Numbers 12:1-16 (2) – Numbers 13:1-33

Numbers 12:1-16 (2)

11. And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas! my lord. Although Aaron was aware that, through God’s indulgence, his own punishment was remitted, still he does not cease to consider what he had deserved. For we ought not to wait until God smites ourselves, but since in chastising others He invites us to repentance, although He may spare ourselves, we should profit betimes by their punishments. The disfigurement, therefore, of his sister, alarmed and terrified Aaron, so that, examining his own condition, he acknowledged himself to be deserving of a similar judgment. His humble prayer manifests that those high aspirations were subdued, which had carried him away into unholy jealousy. Moses, who was younger than himself, and whose superiority he just before could not endure, tie now calls his lord, and confesses himself to be subject to his authority and power. Thus the dread of punishment was the best medicine to cure his disease of ambition. In beseeching Moses not to impute his sin to him, he does not usurp for mortal man a right which God by Isaiah claims for Himself alone; but inasmuch as Moses had been injured, he asks his pardon, lest by his accusation he should be brought before the divine tribunal. Where he confesses his own and his sister’s foolishness, he does not extenuate the grossness of his crime, as most people do, when they generally seek to cover their transgressions under the plea of error or thoughtlessness; but it is precisely as if he had said that they were senseless, and out of their minds, as we gather from the next clause, in which he plainly acknowledges their criminality.

Note 46. No reference is here given by C. He probably alludes to Isaiah 43:25.

By the comparison which he introduces, it is evident that the leprosy of Miriam was of no ordinary kind, for nothing can be more disgusting than the dead body of any abortive foetus, corrupt with purulence and decay.

13. And Moses cried unto the Lord. The event now proves, what was recently asserted, that Moses was of a meek and gentle disposition beyond all other men; for he is not only ready at once to forgive, but also intercedes with God for them. And thus the presumption of Miriam is best reproved; for the only hope of safety that remains to her is in the dignity of Moses, which of late she could not endure.

From the reply of God, it is manifest that the punishment which she alone had received was intended for the instruction of all. The pride and temerity of Miriam were sufficiently chastised, but God wished it to be a lesson for all, that every one should confine himself to his own bounds. Meanwhile, let us learn from this passage to pay due honor to the judgments of God, so that they may suffice us as the rule of supreme equity. For if such power over their children is accorded to earthly parents, as that they may put them to shame at their will, how much more reverence is due to our heavenly Father, when he brands us with any mark of disgrace? This was the reason why Miriam was shut out for seven days, not only that she might mourn apart by herself, but also that her chastisement might be profitable to all. It is likewise addressed to us, that we may learn to blush whensoever God is angry with our sins, and thus that shame may produce in us a dislike of sin. This special example afterwards passed into a law, as we have already seen, (Deuteronomy 24:9); for when God commands lepers to be separated, He recalls to the recollection of the people what He had appointed with respect to Miriam, lest, if internal impurity be cherished, its infection may spread beyond ourselves.

Note 47. Ante, vol. 2, p. 12.

Numbers 13:1-33

Numbers 13

Numbers 13:1-33

1. And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying,

1. Et loquutus est Jehova ad Mosen, dicendo:

2. Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.

2. Mitte tibi viros qui explorent terram Chanaan, quam ego daturus sum filiis Israel, singulos viros de singulis tribubus patrum suorum mittetis, unumquenque principem inter eos.

3 And Moses, by the commandment of the Lord, sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.

3. Misit ergo illos Moses e deserto Paran, juxta sermonem Jehovae: et universi ipsi viri principes filiorum Israel erant.

4. And these were their names: Of the tribe of Reuben: Shammua the son of Zaccur.

4. Haec autem sunt nomina eorum. De tribu Ruben, Sammua filius Zachur.

5. Of the tribe of Simeon; Shaphat the son of Hori.

5. De tribu Simeon, Saphat filius Hori.

6. Of the tribe of Judah; Caleb the son of Jephunneh

6. De tribu Jehuda, Caleb filius Jephuneh.

7. Of the tribe of Issachar; Igal the son of Joseph.

7. De tribu Issachar, Igal, filius Joseph.

8. Of the tribe of Ephraim; Oshea the son of Nun.

8. De tribu Ephraim, Hosea filius Nun.

9. Of the tribe of Benjanfin; Palti the son of Raphu.

9. De tribu Benjamin, Palti filius Raphu.

10. Of the tribe of Zehulun; Gaddiel the son of Sodi.

10. De tribu Zebulon, Gaddiel filius Sodi.

11. Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh; Gaddi the son of Susi.

11. De tribu Joseph, de tribu Menasseh, Gaddi filius Susi.

12. Of the tribe of Dan; Ammiel the son of Gemalli.

12. De tribu Dan, Ammiel filius Gemalli.

13. Of the tribe of Asher; Sether the son of Michael.

13. De tribu Aser, Sethur filius Michael.

14. Of the tribe of Naphtali; Nahbi the son of Vophsi.

14. De tribu Nephthali, Nahbi filius Vophsi.

15. Of the tribe of Gad; Geuel the son of Machi.

15. De tribu Gad, Guel filius Machi.

16. These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun, Jehoshua.

16. Haec sunt nomina virorum quos misit Moses ad explorandam terram: et appellavit Moses Hosea filium Nun, Jehosua.

17. And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain;

17. Misit igitur eos Moses ad explorandam terram Chanaan, dicens illis, Ascendite hac per meridiem, et conscendatis montes;

18. And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;

18. Et consideretis terram ipsam qualis sit, et populum qui habitat in ea, utrum fortis sit an debilis, utrum paucus sit an multus.

19. And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;

19. Qualis, inquam, sit terra in qua sit habitator, utrum bona sit an mala: et quales urbes in quibus sit habitator, utrum in castris an in munitionibus.

20. And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not: and be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. (Now the time was the time of the first-ripe grapes.)

20. Qualis rursum terra, utrum pinguis sit an macra: utrum sint in ea arbores an non: et estote forti animo, atque decerpite e fructu terrae. (Dies autem illi erant dies primitiarum uvarum.)

21. So they went up, and searched the land, from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.

21. Ascenderunt igitur, et exploraverunt terram, a deserto Sin usque ad Rehob, ingrediendo Hamath.

22. And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)

22. Et ascenderunt per meridiem, et venerunt usque ad Hebron, ibi autem erat Ahiman, Sesai, et Thalmai, filii Anac. Hebron vero septem annis aedificata fuit ante Soan AEgypti.

23. And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.

23. Perverterunt itaque usque ad vallem Eschol, et absciderunt illinc palmitem et botrum uvarum unum, et portaverunt illum vecte bini, et de malogranatis et de ficubus.

24. The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.

24. Locus ille vocatus est Nahal Eschol propter botrum quem absciderunt inde filii Israel.

25. And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

25. Reversi sunt ab exploranda terra post quadraginta dies.

26. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land.

26. Profecti ergo sunt, et venerunt ad Mosen et Aharon, et ad universum coetum filiorum Israel, in desertum Paran in Cades: et retulerunt eis rem, atque universo coetui, ostenderuntque eis fructum terrae.

27. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

27. Narraverunt ergo ei: et dixerunt, Pervenimus ad terram ad quam misisti nos; et certe affluit lacte et melle: et ipse est fructus ejus.

28. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the laud, and the cities are walled, and very great: and, moreover, we saw the children of Anak there.

28. Nisi quod fortis est populus qui incolit cam, et urbes munitae sunt, et magnae admodum: ac filios Enac vidimus illic.

29. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south; and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.

29. Amalec habitat in terra meridiana: Hitthaeus autem, et Jebusaeus, et Amorrhaeus inhabitant montes: Chananaeus vero habitat juxta mare et ad ripam Jordanis.

30. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

30. Tacere vero fecit Caleb populum ad Mosen, et dixit, Ascendendo ascendamus et possideamus: nam praevalendo praevalebimus contra cam.

31. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

31. At viri qui ascenderant cum eo, dixerunt, Non poterimus ascendere contra populum illum, quia fortior est nobis.

32. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

32. Et detraxerunt terrae quam exploraverunt, apud filios Israel, dicendo, Terra per quam transivimus ut exploraremus eam, terra est quae consumit habitatores suos: et omnis populus quem vidimus in medio ejus, viri procerae staturae sunt.

33. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

33. Atque illuc vidimus gigantes filios Enac, e gigantibus. Et fiumus sicut locustae in oculis nostris, sic fuimus in oculis eorum.