Commentaria in Numeros
OF GOD THE LEADER AND RULER, FROM THE DEEDS AND EPITOME OF NUMBERS.
Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.
How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel! as woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles which the Lord hath pitched, as cedars by the waters.
These are the camps of God: these are the multitudes of Israel, of Juda, these the thousands of Israel and of Levi.
God brought them out of Egypt: his strength is like that of the rhinoceros.
In them he will winnow the nations, even to the ends of the earth: and he will break their bones.
Lying down he hath slept as a lion, and as a lioness: who shall rouse him?
The Lord was his leader: and the sound of the victorious king is in him.
How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! my soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord.
There were numbered and sealed twelve thousand of every tribe of Israel: who were clothed in white robes, and palms in their hands.
Who have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple: and the Lamb shall lead them to the fountains of the waters of life.
How beautiful are his Nazarites! whiter than snow, purer than milk, more ruddy than old ivory, fairer than sapphire.
Thou hast led thy people, O Lord, like sheep, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Thou wast to them a covering of cloud by day: and in the light of the stars by night.
Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to him: and his wonderful works to the children of men.
Who led his people through the desert forty years: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Their garments were not worn out: there was not one feeble among their tribes.
They set forth from Sinai in battle array, with the trumpets sounding: the ark went before them.
Arise, O Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered: and let them that hate thee flee from before thy face.
Thou gavest them bread from heaven; having in it all that is delightful, and the sweetness of every taste.
They lusted with a lust in the desert: and the quail came up to them from the sea.
As yet their meat was in their mouth: and the wrath of God came upon them.
Fire devoured part of the camp: they were buried in the graves of lust.
The Lord filled seventy elders with his spirit: that they might govern the people with Moses.
The spies stirred up the people to murmuring: the Lord swore that he would strike down in the desert all that murmured.
Josue and Caleb followed after the Mighty One: to restrain the nation from sins, and to break the murmuring of malice.
Therefore these alone entered into the land flowing with milk and honey: and the Lord gave strength to Caleb himself; that all the children of Israel might see that it is good to obey the holy God.
He added glory to Aaron, gave him his victims and the firstfruits of Aaron: for he is his portion and inheritance. The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup: it is thou that wilt restore my inheritance to me.
For what have I in heaven? and besides thee what do I desire upon earth?
Thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion for ever.
Core, Dathan and Abiron, envying, provoked Moses in the camp, and Aaron the holy one of the Lord.
The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan: and closed upon the congregation of Abiron.
And a fire was kindled in their synagogue: the flame burned the sinners.
The rod of Aaron blossomed, and brought forth almonds: that Aaron might be shown chosen by God for the everlasting priesthood.
The Lord commanded the camp to be holy, and the unclean to be purified with the ashes of the red heifer.
They provoked Moses at the waters of contradiction, they often exasperated his spirit. Moses, angered, faltered: therefore he was shut out from the land of promise.
Aaron likewise died on Hor: they murmured again in their tents.
The Lord sent among them fiery serpents: but by the brazen serpent he healed them.
Give glory to the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who slew Sehon king of the Amorrhites: for his mercy endureth for ever.
And gave their land for an inheritance to his people: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Balaam came to curse Israel: the speaking ass rebuked the man’s folly.
Instead of a curse he blessed, saying: How shall I curse him whom God hath not cursed?
Let my soul die the death of the just: and my last end be like to theirs.
He that shall bless thee shall himself be blessed: he that shall curse thee shall be reckoned accursed.
A star shall rise out of Jacob: and a sceptre shall spring up from Israel.
And shall strike the chiefs of Moab: and shall waste all the children of Seth.
The Hebrews were initiated to Beelphegor: they fornicated with the daughters of Moab.
They provoked God by his idol and by things sacrificed to idols: hence the plague and ruin were multiplied among them.
Phinees stood up, he slew Zambri the prince: and appeased the Lord, and the quaking ceased.
The Lord gave him an everlasting priesthood.
Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to him: and his wonderful works to the children of men.
Moses, about to die, laid his hands on Josue: he appointed him leader of the people.
He ordained victims and libations for every feast and sabbath: he ordained laws concerning vows of daughters and wives.
He slew the five kings of Madian, and Balaam: who had set the scandal of Beelphegor before the children of Israel.
To Ruben and Gad he gave the land of Og and Sehon: he recorded forty-two mansions in the desert.
He described the bounds of Chanaan to be possessed: he appointed princes to divide the land to the people.
He commanded cities and suburbs to be given to the Levites: and cities of refuge to be appointed for homicides.
He commanded heiress daughters to marry in their own tribe: lest the inheritance be transferred to another tribe.
These are thy holy judgments, O Lord, which thou gavest to Moses: examined and proved like silver, purged seven times.
Open thou my eyes: and I will consider the wondrous things of thy law.
The wicked have told me fables: but not as thy law.
I have seen an end of all perfection: thy commandment is exceeding broad.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.