Part 167

15:31. For he hath contemned the word of the Lord, and made void his precept: therefore shall he be destroyed, and shall bear his iniquity.

15:32. And it came to pass, when the children of Israel were in the wilderness, and had found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day,

15:33. That they brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole multitude.

15:34. And they put him into prison, not knowing what they should do with him.

15:35. And the Lord said to Moses: Let that man die, let all the multitude stone him without the camp.

15:36. And when they had brought him out, they stoned him, and he died as the Lord had commanded.

15:37. The Lord also said to Moses:

15:38. Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt tell them to make to themselves fringes in the corners of their garments, putting in them ribands of blue:

Fringes. . .The Pharisees enlarged these fringes through hypocrisy, Matt. 23.5, to appear more zealous than other men for the law of God.

15:39. That when they shall see them, they may remember all the commandments of the Lord, and not follow their own thoughts and eyes going astray after divers things,

15:40. But rather being mindful of the precepts of the Lord, may do them and be holy to their God.

15:41. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that I might be your God.

Numbers Chapter 16

The schism of Core and his adherents: their punishment.

16:1. And behold Core the son of Isaar, the son of Caath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiron the sons of Eliab, and Hon the son of Pheleth of the children of Ruben,

16:2. Rose up against Moses, and with them two hundred and fifty others of the children of Israel, leading men of the synagogue, and who in the time of assembly were called by name.

Rose up. . .The crime of these men, which was punished in so remarkable a manner, was that of schism, and of rebellion against the authority established by God in the church; and their pretending to the priesthood without being lawfully called and sent: the same is the case of all modern sectaries.

16:3. And when they had stood up against Moses and Aaron, they said: Let it be enough for you, that all the multitude consisteth of holy ones, and the Lord is among them: Why lift you up yourselves above the people of the Lord?

16:4. When Moses heard this, he fell flat on his face:

16:5. And speaking to Core and all the multitude, he said: In the morning the Lord will make known who belong to him, and the holy he will join to himself: and whom he shall choose, they shall approach to him.

16:6. Do this therefore: Take every man of you your censers, thou Core, and all thy company.

16:7. And putting fire in them to morrow, put incense upon it before the Lord: and whomsoever he shall choose, the same shall be holy: you take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.

16:8. And he said again to Core: Hear ye sons of Levi.

16:9. Is it a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath spared you from all the people, and joined you to himself, that you should serve him in the service of the tabernacle, and should stand before the congregation of the people, and should minister to him?

16:10. Did he therefore make thee and all thy brethren the sons of Levi to approach unto him, that you should challenge to yourselves the priesthood also,

16:11. And that all thy company should stand against the Lord? for what is Aaron that you murmur against him?

16:12. Then Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiron the sons of Eliab. But they answered: We will not come.

16:13. Is it a small matter to thee, that thou hast brought us out of a land that flowed with milk and honey, to kill us in the desert, except thou rule also like a lord over us?