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the door of the tent of the congregation, and the glory of Jehovah appeared unto all the congregation.

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And Jehovah spake unto Moses, and unto Aaron, saying, "Separate yourselves from among this congregation, and I will consume them, as in a moment. 22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be fervently wroth with all the congregation? * And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram: and the elders of Israel went after him. * And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch not any thing that is theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. 27 And they went up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little ones. faction. See ver. 41. GLORY OF JEHOVAH,] In the cloud over the sanctuary, as it did at other times in the like cases, ver. 42; Num. xii. 5; xiv. 10.

VER. 21.-AS IN A MOMENT,] Or, even in a moment; suddenly, and as the Gr. translateth, at once. So in ver. 45; and thus God had before threatened, after they had made the calf, Exod. xxxiii. 5.

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VER. 22. GOD OF THE SPIRITS OF ALL FLESH,] By all flesh, is meant, all mankind; as in Gen. vi. 13; Is. xl. 5, 6; Ezek. xx. 48; xxi. 4, 5; Joel ii. 28; and so it is explained in Job xii, 10., the spirit of all flesh of man.' And the Lord is called God of the spirit of men, both as he is creator of them, who formeth the spirit of man within him,' Zach. xii. 1; called therefore, 'the Father of spirits,' Heb. xii. 9; and as the preservation, ordering, and government of them is in his hand, both in life and death; 'In whose hand is the soul of all living, and the spirit of all flesh of man,' Job xii. 10. Therefore Moses useth the like phrase, when he prayeth that a governor might be substituted in his stead, Num. xxvii. 16. gum Jonathan explaineth it, "God that puttest the spirit of the soul in the bodies of all the sons of men:" and Thargum Jerusalemy thus: "God which rulest over the souls of all flesh;" Chazkuni saith, "which knowest the spirit of every one of them." The Gr. translateth, God of the fathers, and of all flesh; understanding (as it seemeth) by spirits, such as the apostle calleth 'the spirits of just men made perfect,' Heb. xii. 23; the spirits of the fathers which were returned t God who gave them; as Eccl. xii. 7. SHALL ONE MAN SIN] In Gr, if one man

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hath sinned: as if they should say, All have not sinned, why wilt thou be wroth with all? Upon this intercession, the Lord spareth the people, that would depart from the rebels, ver. 24.

VER.-24. THE TABERNACLE,] This seemeth to be put for tabernacles, or dwellings; the Gr. translateth it, the congregation; so in ver. 27, where the Gr. also keepeth the word tabernacle, which in ver. 26, is called tents.

VER.-25. THE ELDERS,] The Gr. addeth, all the elders. WENT AFTER HIM,] In Gr. went with him, that is, accompanied him.

VER.-26. THESE WICKED MEN,] In Gr. these hard men: the original word properly signifieth restless, turbulent, and such as for their sins are worthy to be condemned:' see the notes on Ps. i. 1. TOUCH NOT ANY THING,] Because as they themselves, so all things of theirs, were unclean and execrable, and therefore to perish with them, ver. 32.

VER. 27.-CAME OUT AND STOOD,] Heb. came out standing; which the Gr. explaineth, came out and stood: and these two phrases are one; as where it is said that Jesus 'blessed, and breaking gave' to the disciples, Matt. xiv. 19; the other evangelists explain it, he blessed, and brake, and gave,' Luke ix. 16; Mark vi. 41, so, Saying unto them,' Matt. xxi. 2, is, 'And saith unto them,' Mark xi. 2. This their standing up,' argueth their boldness, in so bad a cause: for standing up' is a gesture denoting courage, Job xxxiii. 5; xli. 10; 1 Sam. xvii. 8, 16. Thus Pride went before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall;' as Prov. xvi.

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28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that Jehovah hath sent me to do all these works: for (I do them) not of mine own heart. 29 If these men die, as all men die, and they be visited after the visitation of all men, Jehovah hath not sent me. 30 But if Jehovah create a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow up them, and all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive unto hell; then ye shall know, that these men have provoked Jehovah. 31 And it was as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder which was under them. And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up them and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their substance. 33 And they, and all that appertained unto them, went down alive into hell: and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the church. And all Israel that were round about them, fled at the voice of them: for they said, Lest the earth

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VER. 28.-ALL THESE WORKS,] Both the former, in appointing Aaron to the priesthood, and the Levites instead of the firstborn; and these latter, in appointing Korah and his company to bring their censers with incense, &c. OF MINE OWN HEART,] which the Chald explaineth, of mine own will; the Gr., of myself. For things devised of one's own heart, are noted for evil, 1 Kings xii. 33; Ezek. xiii. 17.

VER. 29.-AS ALL MEN DIE,] their ordinary natural death; which the Gr. translateth, after the death of all men.

VER. 30.-CREATE A NEW THING,] Heb. create a creature, that is, do a new and wonderful work, to kill them with such a death as never man died before them. Of this word create, see the notes on Gen. i. 1. It is applied here to a strange and extraordinary work of judgment, as in Isa. xlv. 7. God is said to create evil;' and in Exod. xxxiv. 10, to create marvels; and in Isa. xlviii, 6, 7,' new and hidden things' God would create. And as evil, so good things which are new and strange, are said to be created of God. Isa. lxv. 18. ALIVE,] Living, hale and sound; not consumed with sickness, as ordinarily men are before death and burial. UNTO HELL,] Into the grave, or state of death: see the notes on Gen. xxxvii. 35. To this judgment the prophet hath reference, praying against his enemies, Let them go down alive to hell, Ps. lv. 16.

VER. 32.-SWALLOWED UP THEM,] To wit, Dathan and Abiram, as in Ps. cvi. 17. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered over the congregation of Abiram.' So David prayed against his enemies, 'swallow them up O Lord,' Ps. lv. 10. THEIR HOUSES,] That is, households; as the Chald. expoundeth it, the men of their houses. AP

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PERTAINED UNTO KORAH,] The Gr. translateth, and all the men that were with Korah, and the Chald. the men that pertained to Korah, but the sons of Korah are to be excepted, for they, either not partaking with, or forsaking their father's sins, died not: see Num. xxvi. 11. And whereas mention was made of On, the son of Reuben, in ver. 1, but not here nor anywhere of his death, neither in ver. 12, of his calling, or refusal, to come up; it is to be thought, that either he repented upon Moses' reproof, and so was spared from destruction; or if not so, he is implied among the rest, though not named in particular. THEIR SUBSTANCE,] Or, their goods; which the Gr. translateth, their cattle; and so the original word implieth, as in 1 Chron. xxvii. 31; 2 Chron. xxxi. 3; xxxv. 7; see the notes on Gen. xii. 5. And not their cattle only, but all their other goods, even their tents,' were swallowed unto the earth, Deut. xi. 6. Here we may behold the truth of that proverb; Riches profit not in the day wrath: but justice delivereth from death, Prov. xi. 4.

VER. 33.-CLOSED UPON THEM,] Or, covered over them: so there was no hope left for their recovery. Against such judgment David prayeth, Let not the gulf swallow me, neither let the pit shut her mouth upon me,' Psa. lxix. 16.

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VER. 34.-AT THE VOICE OE THEM,] At their cry or noise, which they made when they perished. So in Jer. xlix. 21. At the voice (or noise) of their fall, the earth is moved,' &c. and, I made the nations to shake, at the noise of his fall,' Ezek. xxxi. 16. LEST THE EARTH SWALLOW US,] An imperfect speech, through fear: such as is often used in dangers; as in Ps. xxxviii. 17; Rom. xi. 21. Thus the present judgment

swallow up thus. 35 And a fire came forth from Jehovah, and devoured the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

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36 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Eleazar the sons of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning; and scatter thou the fire yonder, for they are hallowed. The censers of these sinners against their own souls, and let them make them broad plates, for a covering of the altar; for they offered them before Jehovah, and they are hallowed, and they shall be for a sign unto the sons of Israel. 39 And Eleazar the

priest took the brazen censers, which they that were burnt had offered, and they were made broad plates, for a covering of the altar. "A memorial unto the sons of Israel, that not any stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before Jehovah; that he be not as Korah, and as his congregation, as Jehovah spake by the hand of Moses unto him.

terrified them; and, 'When the scorner is puuished, the simple is made wise,' Prov. xxi. 11. VER. 35.-DEVOURED,] Or, did eat the 250 men, they sinned in burning incense, which belonged to the priests only; and with burning they were punished, like the judgment on Aaron's sons, that transgressed also therein, Lev. x. 1, 2. Of this David singeth, 'A fire burned in their congregation, a flame burnt up the wicked,' Ps. cvi. 18.

VER. 37.-UNTO ELEAZAR, ]Chazkuni here observeth, that God would not have Aaron to be defiled (by going among the dead,) because he was one of them that offered," ver. 17. OUT OF THE BURNING,] That is, as the Gr. well explaineth it, from among those that are burnt. So in Num. xxi. 1, 'captivity,' is for a company of captives; and in 2 Kings xxiv. 14, 'poverty' for a company of poor people; and many the like. THE FIRE,] which is in the censers, ver. 7. The Gr. saith, the strange fire; as Lev. x. 1. YONDER, In Gr. there; which Sol. Jarchi expoundeth," on the earth out of the censers:" others, out of the court of the sanctuary. By casting away the fire, the Lore signifieth the rejecting of their service as profane. So in Rev. viii. 5, angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth; and there were voices, and thunderings,' &c. Which being compared with ver. 3, 4, seemeth to teach likewise a rejecting of the service of antichristians, which abuse and despise Christ's mediation; and therefore it is turned unto them to judgment.

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VER,38.-SINNERS AGAINST THEIR SOULS,] Sinners are here and often used for notorious wicked persons; as, 'destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, 1 Sam. xv. 18, and,' the men of Sodom were evil and sinners,' Gen. xiii. 13. And they sinned against their souls,' in causVOL. II.

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ing their own death and destruction: for the 'soul' is often used for the life, as in Gen. xix. 17; xxxvii. 21. So he that 'provoketh a king to anger, sinneth against his own soul,' Prov. xx. 2. BROAD PLATES,] Heh. out spreadings of plates, that is, plates beaten out and spread broad, to cover the brazen altar with them. AND THEY ARE HALLOWED,] Or, sanctified and so (as Sol. Jarchi explaineth it) "unlawful for common use, because they had made them for vessels of ministry." Or, they were now sanctified of God (before whom they sinfully offered them,) to be an holy sign unto the people. FOR A SIGN,] and a memorial to the sons of Israel,' ver. 40, to make them remember the transgression of these sinners, and to warn them that none hereafter do the like. So Aaron's rod was kept for a sign, Num. xvii. 10; and God threateneth by destroying the wicked, to make him a sign, and a proverb,' Ezek. xiv. 8. 'Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come,' I Cor. x. 11.

VER. 40.-NOT ANY STRANGER,] Or, no man which is a stranger. SEED OF AARON,] that is, sons, or posterity of Aaron: so all Israelites or Levites (save Aaron's sons only,) are counted strangers in this case of priesthood. THAT HE BE NOT,] Heb. and he be not as Korah, like him in rebellion, and in punishment. Therefore Moses afterward rehearseth this history; to keep the people in obedience, Deut. xi, 6-8. &c. UNTO HIM,] Or, or of him, having reference to Moses' speech in ver. 29, 30, that the truth of the judgment denounced might be manifest. So the apostle pronounceth wo unto such, and saith they perish in the gain-saying of Korah, Jude, ver. 11.

"And on the morrow, all the congregation of the sons of Israel murmured against Moses, and against Aaron, saying, You have killed the people of Jehovah. 42 And it was when the congrega

tion was gathered against Moses, and against Aaron, that they looked towards the tent of the congregation; and behold the cloud covered it, and the glory of Jehovah appeared. 43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tent of the congregation.

"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, "Get you up from among this congregation; and I will consume them as in a moment: and they fell upon their faces. 46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take the censer, and put fire thereon from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make atonement for them: for fervent wrath is gone out from before Jehovah, the plague is begun. "And Aaron took as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the church, and behold the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living, and

VER. 41.-YOU HAVE KILLED,] Or, as the Chald. explaineth it, "you have caused the death." Though they had prayed for the people, ver. 22, and the strangeness of the punishments showed unto all that they were of God, and the judgments were still even before the eyes of the congregation; yet do they thus break out into a new rebellion.

VER. 42.-THE GLORY OF JEHOVAH,] It appeared to help his servants, and to repress and punish the rebellious; now as in former times, Num. xii. 5; xiv. 10; xvi. 19.

VER. 45. GET YOU UP,] That is, depart, or, separate yourselves; as he said before, in ver. 21. AS IN A MOMENT,] In Gr. at once: see the notes on ver. 21. FELL ON THEIR FACES,]To pray, as Thargum Jonathan addeth, and as they did before, in ver. 22. So did David and the elders of Israel, in 1 Chron. xxii, 16.

VER. 46. FROM OFF THB ALTAR,] Of this, Chazkuni saith, "he warned him hereof, that he might not err through haste, and offer strange fire, as Nadab and Abihu, (Lev. x.) and these other had done." INCENSE,] "Incense that caused death, when it was not in the hand of the priest, giveth life when it is in the priest's hand," saith Chazkuni on this place. Hereby the mediation of Christ for sinners was figured; who is represented by the angel standing at the altar, having a golden censer, and much incense given unto him, to offer it with the prayers of all saints, Rev. viii. 3. GO QUICKLY,] Or, make to go with speed; that is, as the Chald. and Gr. translated, " carry quickly, or in haste." THE PLAGUE,] In Chald. "death;" the Gr. translateth, "he hath begun to break (that is, destroy) the people.

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VER. 47. HE PUT ON INCENSE,] To make atonement, and to appease God's wrath; as it is said of the priests, they shall put incense in thy nostril (or, in thine anger) &c. and favourably accept thou (O Lord) the work of his hands;' Deut. xxxiii. 10, 11. Herein he figured Christ our mediator, who made intercession for the transgressors, Is. liii. 12, Luke xxiii. 34. So the Hebs. (as R. Menachem on Num. xvi.) apply that prophesy of Isaiah touching Christ, unto this work of Aaron, saying, the meaning of this, and he stood between the living and the dead, is like that (in Is. liii. 12,) he hath poured out his soul unto death,' &c.

VER. 48.-BETWEEN THE DEAD AND THE LIVING,] So interposing, and as it were exposing himself to the wrath of God for the people; that by the atonement which he now made, the plague might be stayed from the living which yet remained. For to him

that is joined to all the living, there is hope, &c. but the dead know not any thing, &c. neither have they any more a portion for ever, in any thing that is done under the sun, &c. There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither, thou goest,' Eccl. ix. 4-6, 10. The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence,' Ps. cxv. 17. They that go down into the pit, cannot hope for the truth (of God)' Is. xxxviii. 18, for after death, cometh the judgment,' Heb. ix, 27. And so by the Heb. doctors it is said, "There is no atonement for the dead." Maimony in Misn. tom. 3 in Pesulei hamukdashin, chap. XV. sect. 9. And the Chald. paraphrast on Eccl. i. 15, hath this saying; "A man whose ways are rebellious in this world, and he dieth

the plague was stayed. 49 And they that died in the plague, were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah. 50 And Aaron returned unto Moses, unto the door of the tent of the congregation, and the plague was stayed.

in them, and turneth not by repentance, he bath no power to reform himself after his death: and a man that faileth of the law and precepts while he liveth, he hath no means, after his death, to be reckoned with the just men in the garden of Eden, (or paradise of God.") And on Eccl. vi. 6, the Chald. paraphraseth thus; "yea, though the days of the life of a man be two thousand years, if he have not exercised himself in the law, and hath not done judgment and justice; by the oath of the word of the Lord which (shall be) in the day of his death, his soul goeth down to Gehenna (or hell torments,) unto one place, whither all sinners do go." So there was no estimation, nor price of the dead, for any vow, in Israel, as is noted on Lev. xxvii. 8. THE PLAGUE WAS STAYED,] This showeth how greatly the prayers and actions of his servants do prevail with God, when they are faithful, fervent, and according to his will, Jam. v. 16; 1 John v. 14, and fore-showeth the power and efficacy of Christ's mediation; for God heareth him always,'John xi. 42, 'and he is the atonement for our sins, 1 John ii. ' and for his sake, God before whom the pestilence goeth, in wrath remembereth mercy,' Hab. iii. 5, 2. And as the blood of the paschal lamb (figuring the blood of Christ,' 1 Cor. v. 7,) stayed the angel which destroyed the Egyptians, from touching the Israel

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ites, Exod. xii. 23; Heb. xi. 28, so the smoke of Aaron's incense (figuring the mediation of Christ, Ps. cxli. 2; Rev. viii. 4,) stayed the plague here from the Israelites which survived; that as it is written of the pestilence in David's time, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough, stay now thine hand,' 2 Sam. xxiv. 16, so in this case. Some footsteps of the understanding of this mystery may be seen in the Heb., though superstitiously depraved: as when they say, that 'all hurtful and destroying (spirits) flee away at the odour of the incense of sweet spices. Thargum on Song iv. 6.

VER. 49.-ABOUT THE MATTER,] Or, as the Gr. explaineth it, "for the cause of Korah," which the Chald.calleth" the division of Korah."

VER. 50.-UNTO THE DOOR OF THE TENT,] Into the court-yard of the sanctuary, where Moses remained: both to siguify unto Moses the effect and fruit of his action, through the mercifulness of God; and to give thanks unto the Lord, who had so graciously accepted the work of his hands. As Davidoffered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings; after that the Lord was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel, 2 Sam. xxiv. 25; 1 Chron. xxi. 26, 27.

CHAP. XVII.

1. Twelve rods of the tribes of Israel being laid in the tabernacle, on the morrow Aaron's rod only among them all, flourisheth and beareth almonds. 10. It is left in the tabernacle for a monument against the rebels. 12. The people show Moses their fear of death.

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1AND Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the sons of Israel, and take of them a rod for every father's house,

VER. 2.-SPEAK UNTO,] When God saw the continual murmurings of the people, how they ceased not, he commandeth this that followeth to be done, that so by miracle the priesthood of Aaron might be confirmed, and a full end put to all strife thereabout; as ver. 10. A ROD FOR EVERY FATHER'S HOUSE,] Heb. "a rod a rod, for (or according to) the house of a father;" which the Gr. explaineth thus; "take of them a rod, a rod of all their

princes, according to their fathers' houses." A rod (or staff) was such as men use to carry in their hands, Gen. xxxviii. 18; Exod. iv. 2; the same word (called in Heb. Matteh) is often used for a tribe, as in Num. i. 4, 16, 21, &c.; either because of this writing of their names upon rods, or because the twelve tribes grew out of the stock of Israel, as rods or branches out of a tree. The princes also carried staves in their hands, as

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