verse. The Latin Vulg., Onk., Syr., Saad., and famous men were more concerned in took to be in the passive voice; and that rebellion than others. Or, 3. To gain either read not , or disregarded it: or, the favour of Moses, against whom that reperhaps, they considered it as a nominative. bellion was more particularly directed, and The other antient versions follow the present more desperately prosecuted than any other. Hebrew. Against the natural and easy Or, 4. Because peradventure he died about reading of Michaëlis I can see only one ob- that time, and therefore might be presumed jection; namely, that it makes Jochebed the guilty of that crime. Or, rather, 5. Beimmediate daughter of Levi, and conse-cause that sin, and, as it may seem, that quently the aunt of her husband Amram. only of all the sins committed in the wilderRosen. 78, Quam ness, was of such a flagitious nature, that ei in Egypto peperit, sc. ing, uxor ejus. God thought fit to extend the punishment Aben-Ezra notat: Meminit Jochabeda prop-not only to the persons of those rebels, but ter honorem filiorum ejus ; non meminit autem also to their children and families, Numb. ejus, quæ illam peperit (matris ejus, uxoris xvi. 27, 32, as was usual in like cases, as Levi), brevitatis studio, sicut 1 Chr. vii. 14: Deut. xiii. 15; Josh. vii. 24; whence it is Aschriel, quem peperit, scil. mater ejus, uxor noted as a singular privilege granted to the Menassis. Similis locus est 1 Reg. i. 6: et children of Korah, that they died not, Numb. pepererat eum post Absolonem, sc. mater ejus, xxvi. 11, whereas the children of their conChaggitha. LXX hunc locum sic reddi- federates died with them. And this makes derunt: ἡ ἔτεκε τούτους τῷ Λευὶ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, their argument here more proper and powerquasi pro legissent is. Quæ inter-ful, that he did not die in that sin for which pretatio falsum quid dicit. Jochabed enim, his posterity were to be cut off, and to lose uxor Amrami, peperit Mosen et Aaronem either their lives or their inheritances, and non T Levi, sed Amramo. therefore their claim was more just. In his own sin; either, 1. For that sin mentioned Numb. xiv., which they call his own sin, in opposition not to the rest of the people, for it was a common sin, but to his children, i. e., the sin for which he alone was to suffer in his person and not in his posterity, as God had appointed, Numb. xiv. 33 [so Bp. Patrick]. Or rather, 2. For his own per sonal sins ; for, 1. These were inore properly בַּעֲדַת קְרַח כִּי־בְחֶטְאוֹ מֵת וּבָנִים לֹא־ הָיוּ לְוֹ : ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανεν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἦν ἐν μέσῳ τῆς συναγωγῆς τῆς ἐπισυστάσης ἔναντι κυρίου ἐν τῇ συναγωγή Κορέ, ὅτι δι ̓ ἁμαρτίαν αὐτοῦ ἀπέθανε, καὶ υἱοὶ οὐκ ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ. Au. Ver.-3 Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons. his own sins. 2. It was a truth, and that believed by the Jews, that death was a punishment for men's own sins. 3. The punishment of that common sin was not directly and properly death, but exclusion from the land of Canaan, and death only by way of consequence upon that. Ged.-For his own sin only died our father [Sam.]; having no sons.] These words our father are in the Samaritan only, and may possibly be an interpolation: but the phrase is so idiomatically pleonastic, that I Pool. He was not in the company of can hardly not believe it a genuine reading. Korah, nor in any other rebellion of the It ought not, however, to be concealed, that people, which must be understood, because great critics are of a different opinion; nay, all of them are opposed to his own sin, in who think that the words in question are not which alone he is said to die. But they even to be understood. They suppose, that mention this only either, 1. Because he it is not Zelophehad who is here said to might possibly be accused to be guilty of have died in his own sin; but Korah, who this. Or, 2. Because he, being an eminent is mentioned immediately before. Among person, might be thought guilty of that these critics is Rosenmüller: " Rectius, sine rather than of any other, because the great dubio, verban wad Korachum, pronoun, to show that, though they were Non tali auxilio, nec defensoribus istis However, instead of censuring, let us com subjectum proxime antecedens, referuntur;|sistent illustrations! The petitioners are ut sensus sit, Pater noster mortuus est in first honoured with a fem. pronoun of an Deserto, filiis non relictis; neque tamen uncommon size, to show they were honourfuit inter eos qui contra Jehovam rebellarunt able as women; and then twice with a masc. cum Koracho, qui ob peccatum suum mortuus est. [In Rosenmüller's Compendium, and in the third edition of his Scholia, the passage is translated as in our authorized version. See below.] This is plausible; and the text, I think, will absolutely bear such a meaning; but the sine dubio is too strong; and I am rather inclined to think passionate these poor critics; who have with Dathe, that the sin here mentioned is given the best accounts they could get of to be referred to Zelophehad: "Scilicet what they were told was, every letter of it, commune illud (peccatum) omnibus Is- the writing of Moses: and let us proceed to raelitis, qui, propter incredulitatem, intra observe, that these pronouns have been corquadraginta annos in Deserto mortui sunt. rupted. For that and I were oriIf the Sam. lection be admitted, it totally ginally and rs, is not only evident excludes any other meaning. from the Sam. text, but must be confessed Rosen-3-, Et ipse non fuit by all, who will allow the great author of the in coetu illo rebellium illorum, qui conspira- Pentateuch to write with common sense and verant contra Jovam (xvi. 11). ni, consistency-because the very two words Nam in peccato suo mortuus est, i. e., in proprio peccato, quo nulli præterquam sibi nocuit. Jonathan addit: nec peccare fecit alios. Ver. 7. Bares as mine on an ok : 10b (gras Oboe ὀρθῶς θυγατέρες Σαλπαδ λελαλήκασι. δόμα δώσεις αὐταῖς κατάσχεσιν κληρονομίας ἐν μέσῳ ἀδελφῶν πατρὸς αὐτῶν, καὶ περιθήσεις τὸν κλῆρον τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν αὐταῖς. 1 and are found even in the printed Heb. text, and in the very same verse, just after and T. To which it may be added, that where it is 8, pater eorum in the printed text, it is 7728, pater earum in MSS. 1, 4, 7, 10 (here changed), and 17; in Erfurt MS. 4, and also in 3 originally; but Michaelis tells us, that in Ms. 3, the having been erased in obedience to the Masora, a D is superscribed. Dr. A. Clarke.-7 There is a curious anomaly here in the Hebrew text which cannot Au. Ver.-7 The daughters of Zelophe- be seen in our translation. Speaking of the had speak right thou shalt surely give brethren of the father of those women, the them a possession of an inheritance among masculine termination 7, THEIR, is used their father's brethren; and thou shalt cause instead of the feminine, governed by the inheritance of their father to pass unto , daughters, So, to THEM, and them. OTON, THEIR fathers, masculine, are found Ken.--The history here tells us of a pe- in the present text, instead of 5 and 7728, tition preferred by the daughters of Zelo- feminine. Interpreters have sought for a phehad; and, in ver. 5, we read, that Moses, hidden meaning here, and they have found laid before the Lord 2, causam earum. several, whether hidden here or not. One The pronoun suffixed to this noun is regu- says, "the masculine gender is used, because larly feminine, and distinguished in some these daughters are treated as if they were written and most printed copies by its being | heirs male." Another, "that it is because much larger than common; to denote, say of their faith and conscientious regard to the the rabbies, that these daughters did great ancient customs, and to keep the memory of honour to their sex, and had more than their father in being, which might well befit common merit. But, how then are the two men." Another, "that it signifies the free pronouns in ver. 7 (which equally respect gift of God in Christ, where there is neither these daughters), found masculine? Why, male nor female, bond or free, for all are one say they, for the greater honour of these in Christ ;" and so on, for where there is no young women, because they had behaved rule there is no end to conjecture. Now the themselves like men. Wonderfully-con- plain truth is, that the masculine is in the present printed text a mistake for the femi- this place had its name in all likelihood from Ver. 14. כַּאֲשֶׁר מְרִיהֶם כִּי בְּמִדְבַּר־ן Rossi. Therefore all the curious reasons for בִּמְרִיבַת הָעֵדָה לְהַקְדִּישֵׁנִי בַמַּיִם this anomaly offered by interpreters are only לְעֵינֵיהֶם הֶם מִי מְרִיבַת קָדֵשׁ מִדְבַּר serious triftling on the blunder of some heedless copyists. Rosen.-7 Suffixa masculina in Det Tad filias Zelophchadi respiciunt, pro populari et minus correcte loquendi modo, et alias haud raro obvia; cf. ad Ex. i. 21. In cod. Sam. et in paucis quibusdam Judaicis leguntur suffixa feminina, quæ vix dubium est intempestivo emendandi studio deberi. Ver. 11. : 17 διότι παρέβητε τὸ ῥῆμά μου ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Σὶν, ἐν τῷ ἀντιπίπτειν τὴν συναγωγὴν ἁγιάσαι με, οὐχ ἡγιάσατέ με ἐπὶ τῷ ὕδατι ἔναντι αὐτῶν τοῦτ ̓ ἔστι τὸ ὕδωρ ἀντιλογίας ἐν Κάδης ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Σίν. Au. Ver.-14 For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is, the -water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilder מִשְׁפָּט כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה : καὶ ἔσται τοῦτο τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ δικαίωμα κρίσεως, καθὰ συνέταξε κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ. Au. Ver.-11 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses. And it shall be, &c. Ged. So this became a statute-law, to the children of Israel; as the LORD gave in command to Moses. Bp. Horsley.—So it was a settled rule of decision to the children of Israel, &c. Pool. A statute of judgment; a statute or rule by which the magistrate shall give judgment in such cases. Ver. 12. Au. Ver.-12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. ness of Zin. To sanctify me, &c. Booth. Instead of sanctifying me before their eyes at the waters. These were the waters of Meribah, in Kadesh, &c. Ged.-14 Because when the assembly were contentious in the wilderness of Zin, ye disobediently neglected to glorify me in their presence at the waters. Rosen.-141, Rebellastis contra os, versus, imperio meo rebelles fuistis sanctifi- After this verse Geddes and Boothroyd Moses then said, O Lord God, thou hast begun to show thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty power; for what God is there in the heavens, or on the earth that can do such mighty deeds as thou hast done? Let me, I pray thee, go over, and see that good land which is beyond the Jordan, that Dr. A. Clarke.-Get thee up into this mount Abarim.] The mountain which Moses was commanded to ascend was certainly! Mount Nebo, see Deut. xxxii. 19, &c., which was the same as Pisgah, see Deut. xxxiv. 1. The mountains of Abarim, according to Dr. Shaw, are a long ridge of frightful, rocky, precipitous hills, which are continued all along the eastern coast of the Dead Sea, as far as the eye can reach. As in Hebrew, excellent mountainous country, and LebaBut Jehovah said to Moses, Let it abar, signifies to pass over, Abarim here non. probably signifies passages; and the ridge in suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter. Go up to the top of Pisgah, and raise thine eyes and look westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward. and behold it with thine eyes: for over this Jordan shalt thou not go. But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt only see." See note on chap. xx. 13, and compare Deut. iii. 24. Ver. 20. καὶ δώσεις τῆς δόξης σου ἐπ ̓ αὐτὸν, ὅπως ἂν εἰσακούσωσιν αὐτοῦ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ. Au. Ver.-20 And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. Thou shalt put some of thine honour upon σονται αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ὁμοθυμαδὸν, Au. Ver.-21 And he shall stand before Pool. After the judgment, or, by or from the judgment, i. e., by seeking and receiving and communicating to him the judgment or sentence thereby given: or, by the judg : bani pe nie-ment is here put defectively for by the breastplate of judgment, as it is called Exod. xxviii. 30, as the testimony is oft put for the ark of the testimony. Or, concerning the and will of God is in the matter. judgment, or sentence, i. e., what the mind Or, after the manner or rite, for so the Hebrew word understand, and of Thummim, for these two mishpat here used oft signifies. Urim, generally go together; only here, as also 1 Sam. xxviii. 6, Urim is synecdochically and thy partner in the government, showing put for both Urim and Thummim. For the respect to him, and causing others to do so, Exod. xxviii. 30. Before the Lord; ordimanner of this inquiry and answer, see on and thou shalt impart to him the ensigns narily in the tabernacle near the second veil, and evidences of thy own authority, whatsoever they be [so Patrick, Rosen.]. Some setting his face to the ark, or otherwise preunderstand this honour of those spiritual Abiathar did by David's direction, 1 Sam. senting himself as in God's presence, as endowments which did adorn Moses, which Moses was now to confer upon him. But the ark. At his word, i. e., the word of the xxiii. 9, when they were both banished from this Joshua had before, for in him was the him. Pool. Thou shalt not now use him as a servant, as thou hast done, but as a brother Lord, last mentioned, delivered to him by spirit, ver. 18; and he received a further Ver. 21. Bishop Patrick.—Who shall ask counsel always joined with urim (except in this and הִוּא be a plate of judgment," as it is called Exod. priest appeared before God when he conxxviii. 30 (see there), with which the highκαὶ ἔναντι Ελεάζαρ τοῦ ἱερέως στήσεται, sulted him in great affairs concerning the kaì èπeρwτýσovσw avτòv tùy kрíσw Tŵr dýλov public safety, more especially in times of ἔναντι κυρίου. ἐπὶ τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ ἐξελεύ- war; of which we have many instances in σονται, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ εἰσελεύ- Judg. i. 1 ; xx. 18; 1 Sam. xiv. 18; xxviii. 6. David, indeed, is said to consult God by the was appointed by all the people in their ephod, but it must be observed that the name." And that col ha edah [all the conbreast-plate was annexed to it; which gregation] signifies frequently the great asAbiathar brought along with him when he sembly of the elders and judges (see also fled from Saul, who commanded the priests Bertram De Repub. Jud., p. 72). to be slain, 1 Sam. xxii. 2, 9; xxx. 8; 2 Sam. v. 19. Before the Lord.] The high-priest never inquired by urim and thummim, but standing before the Lord; that is, before the ark, where the Shechinah was. Here the Jews start a difficulty, as they account it, why we never read in the whole book of Joshua, that he consulted the Lord after this manner; but as soon as ever he was dead they did (Judg. i. 1). From whence Abarbinel concludes, that Joshua At his word shall they go out, and—come was bound to do this only at the first in.] That is, said Grotius, at the word of entrance upon his office, that all Israel the Lord, "by the judgment of urim," which might know he was Moses' successor, and goes just before. Others, "at the word of that God was with him: but that afterward the priest:' which comes to the same. the spirit of prophecy rested upon him, and And this the Hebrew doctors understand conducted him without this oracle. But if concerning the people of Israel making war; nothing was done that is not recorded in the which is wont to be meant in Scripture by Scripture, he might as well have said that the words going out and coming in. And Joshua never consulted the oracle at all, for they distinguish between the war that was we do not read he did, though he be here so made by the Divine commandment (against ordered. R. Levi ben Gersom, therefore, the seven nations of Canaan, and against seems to me to speak more reasonably, when Amalek), and that which was voluntary he says that those words in the beginning of against any of their neighbours, or others, as there should be reason. In the former case, they think there was no need to ask whether they should make war or not, because it was commanded; and Joshua and the kings afterward did it when they pleased. But in the other, they were not to make war without this divine order (see Selden, lib. iii. De Synedr., cap. 12, n. 4). But it is plain from Judg. i. 1 that they consulted the Lord also in the first sort of war (with the people of Canaan), how to manage it to the best advantage. Both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.] By the first word [he] the Jews understand Joshua, and all the succeeding princes of Israel, who were bound to advise with God by urim and thummim before they made war. And by the next words [all the children of Israel with him they understand the priest that was particularly anointed to go with the people to war (Deut. xx. 2). And by the last words [the whole congregation] they understand the seventy elders, or the great Sanhedrin. So Maimonides, Abarbinel, and a great many others, expound these words (as Mr. Selden shows in the same place), from which they have framed this general maxim, that no private man might consult this oracle, "but the king, and the head of the great Sanhedrin, and he that the book of Judges do not import that they did not consult God by urim in the life of Joshua, but only that after his death the children of Israel would not adventure to proceed in the war of Canaan without the same direction. Rosen.-21 g Ceip in bath, Et interroget, consulat eum, sc. Josua Eleazarem, per judicium roù Urim, de quo vid. Ex. xxviii. 30. Verbum nomini personæ, quam quis interrogat, jungitur per, ut 2 Reg. viii. 6. Sed potest et sic verti: interroget, sc. sacerdos pro eo, Josua, in ejus gratiam (ut xxii. 11, 17), judicium ToÙ Urim, eadem constructione, quæ 1 Sam. xxii. 15: Dưng gh nina cia, num hodie incepi interrogare pro eo Deum? -, Secundum os suum, jussa sua. Í NH, Exibunt et egredientur. Hac phrasi cum expeditiones tum cetera omnia publica populi negotia significantur, cf. Deut. xxviii. 6. Ver. 23. Au. Ter.-23 And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses. Ged., Booth.--23 And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as Jehovah commanded him and said to him, Thine eyes have seen what Jehovah hath done to these two kings! so will he do to all the kingdoms through which thou hast |