accurate illam historiam describere, sed who all sprung from the same father or oritantum Corinthios monere, que ob peccatum ginal in that country. illud pœna sit a Deo immissa, multa millia ob id occubuisse. Rosen.- ning, Caput familiarum domus patris, est caput tribus alicujus in gente sua. Idem vs. 18 vocatur, had commanded Moses: Now the Israelprinceps Midianita, et xxxi. 8 numeratur ites who had come out of the land of Egypt inter, reges Midianiticos. were: 5 Reuben, &c. CHAP. XXVI. 3, 4, 5. 3 That a part of both these verses is corrupted no one at present doubts. In our authorized version there are words in italic for which there is nothing in the original; : וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה וְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן אֹתָם and according to this translation, the Lord's בְּעַרְבֹת מוֹאָב עַל־יַרְבֵּן יְרֵחוֹ לֵאמֹר : order to number the people was given not 4 מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כַּאֲשֶׁר צְוָה only to Moses and Eleazar, but to all the יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַיֹּצְאִים Egypt: which is contradictory to ver. 1. In מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם: 5 רְאוּבֵן בְּכוֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל truth, the whole passage is in its present בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵן חֲנוֹךְ מִשְׁפַּחַת הַחֲנֹלִי לְפַלּוּא children of Israel who had come out of :sken nnewip s form an unintelligible farrago; which no commentator can clear, without correcting 3 καὶ ἐλάλησε Μωυσῆς καὶ Ἐλεάζαρ ὁ the text. From the antient translators little ἱερεὺς ἐν ̓Αραβωθ Μωαβ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰορδάνου help is to be derived ; both because they all κατὰ ̔Ιεριχώ, λέγων. 4 ἀπὸ εἰκοσαετοῦς καὶ seem to have had vitiated copies of the oriἐπάνω, ὃν τρόπον συνέταξε κύριος τῷ Μωυσή. ginal before them, and because those who καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ οἱ ἐξελθόντες ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, translate not literally, guess at some general 5 Ρουβὴν πρωτότοκος Ἰσραήλ. υἱοὶ δὲ Ρου- consistent meaning. Houbigant would make βὴν Ἐνὼχ, καὶ δῆμος τοῦ Ἐνώχ. τῷ Φαλλού, two supplements, one after was thus: δῆμος τοῦ Φαλλουί. ns, take up the sum; the other after Au. Ver.-3 And Moses and Eleazar the, thus: ", and they did so. "Or, priest spake with them in the plains of Moab if we be not added (says he), 5 must by Jordan near Jericho, saying, and, וישאו את ראשיהם be expunged ; and they took up the sum of them, put in its stead." Michaëlis would, with Syr. supply after, although in his German version he has not followed that emendation. Dathe's version is: "Moses igitur et Eleasar sacerdos hoc eis promulgârunt in cam 4 Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt. 5 Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of pestribus Moabiticis juxta Jordanem e rePallu, the family of the Palluites : gione Hierichuntis, Atque numerum inierunt eorum qui annum vicesimum excesserant, quemadmodum Jova Mosi præceperat et Israelitis, cum ex Ægypto essent egressi." He omits (rightly, I think) the word " and repeats, with Houbigant, Bp. Horsley.—3, 4, This passage is undoubtedly corrupt. 27, in the 3d verse, is an unusual construction; and the sense in the 4th is defective. The easiest emendation will be thus: at the beginning of verse 3d, for 7, read ; at the end of the verse | but doubts whether the last part of ver. 4 expunge, or rather, for , read | should be connected with what precedes, or ; and instead of the full stop between the with what follows. I wonder he had any verses, place only a comma. In the 4th doubt on this head: but the Masoretic verse place a full stop at D. Then the division, it appears, had some weight with two verses may be thus rendered: him on this occasion. Rosenmüller, who 3. "And Moses and Eleazar the priest hesitates between Dathe and Houbigant, numbered them in the plains of Moab by adds: “Quidquid statuas, hoc saltem cerJordan-Jericho, every male, 4. From tum est, locum hunc esse adfectum, qui twenty years old and upwards, as Jehovah opem criticam adhuc expectat." First of had commanded Moses. Now the children all, I throw out as evidently an inof Israel who came forth out of Egypt [were these]: 5. Reuben," &c. Ged., Booth.-3 So Moses and Eleazar the priest numbered them in the plains of Moab, by Jordan opposite Jericho, 4 From twenty years old and upward; as Jehovah truder, although a very early one. 5, Nempe Ruben primogenitus up, tell over; which meaning it still plainly certum, locum hunc esse adfectum, qui retains in Arabic; and there are evident opem criticam adhuc exspectat. Ceterum traces of it in Chald. and Syr.: see the qui nunc refertur census, eo consilio instiArab. 7, and the various meanings of the tutus est, ut familiis agri in subigenda mox Chald. and Syr. 7 in Castell. It may be Cananæa dividerentur. worthy of remark, that the phrase here is I know that the particles or n has sometimes after the verb 77, the same meaning as ; but still this is not the common form; and the other much more common one could not have been used here, in the supposition that . ידבר אותם but ידבר אליהם not the meaning of 7 is such as I have given to it.-Geddes. - erat. Ver. 7. οὗτοι δήμοι Ρουβήν, κ.τ.λ. Au. Ver.-7 These are the families of the of them were forty and three thousand and Reubenites and they that were numbered seven hundred and thirty. Rosen., Contra Jordanem Jericho, i. e., qua parte Jordanes haud Bp. Patrick. The word we translate procul distat a Jerichunte. - 4 Ad hujus families, rather signifies nations (gentes) or vs. initium aliquid deesse, quivis qui verba kindreds, as we translate it, Ps. xxii. 27. textus vel negligenter inspexerit, intelliget. For all that sprung from those seventy Desinit vs. 3 in , et quartus incipit persons who came with Jacob into Egypt, Quodsi are called by this name of mispecoth, which librariorum culpa quidquam omissum fuerit, the LXX here translate duo, people; which hunc errorem valde antiquum esse, apparet were divided into houses, as the Hebrews ex eo, quod cod. Samar. et LXX cum textu call them, and those houses into particular Hebræo consentiunt. Nec potest ex reliquis persons: this is plain from Josh. vii. 14, veteribus interpretibus vera lectio constitui, where, for the discovery of him that had quoniam omnes variant et nexum verborum sinned in the accursed thing, God comfaciunt, qui eis facillimus videretur. Mi-manded the Israelites to be brought by their chaëlis supplendum censet, ut habet tribes, and then that tribe by the families Syrus et numeravit eos. Nos quidem sub- belonging to it; and that family which the audimus, tollite summam, Lord took by households; and that houseeadem verba iterentur, quæ leguntur vs. 2. hold man by man. Sed alia adhuc difficultas est in hoc versu. quæ im ut Ver. 9, 10. .9 . קריאי קרי loquentis. Numquam enim de se in tertia pinge has by ngin-by nén persona loquitur, si ad populum verba facit. Hubigantius igitur ante supplet, ut sensus sit, et fecerunt Israelita sicut præceperat Jova Mosi. Quæ vero sequuntur, connectit cum vs. 5, hoc sensu: illi autem sunt filii Israel, qui Egypto egressi sunt: Ruben primogenitus Israel, etc. Dathius vero aliter verba connectit; vertit καὶ υἱοὶ Ἑλιάς, Ναμουὴλ, καὶ Δαθαν, καὶ enim atque numerum inierunt corum, qui Aẞepóv. οὗτοι ἐπίκλητοι τῆς συναγωγῆς. annum vicesimum excesserant, quemadmo- οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἐπισυστάντες ἐπὶ Μωυσῆν καὶ dum Jova praeceperat Mosi et Israelitis, Ααρών ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ Κορέ, ἐν τῇ ἐπισυσcum ex Egypto essent egressi. Attamen τάσει κυρίου. 10 καὶ ἀνοίξασα ἡ γῆ τὸ στόμα idem ille Dathius in nota ad h. 1. dubitat, αὐτῆς κατέπιεν αὐτοὺς καὶ Κορὲ ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ annon tune fortasse ex genio linguae ropes της συναγωγῆς αὐτοῦ, ὅτε κατέφαγε τὸ πῦρ tenda esset nota Casus: Contra τοὺς πεντήκοντα καὶ διακοσίους, καὶ ἐγενήθησαν : Hubigantii autem connectendi modum ob- év onμeio. Au. Ver.-9 And the sons of Eliab ; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is Quidquid statuas, boc saltem est that Dathan and Abiram, which were famov in the congregation, who strove against the two hundred and fifty men. And so this Moses and against Aaron in the company place, and Numbers xvi. 35, explain one another; and whereas there is mention only of two hundred and fifty men consumed by that fire, Korah is here added to the number. of Korah, when they strove against the LORD: 10 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign. 9 Famous in the congregation. See notes on chap. i. 16. Pool.-Swallowed them up together with Korah: according to this translation Korah was Bishop Patrick.-The earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah.] These words seem to import, that Korah was swallowed up with Dathan and Abiram, as I have observed upon chap. xvi. 32 (see there). But it must be acknowledged, that these words may receive another interpretation, and that very natural, in this manner: "The earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up" (viz., Dathan and Abiram, and the rest, mentioned ch. xvi. 32), and then the next words veeth Korah, may be thus translated, "and as for Korah (who was the great incendiary), when that company died," i. e., he died when the company which offered incense died for there is in many places a defect of a word, to be supplied from the word that follows. This is a very easy construction, and agrees with the Psalmist, Ps. cvi. 17, where he mentions only Dathan and Abiram's company as swallowed up, and then adds (ver. 18), “A fire was kindled in their company (i. e, in the other company of rebels), and the flame burnt up the wicked; viz., Korah, and those that were with him. not consumed by fire with his two hundred and fifty men, Numb. xvi., but swallowed up by the earth [so Houbigant, Michaëlis, Dathe, Rosenmüller, Hezel, &c.]. But others rather think he was devoured by the fire, of which see on Numb. xvi. 32, 35, and render these words, and the things of Korah, or belonging to Korah, to wit, his tent, and goods, and family, children excepted, as here follows; which interpretation receives strength by comparing this place with Numb. xvi. 32, And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them (to wit, Dathan and Abiram, as is manifest from ver. 24, 25, 27) up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah; which variation of the phrase plainly shows that Korah himself was not swallowed up with them, but only his men and his tabernacle, which is mentioned there together with the tabernacles of Dathan and Abiram, ver. 21, 27, but his person is not there mentioned with their persons. Nor is it unusual both in sacred and profane authors, by the name of a man who is the head and master, to understand only his house and family, though Whiston, Kennicott, Geddes, Boothroyd, himself be not included. But this difficulty and others, follow the Samaritan text, which may be cleared another way. The Hebrew reads What time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men.] If the interpretation now mentioned of the foregoing words be admitted, then Korah must be added to the number of the two hundred and fifty men; which Moses takes occasion to explain in this place, 10 ותפתח הארץ את פיה ותבלע -particle et may be here the note of a nomni אתם הארץ במות העדה באכל האש את קרח ואת חמשים ומאתים איש ויהיו לנס : native case, as it is 2 Kings vi. 5; Neh. ix. 19; Jer. xxxviii. 16; Ezek. xxxix. 14; xliii. 7, and there may be a defect of a verb, which is most frequent; and so the place may be rendered thus, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, to wit, Dathan and Abiram, ver. 9, and Korah, or, and as for Korah, he died (which verb is easily understood out of the following noun, of which ellipsis there are many instances in Scripture, some whereof have been given before, and more will follow in their places) in the death of that company, or when that company died, what time the fire devoured Ged.-9, 10, This was the Dathan, and this the Abiram, who, being of the national council, conspired with Korah and his associates against Moses and Aaron; which so provoked the LORD, that the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up; and they were made an example of: at what time their associates died, and fire consumed Korah and other two hundred and fifty men. Booth.-9, 10, This was the Dathan, and this the Abiram, who being of the council off Ver. 14. אֵלֶה מִשְׁפְּחֹת הַשְׁמְעֹנִי שְׁנַיִם the congregation, contended with Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah; when they so provoked Jehovah, that the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up; and when this company died, a fire devoured Korah and the two hundred and fifty men [Sam.]. Thus they became an example. Ken.-Verse 10 is very remarkable; for, according to the Hebrew text here, Korah was swallowed up with the Reubenites; but the Samaritan text says, he was destroyed by fire, with his brethren the Levites. See also ch. xvi. 6, 7, 16, 17, 27, 38, 40. This difference is well stated by Mr. Whiston in these words : "We have, in the book of Numbers, a very particular account of the destruction of the seditious Reubenites, Dathan and Abiram, and their partners; with Korah and his 250 Levites. Of the οὗτοι δήμοι Συμεὼν ἐκ τῆς ἐπισκέψεως αὐτῶν, δύο καὶ εἴκοσι χιλιάδες καὶ διακόσιοι. Au. Ver.-14 These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred. Twenty and two thousand, &c. Ged. And of them were mustered [LXX, Vulg.] twenty and two thousand, &c. Ver. 16. Au. Ver.-Ozni, Oznites. Ged.-Ezebon, Ezebonites. So Gen. xlvi. 16. Ver. 42, 43. Au. Ver.-Shuham, Shuhamites. Ver. 56. Reubenites, by the earth swallowing them up; and of the Levites, by fire. But what death Korah himself died, is not directly told us in our present Hebrew and Greek Au. Ver.-56 According to the lot shall Bibles; it rather seems by them, that he the possession thereof be divided between was swallowed up, than that he was burnt-many and few. contrary to the reason of the thing itself, Ged. According to their lot let their inwhich would rather require that Korah, the heritances be apportioned whether they be head of the Levites that burnt incense, many or few. should perish with those that burnt incense וְשֵׁם וּאֵשֶׁת עַמְרָם יוֹכֶבֶד בַּת לֵוִי with him: as Dathan and Abiriam, the heads Ver. 59. of the Reubenites, were swallowed up with the other Reubenites. Now here we have both the Sam. Pentateuch, and Josephus, as authentic witnesses that the original: Hebrew asserted, that Korah was burnt with his Levites; and in effect the Psalmist's testimony also (Ps. evi. 17), who mentions only Dathan and Abiram, as swallowed up and not burnt. Also we have the testimony of the Apostolical Constitutions, and in effect of Clement of Rome, of Ignatius, and Eusebius, that the Septuagint version originally gave the same account. So that here we have a clear instance of the alteration of both the Heb. and Gr. copies of the Old Testament, since the first century."-Essay on the true Text of the Old Testament, pp. 61, 65. 10. Ver. 12. τὸ δὲ ὄνομα τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ Ἰωχαβέδ, θυγάτηρ Δευὶ, ἡ ἐτεκε τούτους τῷ Λευὶ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ ἔτεκε τῷ ̔Αμρὰμ τὸν ̓Ααρὼν καὶ Μωυσῆν, καὶ Μαριὰμ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτῶν. Au. Ver.-59 And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister. Whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt. Ged. Whom Atha bare to him in Egypt.] With Michaelis I take 8 to be a proper name, the mother of Jochebed. Those who follow the present Hebrew punctuation are obliged to supply something; as our English Au. Ver.-Nemuel, Nemuelites. Ver. 13. Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt. Others supply his wife. The Septuagint seem to have read crs, referring it Ged.-Zohar, Zoharites. So Gen. xlvi. 10. to the posterity of Levi in the following Au. Ver.-Zerah, Zarhites. |