AND Israel abode in 'Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

3 And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.

4 And the LORD said unto Moses, "Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.

5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor.

6 T And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;

8 And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her

belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.

9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.

10 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

11 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.

12 Wherefore say, 'Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace :

13 And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.

14 Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a 'chief house among the Simeonites.

15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.

16 saying, 17 Vex the Midianites, and smite them: 18 For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake.

And the LORD spake unto Moses,

6

Verse 3. Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor.-Those who have given their attention to the elucidation of the idolatries mentioned in Scripture, are not agreed respecting Baal-peor. We may observe that the same god was often worshipped by the same people, but almost always under different names, and with different ceremonies; and as the worship of the Baal so frequently mentioned in Scripture was most extensively diffused, it is not improbable that this was the same idol, distinguished as the national deity of the Moabites by the affix Peor,' derived probably from Mount Peor, within their territory (chap. xxiii. 28), being the chief seat of his worship. We all know how common a custom it was to call the same deity by different surnames, according to the different places where he was worshipped. The Olympian and Dodonæan Jupiter form an instance of this. As, however, Baal (lord) is rather the titular distinction of a chief deity (the sun generally) than a proper name, it may be doubted whether precisely the same deity is always intended by this term, particularly when a distinctive surname is given. Jerome, Origen, and many other high authorities, are of opinion that Baal-Peor was the same, or nearly the same, as the Priapus of the Romans, and was worshipped with similar

obscene rites. Such rites were not indeed by any means peculiar to any one deity, but were more or less common to many, whence the Scripture, with just severity, frequently calls the deities of the surrounding nations, not gods, or even idols,' but abominations, the abomination of Moab,' the abomination of the Ammonites,' 'the abomination of the Zidonians,' etc. This view as to Baalpeor seems rather to be sanctioned by the striking passage in Hosea ix. 10:

"They went to Baal-peor, and separated themselves to shame;

And became abominable as the object of their love.' Whichever view we take, there is little question that the worship of this idol was celebrated by the most immodest actions, and that the unholy connections of the Israelites with the daughters of Moab and Midian were as much crimes of idolatry as of lust. We learn from ch. xxxi. 16, that in this melancholy affair, the Israelites were designedly seduced by the people of the land, by the advice of Balaam, who having, much against his inclination, been obliged to bless those whom he desired to curse, and being probably aware of the consequences which attended their

worship of the golden calf, suggested the attempt to seduce them from their allegiance to Jehovah as the most likely way to bring down ruin upon them.

It is believed by many commentators, that Chemosh, "the abomination of Moab,' from whom the Moabites are called, in chap. xxi. 29, 'the people of Chemosh,' and to whom Solomon erected an altar on the Mount of Olives (1 Kings xi. 7), was the same as Baal-peor. This opinion was entertained by Milton, who thus alludes to the present transaction, and defines the limits to which the worship of this idol extended:

'Chemos, th' obscene dread of Moab's sons,
From Aroer to Nebo, and the wild
Of southmost Abarim; in Hesebon
And Horonaim, Sihon's realm, beyond

The flow'ry vale of Sibma, clad with vines;
And Eleale, to the Asphaltic pool:
Peor his other name, when he enticed
Israel in Sittim, on their march from Nile,
To do him wanton rites, which cost them woe.'
Paradise Lost, i. 406.

4. 'Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up,' etc.-If these heads of the people' were the same who are described as Judges of Israel' in the next verse, as there

is scarcely room to doubt, they were assembled, not to be themselves hanged up, but to execute judgment on the offenders. Modern interpreters seem therefore inclined to retain a clause which is here found in the Samaritan, and which is supposed to have dropped out of the Hebrew text. It would then read: Take the heads of the people with thee, and let them slay those men who have joined themselves unto Baal-Peor, and hang them up.' This clause also completes the sense in another respect; for as the text stands, it seems to state that certain persons were to be hanged: but hanging was not a punishment in use among the Jews, although, as a punishment of infamy, they hung up or gibbeted certain criminals otherwise executed; and this previous slaying and subsequent gibbeting is expressed clearly, when the text is thus amended from the Samaritan.

CHAPTER XXVI.

1 The sum of all Israel is taken in the plains of Moab. 52 The law of dividing among them the inheritance of the land. 57 The families and number of the Levites. 63 None were left of them which were numbered at Sinai, but Caleb and Joshua.

AND it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,

2 Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, 'from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are able to go to war in Israel.

3 And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

4 Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD 'commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt.

3

5 Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:

6 Of IIezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.

7 These are the families of the Reubenites and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.

8 And the sons of Pallu; Eliab.

9 And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were gregation, who strove

famous in the conagainst Moses and

against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD:

10 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign.

11 Notwithstanding the children of Korah | died not.

12 The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites: of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites:

13 Of Zeral, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

14 These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred. 15

The children of Gad after their families of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites: of Haggi, the family of the Haggites: of Shuni, the family of the Shunites:

16 Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites:

17 Of Arod, the family of the Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites.

18 These are the families of the children of Gad according to those that were numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred.

19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

20 And the sons of Judah after their families were; of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites.

3 Gen. 46. 8. Exod. 6. 14.

1 Chron. 5. 1.

4 Chap. 16. 2.

5 Gen. 38. 2, &c. and 46. 12.

21 And the sons of Pharez were; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.

22 These are the families of Judah according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and sixteen thousand and five hundred.

23 Of the sons of Issachar after their families of Tola, the family of the Tolaites: of Pua, the family of the Punites :

24 Of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites of Shimron, the family of the Shim

ronites.

25 These are the families of Issachar according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and four thousand and three hundred.

26 Of the sons of Zebulun after their families of Sered, the family of the Sardites: of Elon, the family of the Elonites: of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.

27 These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred.

28 The sons of Joseph after their families were Manasseh and Ephraim.

29 Of the sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites: and Machir begat Gilead of Gilead come the family of the Gileadites.

30 These are the sons of Gilead of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites of Helek, the family of the Helekites:

31 And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites:

32 And of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.

33 And 'Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

34 These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred.

35 These are the sons of Ephraim after their families of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites of Becher, the family of the Bachrites of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites.

36 And these are the sons of Shuthelah : of Eran, the family of the Eranites.

37 These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those that were num

bered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph after their families.

38 The sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites :

39 Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.

40 And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman of Ard, the family of the Ardites: and of Naaman, the family of the Naamites.

41 These are the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six hundred.

42 These are the sons of Dan after their families of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan after their families.

43 All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were threescore and four thousand and four hundred.

44 Of the children of Asher after their families of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites: of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.

45 Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites: of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites.

46 And the name of the daughter of Asher was Sarah.

47 These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those that were numbered of them; who were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

48 Of the sons of Naphtali after their families of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites of Guni, the family of the Gunites:

49 Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.

50 These are the families of Naphtali according to their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and four hundred.

51 These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.

52 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

53 Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of

names.

54 "To many thou shalt "give the more

10

60 And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him.

55 Notwithstanding the land shall be "divided by lot according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

56 According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.

12

57 ¶ And these are they that were numbered of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites: of Merari, the family of the Merarites.

58 These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram.

59 And the name of Amram's wife was 18 Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.

10 Heb. diminish his inheritance.

61 And "Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD.

62 And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them. among the children of Israel.

63 ¶ These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

64 But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.

65 For the LORD had said of them, They 15shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

12 Exod. 6. 16, 17, 18, 19. 13 Exod. 2. 1, 2, and 6. 20. 15 Chap. 14. 28. 1 Cor. 10. 5, 6.

That there should have been a decrease, may, at the first view, seem surprising when we recollect the great rapidity with which the Israelites had previously increased. But there is not the least difficulty in accounting for it. The difference between the plenty of Egypt and the sterility and privations of the desert may be taken into the account; but still we can see that there actually would have been a large increase if the frequent perversity and rebellion of the people had not from time to time occasioned vast numbers of them to be destroyed. Perhaps we should not be far wide of the mark in estimating at about 100,000 the loss thus occasioned to the population; and the probability of this conjecture may be seen, by considering the different circumstances which operated in causing this reduction.

1. (Num. xi. 1.) Murmuring; in consequence of which 'the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.' 2. (xi. 35.) Very great plague' for loathing manna.

3.

(xiv. 45.) Smitten by the Amalekites. 4. (xvi. 32, 35, 49.) Korah's rebellion and its consequences caused the destruction of about 15,000. 5. (xxi. 1.) Smitten by the king of Arad. 6. (xxi. 6.) Plague of fiery serpents: 'much people died.' 7. (xxv. 5, 9.) 24,000 destroyed by plague for their sin in the matter of Baal-peor, besides those previously slain with the sword.

The remarkable difference between the rate of increase and decrease in the several tribes, might give occasion for much curious investigation. The most striking points are the astonishing increase in Manasseh, and the still more astonishing decrease in Simeon. The former, from being numerically the lowest of the tribes at the former census, is at this become the sixth; and the latter, from being the third, has become the lowest of all, having lost not very much less than two-thirds of its former number. For the increase in Manasseh it is difficult to discover any other cause than the Lord's blessing upon the house of Joseph;

but as to the decrease in Simeon, it is not without reason conceived that this tribe sustained the principal loss in the matter of Baal-peor. We know that Zimri, one of the ringleaders, was a chief of this tribe, and nothing is more probable than that a large number of its members should have been induced to follow the example of so influential a person.

55. The land shall be divided by lot.'-The numbers of the tribes being so different, there must necessarily be an inequality in the extent and importance of their respective territories. The country also which they were to inherit was of an unequal and diversified character. The distribution was probably therefore directed to be by lot, in order to prevent the charges of partiality or prejudice which the tribes might have been ready to make against those who, in the absence of the lot, would have had to direct the distribution. The people would not doubt that their inheritance was appointed by God, when they saw that, being thus taken, each tribe received the portion that was suited to its wants. The manner in which the lot was taken is quite a matter of conjecture. Some of the Rabbins say that the limits were defined on scrolls of parchment, which the princes of the respective tribes drew in succession (beginning with Reuben), from the urn in which they were placed. But others have it, that there were two urns, one containing the name of the tribe, and the other the definition of the limits of a province, and that a person who drew the lots took first a scroll containing the name of a tribe from one urn, and then took from the other another scroll, the district defined in which belonged to the tribe previously drawn. It will be recollected that only nine tribes and a half thus received their inheritance

by lot, Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, having previously been settled on the east of the Jordan.

6

64. Among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered....in the wilderness of Sinai.'-This shews that the census was not a mere counting of heads, but a regular registration of ages, if not also of names and families, for else this fact could not Iwell have been ascertained. It also forms one circumstance to account for the diminished population, it being ordained that all the males above twenty at the first enumeration should die before the second. This could not have happened according to the ordinary laws of mortality. It will of course be recollected that the effect of this must have been that in all the tribes (Levi excepted) there were only two men above sixty years of age at the period of the second census. In ordinary circumstances a great number must have exceeded this age, particularly as at this early period of the world the average duration of human life seems not to have been quite reduced to its present standard. It has been stated, as an objection to the account in the text, that Caleb and Joshua were not the only persons numbered in Sinai, who entered Canaan, as Eleazar and Phinehas are mentioned (Josh. xiv. 1, and xxii. 13) among those who did so. The answer is easyThe Levites were not included in the general enumeration at Sinai, but were numbered distinctly and on a different principle (from a month old, not from twenty years old). Neither had they any share in the transaction which brought the sentence of death on the mass of the people. This tribe did not, like the others, send a spy into Canaan, nor does it appear that it concurred in the general murmuring which the report of the spies occasioned.

CHAPTER XXVII.

1 The daughters of Zelophehad sue for an inheritance. 6 The law of inheritances. 12 Moses, being told of his death, sueth for a successor. 18 Joshua is appointed to succeed him.

THEN came the daughters of 'Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

2 And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,

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.

4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father.

5 And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.

6 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

7 The daughters of

1 Chap. 26. 33. Josh. 17. 3.

Zelophehad speak

right thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.

8 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.

9 And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren.

10 And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren.

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.

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.

13 And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as 'Aaron thy brother was gathered.

14 For ye 'rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water be

4 Deut. 32. 49.