bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram, Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam, their sister. 60 And unto Aaron" was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

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.

i Lev. 10. 1. 2. c. 3. 4. 1 Chr. 24. 2.
7 c. 1. 49.
m c. 18. 20-24. Deut.

h c. 3. 2. k c. 3. 39. 10. 9. Josh. 13. 14, 33. 14. 3.

for it is not likely that he did this as a distinction to his own family, because he at the same time shows how he himself, as well as his children, was deprived of the honor of the priesthood, in which there is no appearance of ambition. It is more probable, if the word daughter is literally taken, that he did not conceal a disgraceful circumstance, in order to extol more highly the indulgence of God; for in this case, Moses and Aaron sprang of an incestuous marriage, since Amram their father must have married his aunt, which natural modesty forbids. It will then be rather an ingenuous confession of family dishonor, than an ambitious boast."

V. 60. Unto Aaron was born Nadab and Abihu, etc. Here the names of Moses' children, Gershon and Eleazar, are again omitted, and only those of Aaron mentioned. But a reason for this may be suggested in the fact, that the sudden death of two of his sons seemed in itself to endanger the per

petuity of the high-priesthood, which, according to the divine order, appeared to depend on their life. With this view Moses cites the history of the sad event in order that the Lord's wonderful providence might be more clearly perceived in the preservation of this sacred class, with which the well being of the whole church was so intimately connected. To which we may add, that the renewed mention of their fate and its occasion would administer a wholesome admonition to the priests of all degrees diligently to beware of wilful sacrilege, as also of error and negligence in their ministrations.

V. 62. Twenty and three thousand. The former census exhibited 22,000 as the total of this tribe; so that their increase in the wilderness was 1000 males, ch. 3:39.

V. 64. Among these there was not a man, etc. This is stated in order to show how punctual the Most High had been in executing the threatening so

emphatically pronounced against the murmurers of a former generation, ch. 14: 23, 28, 29. Of the vast total of upwards of 600,000 then enumerated, Caleb and Joshua alone had their names registered in the present census. This, however, is to be understood with a peculiar qualification. It is evident from Josh. 14: 1. 22: 13, that both Eleazar and Phinehas did actually enter into the promised land. How is this consistent with the statement here made? We reply that the sentence of exclusion applied to the other tribes which were enumerated on two former occasions, and in which the Levites were not embraced. We do not read that they had any share in the transaction which brought the divine denunciation upon 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.

The Case of Zelophehad's Daughters claiming an Inheritance.

V. 1. Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, etc. Heb. "Then came near, or approached." Targ. Jon. "Then came near to the place of judgment." In the late census of the Israelitish families, ch. 26: 33, mention is made of Zelophehad, son of Hepher,

seh 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

of the tribe of Manasseh, who died without male issue, having five daughters as his only heirs. These women, hearing that the land of Canaan was to be divided amongst the heads of the tribes and the families mentioned in that census, were at once filled with apprehension that being females, they were to be excluded from all inheritance in the lands and estates of the country, and, consequently, that the name and family of the Hepherites would be extinguished in Israel. They accordingly determined to make a representation of their case to Moses, in a full court of the high-priests and judges, assembled with him at the door of the Tabernacle. "This peculiar case gave occasion for the discovery of exemplary piety in these daughters, who had faith to believe that Canaan would be actually possessed, and grace enough to desire a share in the inheritance. It is a mercy when under no consideration sons or daughters are satisfied to resign a portion among the Lord's people, their part in the heavenly Canaan. Reader! the inheritance is dividing; the time is now for the settlement of titles and the decision of interests. Have you no concern for a clear and indisputable case, a satisfactory claim? If not, the daughters of Zelophehad reproach your indifference."-Seaton.

V. 2. Stood before-all the congregation. This is not to be understood in its literal sense, for such a gathering of the whole host of the people at the door

e

с

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.

d

4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he

b c. 14. 35. 26. 64, 65. e c. 16. 1, 2. d Ezek. 18 4. John 8. 21, 24. Rom. 6. 23.

of the Tabernacle was impossible. "All the congregation" here undoubtedly denotes the seventy elders, representatives of the congregation, mentioned ch. 11:24, who are elsewhere called kol hâ-ëdâh, the whole congregation, and sometimes simply ëdah, the congregation. See Note on ch. 10:7.

V. 3. But died in his own sin. That is, for his own sin, and that only. He had not engaged in any conspiracy or rebellion like Korah, and thus been instrumental in drawing other men into sin. Targ. Jon. "Nor did he cause others to sin." His daughters hereby express the hope that, as their father had not participated in any act of rebellion or mutiny, or been in any way a disturber of the public peace, and had died chargeable only with the common iniquities of mankind, they might not be deprived of their just rights and privileges, and see their family extinct, but might have their share with the rest, and that the male children they might subsequently have, though begotten by fathers belonging to other families of the same tribe, should enjoy their inheritance under the name of Hepherites. See ch. 36: 3-10. "They distinguish his private sin from any public crime, which should have caused him to de

serve to be disinherited. At the same

time, they hold fast to the principle dictated by the common feelings of religion, that death is the wages of sin."

Calvin. They were happy in being able to make this plea on the ground of the good character of their father, and it is happy for any one when the testimony can be borne of him, that whatever were his own personal infirmities or transgressions, he was not accessory to the ruin of others by involving them in sin. "Here we may see what a comfort, what a credit and glory, honest parents be to their children. They leave a good name behind them, making their children bold to speak of them; when others must hang their heads and blush either to mention them themselves, or to hear them spoken of by others."-Bp. Babington.

V. 5. Moses brought their cause before the Lord. Heb. "Brought near their judgment." It would seem from this that the case was considered too difficult for the judges to decide, being without precedent and involving important consequences, and therefore was referred to the Lord, as was Moses' wont in all doubtful matters.

V. 7-11. The daughters of Zelophehad speak right. The divine response de