rock is spoken of as following them, not on account of its follow- ing the people ; for it rather went before them ; but because, although at that time it was really present with them, ver. 9, yet it was only in after ages that at length it was made known to them ; comp, on the word axoXovh/v, to follow, 1 Tim. v. 24 ; on the order of natural and spiritual things, 1 Cor. xv. 46.
5. ’AXX, hut) although they had so many signs of the Divine presence. — oux. sv roTg <7rXti6<nv auruv, not with the most of them) The position of the particle not should be noticed. Reason might suggest, that God certainly was well pleased h roTg kXsiomv, with the most of them. This the apostle denies. He not only points out those, who are particularly described presently afterwards, but at the same time many others. — 6 &sog, God) whose judg- ment alone is valid. — xarsarpdjd^dav, were overthrown) in great heaps, and with great force. The lxx. have used this word in Numb. xiv. 16. — yap, for) The event showed, that they had not pleased God. — h rjj spy/tv, in the wilderness) far from the land of promise.
6. Taura, these) benefits, which the people received, and the sins which they at the same time committed. — rvnoi, examples) by which we may be instructed, from which we may learn, what punishments, we must expect, if, receiving such benefits, we should sin in a similar manner. — s/g ro firi, that not) The benefits are put down in the order, in which they are arranged by Moses, in the different chapters of Exodus; the offences, with their punishments, in a different order. The fundamental principle, from which the offences proceed, is concupiscence : afterwards, the mention of idolatry most of all serves his purpose, ver. 7, 4 : fornication was usually joined with idolatry, ver. 8 : temptation with murmuring ; see the following verses. Those offences are chiefly mentioned, which relate to the admonition of the Corin- thians.— emdvfAnrug) The lxx. have this verbal noun. — xaxuv, after evil things) Rom. xiv. 20. — hm&\)[in<sav, lusted) Numb. xi. 4.
7. Vtnak, he ye) In this ver,, and ver. 10, the matter is set before them in the second person; for Paul was beyond the danger of idolatry, nay, he was even the object of their murmur- ing ; the other things are put in the first person — both be- comingly so. So 1 Pet. iv. 1, 3, in the second person. — ring avruv, some of them) We should mark some ; where some begin,
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