providence, either becauſe they diſliked their fathers act, or upon *
Moſes his interceſſion for them, or for ſome other reaſon. This:
expreilion may ſeem r0 intimate, that Korah himſelf was .not here, ;
bur that he continued with his 250 men before the Lord, wer: 18: 19. where they were wairing for Gods decition »f the controveriie, nor is it probable that their chief captain would deſert them, and leave them ſtanding there without an head, eſpecially, when Aaron, his grear adverſary, abode there ſtill, and did not go with Azſes to Dathan, &c. wer: 25. And Korah may ſeem to have been conſu- med wit thoſe 250. ver: 35: though he be not mentioned r:1ere, bur is ealily underſtood by comparing that verſe with ver: 16, 17. 18. and from the narure of the thing it ſelf, there be.ng no cauſe of doubr, but that deſtruction which befel the acceſlaries did much more involve the principal And ſo much is intimated, wer: 40: that no ſtranger come near to offer incenſe before the Lord, that he be not as Korah, and as his company, i. e. deſtroyed, as th-y were, by fire from the Lo-d. And when the Pfalmiſt relares this "iſtory, Pſal; 126. the earths ſwallowing them upis contined to Dathunu and Abi- ram, wer: 17. and for all the reſt of that conſpiracy, it is added, wer: 18. Acid a fire was kindled in their company, the flame burnt up the wicked, As for Num. 26: 10- which fe:ms to oppoſe this oppinion, we ſhall ſee more on that place, if God permir.
23 Tney and ail that «ppertazined to th:'m, went down alive into Þ the pit ”, and the earth cloſed upon them ; and they periſhed from among the congiegation
r (7: e:) Into the earth, which firlt opened it ſelf to receive them and then ſhoor it ſelf to deſtroy them and tranſmit them to fur-
bll.
ther puniſhment. ;
24 And alli Iſrael that were round abou: them, fled at
the cry of them : for they ſaid, Leſt the earth ſwailow
up us alſo,
25 And there cam? out a fire from the LORD -£,and
conſumed the two hundred and fifty men thar offered incenſe.
Ver: 19. to give ſentence 1n this cauſe.
35 And the LORD ſpake unto Moſes, ſaying,
37 Speak unto Eleazar # the ſon of Aaron the prieſt,
that he rake up the cenſers our of the burning «, and
ſcatter thou the fire x yoiuder y, for they are haiiowed z. | £ Rather taan to Aaron, partly becauſe the rroubleſome part of !
tne work was more proper for him and partly leſt Aaron ſhould be
polluted by going amongſt theſe dead carcaſles ; f r it is p:obable tais fi-e conſumed them, as lightning ſometimes doth others, by \
taking away tneir lives, and leaving their bodies dead u;0on the place. n id were burnt. the captives, Numb 21 1. and poverty for the poor, 2 Kings 24: 14. x (::e:) The cinders or aſhes which are left in or near their cen- ſers. y (i: e ) Far from the altar and ſanqtuary, into an unclean place, where the aſhes were wont t» be caſt : by which God ſhews his rejection of their ſervices. -z Either 1. by Gods appointment becauſe they were preſented before the Lord vy his expreſs order ver: 16. 379. Or 2. by Gods juſt ju.igment, becauſe they, rogether with the perſons that uſed them, were accurſed and devored by Go.i, and therefore were the Lords, and not to be imployed in any profane or common ule, as appears from Lev: 27: 28 But the firſt reaſon is the chief, and is rendred by God himſelf, wer: 38.
38 The cenſers of theſe tinneis againit their own
fouls 2, ler them make them broad plates fer a covering
of the Altar b: for they offered them before the LORD,
; Ntaff : oy rather, that Naff or rod,
therefore they are hallowed, and they (ball be a ſign c unto the children of Iſrael,
—_
Orb ”
i: e: ) From among the dead b-:dies of thoſe men who ' Burning put for thoſe who art burnt, as captivity for : : God confirming Aarons calling by the budding
a (i:e.) Their own lives : who were the authors of their own death and deftruion. Compare r Kings 22 23: Prov: 25:*2. This he faith for the vindicaticn of Gods juſtice and his own miniſtry in this ſevere diſpenſation. 6 To wit, of burnt-cfferings, which was made of wood, bur covered with braſs before this tine, Exod: 27: I, 2. tO Which this other covering was added for further orna- ment and ſecurity againſt the fire, which was continually burning upon it. c A monument or warning to all ſtrangers to take heed of invading the Prieſthood, as it follows, wer: 40.
39 And Eleazar che prieſt took the brazen cenſers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered, and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar :
49 To be a memorial unto the children of Iſ;ael, that no ſtrangzr, which js not of the ſeed of Aaron, come near to offer incenſe before the LORD, that ke be not as Korah, and as his company 4: as the LORD ſaid to him e by the hand of Moſes. |
d (i:c.) That he do not imitate them in their fin, and there-
| fore bring upon himſelf the ſame plague. e (7. e.) To Eleazer
Theſe words belong to ver: 38. the meaning is, that Eleazar did as God bade him.
41 But 6n the morrow fall the congregation of the children of iſrael murmured againſt Moſes and againſt Aaron, faying, ye have killed g the people of the LORD 5b. |
f Prodigious wickeineſs and madneſs ſo ſoon to forget ſuch a terrible inſtance of divine vengeance. g You, who ſhould have preſerved them, and interceded for them, have pull-d down Gods ' wrath upon them. for the maintainance of your 0+ n .uthocity and intereſt. þ So they call thoſe wicked wretches, and rebels gainſt God : which ſhews the power of paſſion and prejudice to cor: upt mens judgment. |
42 And ir came to paſs, when the congregation was gathered againſt Moſes, and againſt Aaron, that they 5 looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation, and behold, the clood covered it,and the glory of the LORD appeared.
i (i:e: ) Miſes and Aaron, who in all their diſtreſſes made God their refuge.
43 And Moſes and Aaron came before the taberna- cle of the congregation &.
k To hear what God, who now appeared, would ſay to him,
44 And the LORU ſpake uaro Moſes, ſaying,
45 Get thee up from among this congregation, that I may conſume them as in a moment : and they fell upon their faces /. ;
1 To beg pardon and mercy for the people,as they oft did ; thus rendering good to them for evil, which the people requited with evil for their kindneſs.