By carnal fornication manie are drawen to spiritual. For which twentie foure thousand are slaine. 10. Phinees his Zele in stabbing to death two fornicators, is commended by God, and rewarded.
1And Israel at that time abode in Settim, and the people committed fornication with the daughters of Moab,Israele era allora in Settim, e prevaricò il popolo colle figlie di Moab,AND Israel at that time abode in Settim, and the people fornicated with the daughters of Moab,Morabatur autem eo tempore Israël in Settim, et fornicatus est populus cum filiabus Moab, 2Who called them to their sacrifices. And they ate of them, and adored their gods.Le quali gl'invitarono a' loro sacrifizii, e quelli mangiarono, e adorarono gli dei di quelle.who called them to their sacrifices. And they did eate and adore their goddes.quæ vocaverunt eos ad sacrificia sua. At ille comederunt et adoraverunt deos earum. 3And Israel was initiated to Beelphegor: upon which the Lord being angry,E Israele si consacrò a Beelphegor: e il Signore sdegnatoAnd Israel was professed to Beelphegor, and our Lord being angtie,Initiatusque est Israël Beelphegor: et iratus Dominus, 4Said to Moses: Take all the princes of the people, and hang them up on gibbets against the sun: that my fury may be turned away from Israel.Disse a Mosè: Prendi teco tutti i principi del popolo, e attacca coloro alle forche in pieno giorno, affinché il mio furore si ritiri indietro da Israele.said to Moyses: Take al the princes of the people, and hang them vp against the sunne on gibbettes: that my furie may be auerted from Israel.ait ad Moysen: Tolle cunctos principes populi, et suspende eos contra solem in patibulis, ut avertatur furor meus ab Israël. 5And Moses said to the judges of Israel: Let every man kill his neighbours, that have been initiated to Beelphegor.E Mosè disse a' giudici d'Israele: Uccida ciascuno i suoi vicini, che si sono consacrati a Beelphegor.And Moyses said to the Iudges of Israel: Kil euerie man his neighbours, that are professed to Beelphegor.Dixitque Moyses ad judices Israël: Occidat unusquisque proximos suos, qui initiati sunt Beelphegor. 6And behold one of the children of Israel went in before his brethren to a harlot of Madian, in the sight of Moses and of all the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle.Quand'ecco uno dei figliuoli d'Israele, veggendolo i suoi fratelli, entrò dov'era una meretrice di Madian sugli occhi di Mosè, e di tutto il popolo, che piangevano dinanzi alla porta del tabernacolo.And behold one of the children of Israel entred in before the face of his brethren to a whore a Madianite in the sight of Moyses, and of al the multitude of the children of Israel, who wept before the doores of the tabernacle.Et ecce unus de filiis Israël intravit coram fratribus suis ad scortum Madianitidem, vidente Moyse, et omni turba filiorum Israël, qui flebant ante fores tabernaculi.
7And when Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest saw it, he rose up from the midst of the multitude, and taking a dagger,La qual cosa avendo veduta Phinees figliuolo di Eleazaro figliuolo di Aronne sommo sacerdote, si alzò di mezzo al popolo, e preso un pugnale,Which thing when Phinees had sene the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the priest, he arose out of the middes of the multitude, and catching a dagger,Quod cum vidisset Phinees filius Eleazari filii Aaron sacerdotis, surrexit de medio multitudinis, et arrepto pugione, 8Went in after the Israelite into the brothel house, and thrust both of them through together, to wit, the man and the woman in the genital parts. And the scourge ceased from the children of Israel.Andò dietro a quell'Israelita nel postribolo, e li trafisse ambedue, l'uomo e la donna, nelle parti, che vergogna cela: e il flagello, che infieriva sopra i figliuoli d'Israele, cessò:went in after the man of Israel into the brothel house, and thrust them through both together, to witte, the man and the woman in the genitalles. And the plague ceased from the children of Israel,ingressus est post virum Israëlitem in lupanar, et perfodit ambos simul, virum scilicet et mulierem in locis genitalibus. Cessavitque plaga a filiis Israël: 9And there were slain four and twenty thousand men.E vi rimaser morti ventiquattro mila uomini.and there were slaine fowre and twentie thowsand men.et occisi sunt viginti quatuor millia hominum. 10And the Lord said to Moses:E il Signore disse a Mosè:And our Lord said to Moyses:Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen: 11Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned away my wrath from the children of Israel: because he was moved with my zeal against them, that I myself might not destroy the children of Israel in my zeal.Phinees figliuolo di Eleazaro figliuolo di Aronne sommo sacerdote ha rimossa l'ira mia da' figliuoli d'Israele; perché egli si è investito del mio zelo contro di essi, affinché io stesso col zelo mio non isterminassi i figliuoli d'Israele:Phinees the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the priest hath auerted my wrath from the children of Israel: because he was moued with my zele against them, that my self might not destroy the children of Israel in mine owne zele.Phinees filius Eleazari filii Aaron sacerdotis avertit iram meam a filiis Israël: quia zelo meo commotus est contra eos, ut non ipse delerem filios Israël in zelo meo. 12Therefore say to him: behold I give him the peace of my covenant,Per questo tu gli dirai, che io già gli do la pace di mia alleanza:Therfore speake to him: Behold I geue him the peace of my couenant,Idcirco loquere ad eum: Ecce do ei pacem fœderis mei, 13And the covenant of the priesthood for ever shall be both to him and his seed, because he hath been zealous for his God, and hath made atonement for the wickedness of the children of Israel.E per lui, e per la sua discendenza eterno sarà il patto del sacerdozio, perché ha avuto zelo pel Dio suo, ed ha espiata la scelleraggine de' figliuoli d'Israele.and there shal be as wel to him as to his seede the couenant of priesthood for euer, because he hath bene zelous for his God, and hath expiated the wicked fact of the children of Israel.et erit tam ipsi quam semini ejus pactum sacerdotii sempiternum: quia zelatus est pro Deo suo, et expiavit scelus filiorum Israël.
14And the name of the Israelite, that was slain with the woman of Madian, was Zambri the son of Salu, a prince of the kindred and tribe of Simeon.L'uomo Israelita che fu ucciso colla donna di Madian, avea nome Zambri figliuolo di Salu, capo di una famiglia della tribù di Simeon.And the name of the man of Israel, that was slaine with the woman of Madian, was Zambri the sonne of Salu, a prince of the kinred and tribe of Simeon.Erat autem nomen viri Israëlitæ, qui occisus est cum Madianitide, Zambri filius Salu, dux de cognatione et tribu Simeonis. 15And the Madianite woman, that was slain with him, was called Cozbi the daughter of Sur, a most noble prince among the Madianites.Quanto poi alla donna di Madian, che fu uccisa insieme, ella chiamavasi Cozbi figliuola di Sur principe nobilissimo de' Madianiti.Moreouer the Madianesse, that was slaine with him, was called Cozbi the daughter of Sur a most noble prince of the Madianites.Porro mulier Madianitis, quæ pariter interfecta est, vocabatur Cozbi filia Sur principis nobilissimi Madianitarum. 16And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:E il Signore parlò a Mosè, e disse:And our Lord spake to Moyses, saying:Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens: 17Let the Madianites find you their enemies, and slay you them:Fate che i Madianiti vi provino nemici, e assaliteli,Let the Madianites finde you their enemies, and strike you them:Hostes vos sentiant Madianitæ, et percutite eos: 18Because they also have acted like enemies against you, and have guilefully deceived you by the idol Phogor, and Cozbi their sister, a daughter of a prince of Madian, who was slain in the day of the plague for the sacrilege of Phogor.Perocché eglino ancora hanno trattato voi da nimici, e vi hanno ingannati colle loro fraudi per mezzo dell'idolo Phogor, e di Cozbi figliuola del principe di Madian loro sorella, che fu uccisa il dì del flagello a causa del sacrilegio di Phogor.Because they also haue done like enemies against you, and haue guilfully deceiued you by the Idol Phogor, and Cozbi the daughter of the duke of Madian their sister, who was strooken in the day of the plague for the sacrilege of Phogor.quia et ipsi hostiliter egerunt contra vos, et decepere insidiis per idolum Phogor, et Cozbi filiam ducis Madian sororem suam, quæ percussa est in die plagæ pro sacrilegio Phogor.
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Year of the World 2553, Year before Christ 1451.
Calmet
Settim, which had Abel, "mourning," prefixed to it, (chap. 33:49,) on account of the slaughter of 24,000 of the Israelites, ver. 6, 9. It was situated in the plains of Moab, near the Jordan, and was the last station of the Hebrews. (Calmet)
Menochius
In this neighbourhood all the following transactions occurred, which are recorded, till the end of the Pentateuch. (Menochius)
Calmet
Balaam, being convinced that the Hebrews would be invincible, as long as they continued faithful to God, advised the nations, who had sent to consult him, to let their daughters converse freely with the Israelites, but not to yield to their impure desires, unless they consented to offer sacrifice to their idols. (Calmet)
Haydock
Thus they first captivated their hearts, and then subverted their understanding: For some rejecting a good conscience, have made shipwreck concerning the faith, 1 Timothy 1:19. (Haydock)
Worthington
By the same method many have been drawn into heresy. (Worthington)
Haydock
The counsels of an able but wicked man, are often followed by the most dreadful effects. That these women were sent by the Moabites, and also by the Madianites, (ver. 6, 17,) instigated by the perverse counsels of Balaam, (Calmet) appears not only from the event being recorded in this place, but also by the express declaration of Moses, chap. 31:7, 8, and of the Apocalypse, chap. 2:14. (Salien, Mic. 6:5.) (Haydock)
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Challoner
Initiated to Beelphegor. That is, they took to the worship of Beelphegor, an obscene idol of the Moabites, and were consecrated as it were to him. (Challoner)
Calmet
Hebrew, "Israel was attached, or married to Beelphegor," the sun, Adonis or Osiris, whom the psalmist (cv. 28,) styles, the dead, because the people were accustomed to bewail the death of Adonis every year, with great solemnity. (Calmet)
Menochius
St. Jerome supposes this god "of opening, or nakedness," Beelphegor, to be the obscene Priapus. (Menochius)
Haydock
The people fell by degrees into the depth of abomination. They first defiled their bodies with women, then their souls were contaminated by the sacrifices of their idols, till they began really to adore them, and even to consecrate themselves to their service, meaning to ratify their base apostacy from the true God. (Haydock)
Salien
Yet it is probable all those who were cut off by pestilence, were not thus initiated: but only those who were the princes or ringleaders, and who are sentenced to be gibbeted. (Salien)
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Onkelos
People. Assemble the judges, and by their sentence, hang them who have been most guilty. (Onkelos)
Haydock
If any of the judges, or princes themselves, have gone astray, let them not be spared. (Haydock)
Calmet
The Jews assert, that the malefactor was always killed before his body was hung on a gibbet; and that crucifixion was not known among them. But the contrary is asserted by many. It is not clear whether these criminals were hung by the neck, or crucified, after they had been first stoned, as guilty of idolatry, or whether they were fastened to the gibbet alive, for greater torment and disgrace. (Calmet)
Menochius
Sun; publicly. See 2 Kings 12:11. (Menochius)
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Haydock
Judges, who had not been guilty. Septuagint, "to the tribes." The judges, and even private individuals, were thus authorized to exterminate the guilty, as the Levites had been before, Exodus 32:27. While punishment was inflicted but slowly, and some perhaps of the more noble were spared, so that Zambri, even became more insolent. God began to supply the defect of his ministers, by sending the plague among the people, as Onkelos insinuates. (Haydock)
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Menochius
One, Zambri, ver. 14. (Menochius)
Haydock
Went in. Hebrew, "brought unto his brethren, or came....with a woman of Madian." Septuagint, "introduced one of his brethren to a Madianite woman." But the Samaritan copy agrees with the Vulgate; and the ancient edition of the Septuagint must have done so too, since the Fathers explain it in the same sense. (Philo, de vita Mos.; Origen; etc.) Josephus ([Antiquities?] 4:6,) pretends, that Zambri had married the most noble Cozbi, and that Moses finding fault with such infractions of his laws, this prince of the house of Simeon, arraigned him publicly of cruel tyranny and imposture in thus imposing his own laws upon a free people, and that for his part, he would retain his wife and ingratiate himself with many gods, that he might discover the truth. Phinees heard this with just indignation, and following him to his tent, transfixed him with Cozbi, his wife, while those young men who were desirous of imitating his zeal, treated similar offenders in like manner. "God destroyed the rest by the plague, so that not less than 14,000 perished," as Epiphanius translates, omitting dis, or ten thousand, though many copies have only 23,000, which agrees with the number specified by St. Paul, if indeed he allude to this transaction, 1 Corinthians 10:7. Philo observes, that Phinees slew the Israelite who had sacrificed to the idols, and was in the company of the harlot; and , "that 24,000 perished in one day." (Haydock)
Du Hamel
Perhaps 1000 of the heads might be gibbeted, and 23,000 of the common people slain. (Du Hamel)
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Haydock
Dagger. Josephus translates romach, by romphaia, "a sword." Septuagint by seiromasten, a long and sharp iron rod, like a spit, such as people use to try if any smuggled goods be concealed. (Haydock)
Calmet
It denotes any sort of offensive weapon. (Calmet)
Menochius
The Vulgate sometimes translates, a lance or spear. (Menochius)
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Haydock
Parts. Ovid says, Lethifer ille locus, "That place where wounds so often deadly prove." Hebrew kubbak, means a brothel-house just before, a bed, vault, cistern, belly, etc. Septuagint translate, "through her womb." The plague, inflicted by God, instantly ceased, to shew the divine approbation of this exemplary punishment, and all were so much filled with terror and repentance, that it was no longer necessary for the judges to sentence any more to death. An effectual stop was also put to the spreading disorder of both carnal and spiritual fornication. (Haydock)
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Haydock
Slain. Hebrew adds, "in the plague," or pestilence sent by God, (Psalm 105:29,) and in the punishments inflicted by the judges, "twenty and four thousand." (Haydock)
Haydock
The tribe of Simeon, lying to the south, had given way to greater disorders with the Madianites; (Calmet) so that they were found to have 37,100 fewer than when they were numbered before, chap. 2:13. See chap. 26:14. (Haydock)
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Peace. He has the honour of restoring the people to peace and to my favour, so that my covenant shall still subsist with them. He shall surely be his father's successor in the high priesthood, and shall not be prevented by death.
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Calmet
Seed. A short interruption of 150 years (from Heli to Abiathar, of the race of Ithamar) may be accounted trifling in a duration of so many ages, during which the posterity of Phinees enjoyed this dignity. Phinees succeeded Eleazar, and had for his successors, Abiezer, Bocci, and Elsi. (Calmet)
Haydock
Some add Zararias, Meraioth, and Amarias, upon whose death, 1157 years before Christ, Heli got possession, by some means, and was followed by Achitob, Achielech, and Abiathar, of the same family, till David joined Sadoc with the latter, and he was acknowledged sole pontiff on the rebellion of Abiathar, B.C. 1014. See Lenglet's tables. (Haydock)
Haydock
We have no proof that the succeeding high priests were of a different family, (Calmet) till our Saviour's time, who re-united in his person the right both to the priesthood and to the kingdom of Israel for ever. See St. Augustine, City of God 17:6. (Haydock)
Tirinus
God did not promise that no interruption should take place. He only granted a perpetual right to the family of Phinees, (Cajetan) which they might forfeit by their misconduct. (Tirinus)
Haydock
He was certainly always disposed to comply with his promise, and really granted the effects of it to the posterity of Phinees, at least for almost 1000 years, even if we grant that the Machabees were not his lineal descendants, of which there is no positive proof either way. Thus, for ever, often denotes a long duration. Though Phinees was entitled already to the high priesthood, in quality of the eldest son of Eleazar, he had before no assurance of surviving him, nor of having a succession of children who might be capable of the high office, and free from every blemish; (Calmet) so that the promise made to him, was not only a ratification of his title, but a new and real benefit. (Haydock)
Calmet
Zealous. The Jews allow any person to kill one who publicly, or in the presence of ten people, commits idolatry, sacrilege, fornication with a strange woman, and also a priest who, being unclean, approaches to the altar. This they call the judgment of zeal. (Selden, Jur. 4:4.; Grotius, 2:20.) This practice they authorize by the example of Phinees, Mathathias, etc. (1 Machabees 2:24.) Such liberty was carried to a great excess by the Zealots, in the last siege of Jerusalem; and it would be very criminal, where such a law is not in force. (Calmet)
Worthington
Phinees was, however, either one of the judges, and thus gave an example of just severity to his fellow magistrates, or he was inspired by God to resent the public injury done to his name. It is never lawful to kill by private authority. (Roman Catechism p. 3., chap. 6:5.; St. Thomas Aquinas, 2:2. q. 60. 6.) (Worthington)
Haydock
Those who act under the influence of inspiration, must be very careful not to give in to any delusion; and the examples of holy persons who are mentioned, with applause, in Scripture, for having been the instruments of God's vengeance, will not authorize us to do the like, unless we can produce the like testimony. (Haydock)
Calmet
Atonement, by averting the scourge of God, (ver. 8, 11,) and by putting a stop to the corruption of the people, which might otherwise have greatly increased, if Zambri had escaped with impunity. (Calmet)
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Haydock
Kindred. Hebrew, "of a chief house among the Simeonites," as Sur was of equal nobility, "head over a people, and of a chief house in Madian," ver. 15. (Haydock)
He is styled king, and one of the five princes of the nation, chap. 31:8.
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Menochius
Madianites. God spared the Moabites for the sake of Lot (Deuteronomy 2:19,) and of Ruth, of whom David and Christ should be born. They were perhaps less guilty, but they did not escape due chastisement under David, 2 Kings 8:2. (Menochius)
Haydock
The war against Madian was the last which the Hebrews waged in the lifetime of Moses, (Numbers 31.) (Haydock)
25:3
Initiated to Beelphegor.... That is, they took to the worship of Beelphegor, an obscene idol of the Moabites, and were consecrated, as it were, to him.
25:1
Balaam gaue this diuelish counsel to allure men by bellichere and lecherie vnto idolatrie. chap. 31. v. 16. And euen so Heretikes drawe manie in these daies to heresie. Sea Apoc. 2. v. 14.
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By assistance of the princes hang the idolaters. v. 5.
25:11
Either Phinees was one of the Iudges. and so an example for such Magistrates to do iustice; or he had a particular inspiration, which is no warrant for priuate men, to do the like. For by Catholique doctrin, killing of men is neither allowed, nor excused but whē it is done by publique authoritie, or by mere casualitie, against the killers wil. Catechis. Rom. p. 3. c. 6. q. 5. D. T••. 2. 2. q. 60 a. 6.
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Tertulliano † 220 d.C. Scorpiace 3
… Therefore the slaughter of three thousand by their nearest relatives, because they had displeased their so very near relative God, solemnly marked both the commencement and the deserts of the trespass. Israel having, as we are told in Numbers,
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On Modesty 6
… And of course it is a sufficient one, that so vast a number—(the number) of 24,000—of the People, when they committed fornication with the daughters of Madian, fell in one plague.
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 8
… ), but in his offspring they had. The very same may be said in this case also. For which may be called the truer son of God, he that worships a calf, and is joined to Baalpeor
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Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 6.3
… Haman was wealthy and third in honour from the King, yet his wife counselled him to destroy the Jews. Zimri was head of the tribe of Simeon, yet Cozbi, daughter of the chiefs of Midian, overthrew him, and because of one woman twenty-four thousand of Israel fell in one day.
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 12.6
… After a time God chose out Israel: but Israel also turned aside, and the chosen race was wounded. For while Moses stood before God in the mount, the people were worshipping a calf instead of God. In the lifetime of Moses, the law-giver who had said, Thou shalt not commit adultery , a man dared to enter a place of harlotry and transgress
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 147.9
… God says to you what He said to Cain: “Thou hast sinned: hold thy peace.” Why do you flee from the face of God and dwell in the land of Nod? Why do you struggle in the waves when you can plant your feet upon the rock? See to it that Phinehas does not thrust you through with his spear while you are committing fornication with the Midianitish woman.
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san Gregorio di Nissa † 395 d.C. On the Baptism of Christ 1
… But when we are aware of his attacks, we ought to repeat to ourselves the apostolic words, “As many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into His death .” Now if we have been conformed to His death, sin henceforth in us is surely a corpse, pierced through by the javelin of Baptism, as that fornicator was thrust through by the zealous Phinehas
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 1.8
… In fact action of this kind ought not to be called deceit, but rather a kind of good management, cleverness and skill, capable of finding out ways where resources fail, and making up for the defects of the mind. For I would not call Phinees a murderer, although he slew two human beings with one stroke:
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. An Exhortation to Theodore After His Fall 2.3
… Slaughter has brought about righteousness, and mercy has been a cause of condemnation more than slaughter; because the latter has been according to the mind of God but the former has been forbidden. It was reckoned to Phinees for righteousness that he pierced to death the woman who committed fornication, together with the fornicator;
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 109.3
3. You may perhaps in your secret thoughts find fault with me for thus assailing a man behind his back. I will frankly admit that my indignation overpowers me; I cannot listen with patience to such sacrilegious opinions. I have read of the javelin of Phinehas,
Teodoreto di Cirro † 458 d.C. Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 117
… And your holiness took this course after seeing one massacre. If you had seen the others which took place after your departure you would perhaps have emulated the fervour of the famous Phinehas.
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 17
And why do I mention these things? when killing, which among all is acknowledged to be an invention of the evil one, killing, I say, having found its proper occasion, caused Phinehas, who committed it, to be honored with the priesthood.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 106.24
… For it is one word in the Greek. Lastly, so great was their wickedness, in being consecrated to the idol, and eating the sacrifices of the dead (that is, because the Gentiles sacrificed to dead men as to God), that God would not be otherwise appeased than as Phineas the Priest appeased Him, when he slew a man and a woman together whom he found in adultery.
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papa san Gregorio I Magno † 604 d.C. The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.22
… xxxii. 27 , seq .). Hence Phinehas, spurning the favour of his fellow-countrymen when they sinned, smote those who came together with the Midianites, and in his wrath appeased the wrath of God (
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Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.7
… They say that he was Elijah, because he had been promised immortality (in Numbers
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1. MORABATUR AUTEM EO TEMPORE ISRAEL IN SETTIM. — Est haec 42 et ultima mansio Hebraeorum in deserto, puta in campestribus Moab; nam ex Settim Josue misit exploratores duos, mortuo Mose, in Chanaan, Josue ii, 1. In Settim ergo gesta et dicta sunt omnia quae deinceps in Numeris, et quae toto Deuteronomio describuntur. Hic locus, Numer. xxxiii, 49, vocatur Abelsatim, addita voce abel, id est luctus, forte ob luctum idololatrarum, qui cum essent Hebraei, hoc capite in Settim caesi narrantur. Ita Abulensis.
1 et 2. Et fornicatus est populus cum filiabus Moab, quae vocaverunt eos ad sacrificia sua. — Ecce hic est exsecutio consilii Balaam, quod ipse in discessu a Balac se ei daturum promiserat cap. praeced., vers. 14. Scilicet Moabitae et Madianitae, ut vitae suae consulerent, ne ab Hebraeis superarentur et occiderentur, filias pulcherrimas submiserunt ad castra Hebraeorum, quae eos ad luxuriam, et inde ad idololatriam pellicerent, ut ita Deus eis irasceretur, eosque desereret, ac a Moabitis et vinci et trucidari permitteret. Disce hic quanta sit illecebra et vis pulchritudinis in feminis. Adversus Hebraeos milites, non armatas turmas, sed pulchras feminas instrui praecepit rex Balac, idque ex consilio Balaam, quem Origenes hic ita loquentem inducit: «Non virtute militum, sed mulierum decore pugnandum est, nec armatorum vigore, sed mollitie feminarum; procul amove armatorum manum, et electam congrega speciem puellarum: forma vincit armatos, ferrum pulchritudo captivat; vincuntur specie, qui non vincuntur praelio.» Nota hic primo, vilitatem et viles animos Moabitarum et Madianitarum, qui omnes virgines suas alienae et hostili genti prostituebant, pro quibus et quarum pudicitia usque ad mortem omnes pugnare debuissent. Virilius ergo fecissent, fortiter in bello occumbendo, vel cuicumque generi mortis se exponendo, quam suadendo, imo sinendo virgines suas tam infanda pati, imo agere. Fuit haec Gentilium caecitas, qui parvi pudicitiam, magni vitam faciebant. Ita Abulensis. Nota secundo: Puellae hae tulerunt secum deos suos, puta idola Beelphegor, et idolothyta, id est cibos illi immolatos et consecratos, ut juvenes Hebraeorum, primo ad idolothyta comedenda, inde per ea ad idola ipsa colenda pellicerent. Lenocinia earum, et artes quibus deceperunt Hebraeos, pulchre enarrat Josephus, lib. IV Antiquit. cap. v; eodem etiam modo Julianus Apostata Christianos Constantinopolitanos per idolothyta voluit pellicere, imo cogere ad idola colenda, uti narrat Nectarius Archiepiscopus Constantinopolitanus in oratione quam habuit initio Quadragesimae, et Theodoretus, lib. I Histor. cap. xiv. Nota tertio, puellas has primo sua pulchritudine, ornatu et blanditiis pellexisse Hebraeos in sui concupiscentiam; inde cum viderent eos in sui amorem exardescere, non permittebant eos sibi commisceri, quousque per blanditias illectos inducerent ad comedendum de idolothytis Beelphegor, ac tandem ad thurificandum vel immolandum ipsi Beelphegor; itaque consummabatur iniquitas et idololatria. Aut potius, videntur hae puellae primo illexisse Hebraeos ad concubitum; inde jam eos sibi devinctos habentes, pellexerunt eos ad idolothyta, ac tandem ad idola, puta ad suum Beelphegor colendum. Hoc posterius enim ordo verborum hic S. Scripturae magis significat; et hic meretricum est mos, ut prius juvenes suis amoribus irretiant, deinde eos impellant quo volunt. Si enim hae puellae prius idololatriam Hebraeis proposuissent, patuisset earum fraus, easque cum idolis suis aversati fuissent Hebraei. Atque hoc modo Salomon a complexu mulierum ad idola ab eisdem deductus est. Amor enim et libido mentes sapientum dementat; et, ut ait Plato: «Amantis animus in suo corpore moriens, in alieno est vivens.» Nota quarto: Plerique omnes Hebraei hac fraude et illecebra puellarum capti sunt, et haec fuit causa, quare Moses eos non puniverit; quod enim major pars populi ad eas declinarit, ita ut non timerent Mosen, patet ex eo quod, vidente Mose et toto populo, Judaeus ille ingressus est ad Madianitidem, vers. 6. Si enim timuisset Mosen aut reliquum populum, vel non ivisset ad scortum, aut non fecisset palam. Moses ergo eos punire non est ausus, sed flebat, ut dicitur vers. 6, et dolebat valde cum paucis habentibus zelum Dei, orabatque Deum de more ad ostium tabernaculi. Unde Deus jussit fornicantes hosce suspendi, ac mox ex Dei jussu Moses vigorem animosque resumpsit ad eos puniendum, eosque reipsa suspendit; sciebat enim Deum mandantem, daturum vires ad exsequendum, et facturum ut nemo resistere posset. Itaque contigit; multi enim, etiam ex primoribus, suspensi fuerunt, nemine contradicente, vel hiscere audente. Ita Abulensis. Moraliter, Abbas ille in Vitis Patrum, lib. V, tit. De fornicatione, cuidam tentato spiritu fornicationis hoc dedit remedium: «Scis, inquit, quid fecerint Madianitae: ornaverunt filias suas, et statuerunt eas in conspectu Israelitarum; non tamen extorserunt aliquibus ut miscerentur cum eis, sed qui voluerunt, incurrerunt in eis. Alii autem indignantes comminati sunt, et cum interitu eorum qui praesumpserant, ulti sunt fornicationem: ita agendum est de fornicatione. Et quando initium faciunt loqui in corde tuo, non respondeas eis; sed surgens ora, et age poenitentiam, dicens: Fili David, miserere mei.» Cum filiabus Moab — et cum filiabus Madian, ut patet vers. 6 et 17; ob hanc enim fraudem et noxam omnes Madianitae ab Hebraeis caesi sunt, ut patebit cap. xxxi.
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3. INITIATUSQUE EST ISRAEL BEELPHEGOR — id est Israel initiatus est sacris Beelphegor, illi se addixit, conjunxit et consecravit. Ita Hebraea, Chaldaea et Septuaginta. Vatablus vertit: conjugatus est Israel ipsi Beelphegor. Idololatra enim init quasi conjugium et copulam cum idolo, praesertim Priapo; hic enim colebatur copula meretricia. BEELPHEGOR. — Phegor et Phogor et Beelphegor idem sunt; Baal enim sive Beel, Bel et Belus (haec omnia enim idem sunt), generale erat nomen deorum, quod ad certum aliquem determinabatur, addendo aliud nomen, ut Beelzebub erat deus zebub, id est muscarum, quia civitatem Accaron, invocatus a civibus, a muscis liberarat; Beelsephon deus Aquilonis; Baalberith erat Baal, id est deus foederis; Baalpharasim erat deus Pharasim. Sic Beelphegor erat Baal sive deus Phegor.
Secundo, Beelphegor sive Phegor erat is quem Gentes voce nonnihil (Phegor enim hebraice dicitur Peer, unde Priapus) detorta Priapum vocarunt; ita docet S. Hieronymus, lib. VIII in Isai. cap. xxv, sub finem libri: «Beelphegor, inquit, interpretatur Priapus;» et Isidorus, lib. VIII, cap. De Diis Gentium: a Beelphegor, inquit, Latini Priapum vocant, coluntque quasi Deum hortorum; fuit enim ipse de Lampsaco, civitate Hellesponti, de qua pulsus est, eumque propter virilis membri magnitudinem, in numerum deorum suorum Graeci transtulerunt, atque in nomine hortorum sacraverunt: unde et dicitur ipse praeesse hortis, propter eorum fecunditatem. Idem docent Andreas Masius et Arias Montanus in Josue xiii, 20, et alii passim. Tertio, Priapus dictus est Beelphegor, id est deus desiderii, hoc est concupiscentiae, ideoque aperto ore depictus fuit, ait Arias Montanus in Osee ix. Vel dictus est Beelphegor, a monte Phogor in quo colebatur; vel potius Beelphegor hebraice est, q. d. Deus apertionis vel nuditatis; radix enim paar significat aperire et nudare. Priapus enim, utpote praeses obscenitatis, nuda membra ostentabat, aeque ac ejus sacerdotes in ipsius sacris. Imo nonnulli censent ab hoc deo obsceno Phegor sive Phogor dictum esse montem Phogor, quia in ipso colebatur. Hinc S. Hieronymus, lib. II Comment. in Osee ix: «Beelphegor, inquit, interpretatur habens in ore tentigines, id est in summitate pellem, ut turpitudinem membri virilis ostenderet.» Quarto, erat Beelphegor imago viri nudi, qui habebat pellem mortui in ore, quo significabat non esse remedium mortalitatis, nec naturam fugientem retineri posse, nisi per os cibo et potu materia libidini et generationi subministretur; per quam natura fugiens teneatur et propagetur in prole, inquit Christophorus a Castro in Jerem. xxvii, 7. S. Hieronymus tamen paulo ante citatus ait hanc pellem fuisse tentigines membri virilis, et Ribera in cap. ix Osee: «Beelphegor, inquit, interpretatur habens in ore, id est in summitate pudendi, retectam glandem.»
Quinto, cultus Beelphegor consistebat in otio, comessationibus, vacatione et libertate ab omni disciplina, honestate et pudicitia. Hinc sacerdotes habebant feminas, scilicet meretrices, Osee iv, 14, quarum princeps fuit Maacha, mater Asa regis Juda, quam Asa amovit, et Priapum evertit; III Reg. xv, 13. Ritus colendi Priapum turpissimos recenset Herodotus in Euterpe, et alii. Sexto, putat a Castro, et Adrichemius in Descriptione terrae sanctae, pag. 129, et alii, Beelphegor esse Chamos: uterque enim fuit deus Moabitarum, dicique hebraice Chamos a voce kemas, id est, quasi palpans et contrectans: erat enim obsceenissimus; vel a kamis, id est latitare, occultare, ut Chamos fuerit Bacchus νυκτέρινος, quem noctu per epulas et effrenas libidines colebant, indeque dici comessationes κώμους, id est, cantiones et saltationes lascivas. Unde Athenaeus, lib. I, cap. vii: Magno, inquit, in honore habetur Priapus in Lampsaco, qui ex epitheto idem est et Dionysius (id est Bacchus). Idem ergo sunt Beelphegor, Priapus, Chamos, Bacchus νυκτέρινος; hunc ergo deum colunt bacchantes, et qui libidinibus vacant. Hoc ergo exemplo Israelitarum bacchantium, eorumque punitio, quae recensetur vers. 4 et 9, congrue proponi potest Christianis in Bacchanalibus. Fuerunt enim hi primi bacchantes: haec enim contigerunt anno quadragesimo ab exitu ex Aegypto; qui fuit ante Christum 1490, mundi 2488, uti dixi cap. xx, initio.
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4. Tolle cunctos principes, et suspende eos contra solem. — To eos Vatablus et alii referunt ad principes, quasi illi omnes, utpote criminis vel rei, vel consentientes, aut non impedientes, jubeantur hic suspendi. Hic enim sensus planus et apertus videtur. Alii tamen, et verius, to eos referunt non ad principes, sed ad fornicatores et idololatras, de quibus dixit vers. 3; q. d. Tolle, vel, ut hebraice est, accipe, id est, convoca et congrega principes, ut illi, quasi judices, subjiciant suspendi contra solem eos, qui fornicationis et idololatriae Beelphegor sunt rei. Unde Chaldaeus clare vertit: tolle omnes principes populi, ut occidant illum qui reus fuerit. Jussit ergo hic Moses congregari principes, non quasi reos ad suspendium, sed quasi judices, qui cognoscerent, quinam affines essent crimini, et illos suspenderent, qualescumque essent, etiamsi principes essent. Id ita esse patet primo, quia non est verisimile omnes principes hic apostatasse a Deo, esseque suspensos; imo contrarium constat ex eo quod, post haec, Zambri princeps tribus Simeon, fornicans cum Madianitide, non suspensus, sed a Phinees pugione est confossus. Secundo, quia hi principes erant judices populi, quibus deinde Moses vers. 5: «Occidat unusquisque proximos suos, qui initiati sunt Beelphegor.» Ita Abulensis, Eugubinus et Hebraei. SUSPENDE EOS CONTRA SOLEM. — Nota: Hi fornicantes et idololatrantes jubentur suspendi contra solem, ut facies eorum ignominiae exponatur, qui non erubuerunt tantum nefas patrare: et ut tropologice haec figura proclamet, inquit Cyrillus, lib. XIV De Adorat., quod nemo possit effugere, vel manum, vel oculum illum summi Judicis, qui instar solis omnia, etiam arcana, quae in cubilibus et lectis geruntur, intuetur, quodque ipse secreto peccantes et fornicantes in publicum producet in die judicii, ad visionem omni carni, ut ait Isaias, cap. ult. vers. ult., ab eisque gravissimas poenas exiget. Adde: hoc ipso quo meretrices has adibant Hebraei, magna erat praesumptio, quod comederent earum idolothyta, et Beelphegor colerent; ad hoc enim perficiendum, hae meretrices cum suis idolis totae erant compositae, atque reipsa omnes suos amasios eo perducebant. Ut avertatur furor meus — qui alioqui in totum populum, vel consentientem, vel negligentem has sordes punire, desaeviret, uti saepe alias desaeviit. Discant hic Christiani principes et judices, Deum adulteria, scortationes aliaque peccata, praesertim publica, in totum populum, qui ea in suo coetu, vel republica tolerat, vindicare, ac proinde si populi tutores esse velint, uti debent, sontes puniant, Deique offensae et justitiae satisfaciant: itaque Dei iram et vindictam tam a se, quam a toto populo avertent.
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5. Occidat unusquisque proximos suos, qui initiati sunt Beelphegor. — «Occidat,» id est suspendat. Hoc enim jussit Deus vers. 4. Jubet hic Moses ut principes in criminosos inquirant, et quos reos repererint, plectant: unde patet multos fuisse insontes. Secus erat de vitulo aureo: illum enim omnes adorarunt; unde omnes promiscue a Mose et Levitis occisi sunt, Exodi cap. xxxii, vers. 27. Hic ergo judicialiter res acta est, et peccantes per testes convicti, damnati sunt ad suspendium. Verisimile est quod ait Abulensis, omnes qui per testes convincebantur ingressi fuisse tabernacula harum puellarum Moabiticarum, hoc ipso damnatos fuisse. Haec enim earum tabernacula erant lupanaria, ut patet vers. 8. Sicut ergo miles, vel adolescens ex proposito vadens ad lupanar, hoc ipso de scortatione convinci et damnari potest. Hic enim ingressus vehementissimam dat praesumptionem criminis, quod in secreto fit, nec aliter quam hoc modo probari potest: quis enim in lecto decumbentes intueatur? Sic Phinees, videns Zambri ingredientem tabernaculum Madianitidis, eum nudo pugione insecutus est, ut occideret, nec aliam criminis probationem requisivit. Adeundo ergo Moabitidas meretrices, censebantur cum eis meretricari, ac proinde esse rei mortis, eo quod Deus gravissime prohibuerat Hebraeis, Exod. cap. xxxiv, 16, et Deut. cap. vii, 3, ne cum alienigenis inirent connubia: ergo pariter vetuerat gravissime ne cum eis fornicarentur. Ratio enim legis, scilicet ne ab illis pellicerentur ad idola et vitia Gentilium, tam in his quam in illis, locum habebat. Unde et apud Christianos eadem poena plectuntur adulteri, sacrilegi, incestuosi, qua plectuntur ii, qui cum conjugatis, monialibus, cognatis matrimonium inire volunt. Ita Abulensis.
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6. Et ecce unus de filiis Israel intravit coram fratribus suis, ad scortum Madianitidem. — Erat hic princeps tribus Simeon, nomine Zambri; Madianitis vero erat filia principis Madian, ut patet vers. 14: eo major fuit zelus et fortitudo Phinees, qui utrumque occidit. Poterat enim merito timere, ne tota tribus Simeon in eum pro principe suo insurgeret, eumque lapidaret. Addit Josephus, penes quem sit fides, Zambri voluisse hanc Madianitidem ducere in uxorem, idque coram Mose professum esse, ac contra eum insurrexisse. Orationem ejus protervam enarrat idem Josephus.
Moraliter ex Phinees disce opus esse zelo ad res arduas aggrediendas. Animi ardor diligentem facit et strenuum, frigus pigrum facit et inertem, qualis est ille Proverb. xxvi: «Dicit piger: Leo est in via, et leaena in itineribus;» formicas putat esse leones et leaenas in via Dei; at fervidus homo etiam leones formicas aestimat, et dicit: «Si consistant adversum me castra, non timebit cor meum.» Hinc S. Bernardus in vigilia S. Andreae: «Adami, inquit, voluntas non habuit fortitudinem, quia non habuit fervorem.» Si ergo cupis nobiles victorias de carne, mundo et diabolo, esto fervidus. Palmae fervidas amant regiones: sic victoriae fervidos postulant homines. In coelum navigas flumine adverso, fervoris impetus necessarius est, ut fluminis impetum vincas. Pulchre Venerabilis Beda in Luca III: «Nisi, inquit, mentis contentio ferveat, unda mundi non vincitur, per quam anima semper ad ima revocatur.» Quinimo docent physici iram nobis a natura insitam esse, ut sit cos et stimulus virtutis: phlegma enim lentum est, torpidum et ignavum. Rursum vide hic quam Deus et homines libidinem puniant, et castitatis vindices praemient. Refert Plutarchus in C. Mario, quod Lucius Marii ex sorore nepos, Trebonii militis pudicitiam tentans, ab eo sit interfectus; Trebonius apud Marium accusatus, facinus confessus, causamque caedis afferens pudicitiam, a Mario corona sit redimitus. Tityus Jovis et Elarae filius, Latonam de stupro interpellans, ab Apolline sagittis confixus est; hunc dejectum ad inferos memorant, atque ita ibi ligatum, ut nullo modo movere se possit; addunt poetae, a duobus vulturibus jecur ejus diripi. Phaon moechus cum Sappho deprehensus occisus est, teste Aeliano, De Varia historia. Persae temulenti, cum impudice attrectarent Macedonum concubinas, in convivio interfecti sunt ab Alexandro rege. Livia Germanici soror, uxor Drusi, filii Tiberii Caesaris, occiso marito, Sejano copulata, a Tiberio atrocissimis tormentis cum Sejano interempta est. Valentinianus III Imperator attentans uxorem Maximi, Patricii Romani, ab eo occisus est, qui et imperium invasit. Ita Zonaras. Argivi sibi statuerant praesidium mille hominum: iis praeerat dux Bryas. Is vitium virgini intulit; illa eadem nocte Bryantem somno oppressum oculis privavit. Deprehensa, ubi illuxit, supplex ad populum confugit. Deposcentibus eam mille viris, populus reddere noluit; quare ad pugnam re deducta, victor populus in milites praesidiarios omni supplicii genere grassatus est. Ita Pausanias in Corinth.
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8. Cessavitque plaga a filiis Israel. — Hinc patet plagam pestis, ignis, aliamve similem a Deo immissam fuisse in Hebraeos fornicantes et idololatrantes, idque antequam Zambri ingrederetur ad Madianitidem, ibique a Phinees occideretur: nam Phinees, videns hanc plagam, ad eam avertendam occidit Zambri, eoque occiso plaga statim cessavit. Ita Scriptura saepe post factum, rei quasi jam factae, meminit, eamque obiter perstringit, licet modum et historiam rei gestae ante non enarrarit. Ecce hic utrimque verum est illud Joannis Papae: «Zelus purgat facinus;» et: «Vindicta Deum iratum lenit et placat.» Merito ergo S. Gregorius, hom. 15 in Ezech., Phinees zeli et rectitudinis statuit exemplar: «Rectitudinis, inquit, zelo contra vitia accendimur? Phinees ante oculos deducatur, qui coeuntes gladio transfigens, castitati populum reddidit, et iram Dei iratus placavit.»
Memorant Annales Franciae de S. Ludovico rege, quod, cum ipse preces ex psalmis Davidis ad Deum conciperet, et aliquis, qui pro reo quodam capitalis criminis gratiam peteret, intervenisset, rexque quasi aliud agens annuisset, mox vero incidisset in illum versic. Psalm. cv: «Beati qui custodiunt judicium, et faciunt justitiam in omni tempore;» protinus revocari jussit eum cui gratiam concesserat, eamque irritam fecit, memorabili edita sententia: «Principem qui potest punire crimen, nec punit, non minus coram Deo reum esse, quam si ipse perpetrasset; ac pietatis opus esse, non saevitiæ, justitiam facere.» Ita est sane. «Nec (ut inquit Seneca) pinguior mactari victima Deo potest, quam homo sceleratus.» Recteque dicitur: «Is qui parcit malis, nocet bonis.» Hac de causa ferunt Maximilianum I imperatorem loca destinata ad supplicia sontium, venerabundum cum hoc solemni dicto: «Salve, justitia,» praeterire solitum. Justitia enim est basis et columen reipublicae, estque quasi hesperus, inquit Aristoteles, imo sol mundi. M. Cato dicebat, «eos magistratus qui maleficos poenis non coercent, non tantum non ferendos, sed lapidibus obruendos esse, ne ex poenae neglectu salus reipublicae labefieret,» inquit Plutarchus.
Haec est septima plaga, quae in hoc libro Numerorum Hebraeis ob peccata immissa narratur: prima enim fuit in Sepulcris concupiscentiae, ubi cum adhuc carnes essent in dentibus eorum, furor Domini percussit eos plaga magna nimis, Num. xi, 33; secunda fuit in Core, Dathan et Abiron, qui absorpti sunt a terra, vivique descenderunt in infernum, Numer. xvi, 33; tertia fuit eodem die, quando scilicet egressus ignis a Domino, occidit 250 viros rebelles, offerentes incensum, ibidem vers. 35; quarta fuit die sequenti murmurantium contra Mosen et Aaron, atque dicentium: Vos interfecistis populum Domini, et percussi sunt 14,700, ibidem vers. 49; quinta fuit, cum ob murmur propter laborem itineris, Deus in eos immisit ignitos serpentes, Num. xxi, 6; sexta fuit hic, vers. 4, cum scilicet Deus jussit suspendi fornicantes cum Beelphegor; septima fuit hoc versu, cum Deus immisit plagam ob idem crimen, quam suo zelo avertit et discussit Phinees. Ita Rupertus.
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9. Et occisi sunt (puta, tam per plagam a Deo immissam, quam per sententiam et suspendium judicum, de quo versu 5) viginti quatuor millia hominum. — Si enim hoc numero non comprehenderentur suspensi a judicibus, eos utique seorsim numerasset Scriptura. Ita Abulensis. Ecce hic, ait Rupertus, quam Deus ut rhinoceros, vel potius monoceros, est castitatis amator, atque turpissimum Beelphegor, ejusque asseclas punit et profligat.
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12. Ecce do ei (Phinees) pacem foederis mei — id est securitatem et certitudinem pacti mei, q. d. Hunc ob zelum Phinees firmiter decerno, et quasi paciscor, promittoque illi.
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13. Et erit tam ipsi quam semini ejus, pactum sacerdotii sempiternum — quod scilicet ipse cum sua stirpe, post patrem Eleazarum, in pontificatum succedet, ita ut pontificatus inviolabiliter maneat in ejus familia et posteritate semper, quamdiu scilicet Judaeorum respublica et judaismus stabit. Ita Abulensis. Alii censent sacerdotium hic vocari pacem foederis, id est foedus pacis vel pacificum, per hypallagen, ob duas causas: prima est, quod sacerdotes prae aliis hominibus in pace, amicitia et societate Dei esse videantur. Nam quotidie in conspectu Dei versantur, cum illo colloquuntur, responsa accipiunt: illi orationes, oblationes et vota sua et populi offerunt; secunda, quod sacerdotium rite administratum causa erat pacis, concordiae, omnisque tranquillitatis et felicitatis inter Deum et homines, propter preces et sacrificia sacerdotum quibus Deus orbi placatur.
Audi hic paradoxum B. Petri Damiani, epistola 12, cap. 11, ad Nicolaum II Romanum Pontificem, ubi ait Deum voluisse, ut deinceps ipse Phinees, in praemium praeclari hujus facinoris, viveret usque ad finem mundi, putatque ipsum Phinees fuisse eumdem, qui postea dictus est Elias; idem senserunt veteres nonnulli Hebraei, teste Origene, tomo VII in Joan. Ibi enim Damianus citans haec verba hujus capitis: «Ecce do ei pacem foederis mei, et erit tam ipsi, quam semini ejus pactum sacerdotii sempiternum,» sic ait: «Pacem quippe Dominus illi sui foederis dedit, quia sedati omni carnis molestia, vivere illum usque ad finem mundi in paradisi amoenitate constituit. Ipse siquidem est, nisi fallor, Elias propheta, qui videlicet igneis equis est translatus in coelum: cui nimirum Phinees nomen est a parentibus inditum, Elias vero nomen est accidens per eventum: Elias siquidem interpretatur Deus Dominus, quod ex hac occasione ei impositum creditur, quia cum legatus a populo ad Ruben et Gad, qui novum altare construxerant, mitteretur, hoc ab eis responsum excusationis accepit: Fortissimus Deus Dominus ipse novit, si praevaricationis animo hoc altare construximus. Inde ergo Phinees vocatus est Elias, ut illorum responsum, ejus videatur esse vocabulum.» Haec sententia nova est et improbabilis, quam multis refutat Torniellus. Probat tamen eam Damianus primo, ex S. Hieronymo qui in Hebraicis Quaest. in lib. I Paral. idipsum docet. Respondeo, illum librum vel non esse S. Hieronymi, ut quidam annotarunt, vel S. Hieronymum haec, uti et alia, non ex sua, sed ex Hebraeorum sententia dicere. Secundo, probat eam ex I Paral. ix, 19, ubi loquens Scriptura de iis qui redierant ex Babylonica captivitate, sic ait: «Hi sunt Coritae super opera ministerii, etc., Phinees autem filius Eleazari erat dux eorum;» ergo Phinees vixit usque imo post captivitatem Babylonicam. Respondeo, illum Phinees esse alium ab hoc nostro: ille enim erat Levita, hic erat sacerdos: ille erat ex posteris Core, hic erat nepos Aaronis: quare et alius fuit Eleazar, pater Phinees, ibi ab hoc nostro.
Tantum ergo promittitur hic Phinees pontificatus continuatio in posteris ejus. Fuit hoc magnum praemium. Pontifex enim Judaeorum in summo erat honore, atque in summis opibus: maximam enim partem oblationum, primitiarum et decimarum, imo, ut multi volunt, decimam decimae, id est centesimam partem omnium fructuum totius Judaeae, ipse solus percipiebat. Hinc ipse erat summus omnium judex, Deuter. cap. xvii, 9, jungebatque cum regibus connubia, imo et sceptrum ipsum regni tandem obtinuit. Machabaei enim simul erant pontifices, et simul duces, ac paulo post reges Israel. Aristobulus enim, Joannis Hyrcani filius, et Simonis Machabaei nepos, fuit pontifex, primusque sibi imposuit diadema regni, ut docet Josephus, lib. XIII Antiquit. cap. xix; atque post eum regnavit Alexander filius, cui successit Aristobulus junior, qui simul fuerunt pontifices et reges: hique omnes prognati sunt ex Phinees, uti ait et gloriatur eorum parens Mathathias, I Machab. ii, 54. Vide hic quid apud Deum mereatur zelus et zelosi. Dices: Ex lege et jure gentium debebat Phinees, utpote primogenitus, succedere patri Eleazaro in pontificatu: ergo nil novi beneficii hic ei confertur. Respondeo nova quaedam hic ei conferri: primo enim assecuratur hic ipsi longior vita, quod scilicet ipse supervicturus sit patri, itaque reipsa futurus pontifex. Secundo, assecuratur ei, quod pontificatus in ejus familia permanebit. Dices secundo: Pontificatus, paulo post Phinees, translatus est ex ejus familia ad familiam Ithamar, puta ad Heli: nam, ut docet Josephus, lib. V Antiquit. cap. ult., et lib. VIII, cap. 1, Eleazaro in pontificatu successit filius Phinees, huic filius Abiezer, huic filius Bocci, huic filius Ozi; a quo translatus est ad Heli (qui fuit de familia Ithamar, ut patet I Paralip. xxiv, 3), cui successit ex filio Phinees, nepos Achitob, huic filius Ahias, huic frater Achimelech, huic filius Abiathar, a quo rursum Salomon pontificatum transtulit ad Sadoc, qui erat de familia Eleazari et Phinees: quomodo ergo hic Phinees promittitur pontificatus aeternus? Respondet primo Cajetanus, promissionem hanc esse juris, non facti: jure enim debitum fuisse familiae Phinees pontificatum in perpetuum; sed de facto translatum esse ad Heli, ad breve tempus; secundo, Dionysius Carthusianus respondet promitti hic Phinees pontificatum aeternum, non absolute, sed sub conditione, si posteri patris pietatem sequantur, nec ob peccata sua pontificatu privari mereantur: jam autem posteros Phinees peccasse, ideoque sua culpa pontificatu ad tempus excidisse; tertia, et facile dici potest promitti hic Phinees pontificatum aeternum, hoc sensu, quod eo non sit spoliandus jugiter, sicut spoliatus est Heli; sed quod pontificatus illius familiae adhaerebit usque ad finem Synagogae judaismi, esto ad breve tempus interrumpatur et transferatur ad Heli ejusque posteros: paulo enim post rediit ad familiam Phinees, in eaque jugiter mansit usque ad Christum. Sic dicitur Genes. xlix, 10, quod non deficiet sceptrum de Juda, donec veniat Christus: constat autem sceptrum hoc defecisse primo anno regni Herodis, Christus vero natus est anno 35 regni Herodis; ergo ante Christum sceptrum de Juda defecerat per 35 annos. Sed parvum hunc numerum in tanta multitudine non computat, nec aestimat sacra Scriptura. Ita facit et hic.
Quia zelatus est pro Deo suo, et expiavit scelus filiorum Israel. — «Expiavit,» primo, id est punivit et vindicavit sontes et sceleratos. Sic enim judices dum puniunt sontes, suam rempublicam quasi expiant coram Deo, et toto mundo. Justa enim scelerum vindicta est expiatio reipublicae. Secundo, «expiavit,» id est mundavit: quia effecit ne quis amplius auderet similia committere; tertio, «expiavit,» id est abstulit scelus negligentiae Israelitarum, quo scilicet ipsi negligebant hoc scelus corrigere et plectere; quarto, «expiavit,» quia sanguinem Zambri, quasi victimam piacularem, Deo pro aliorum incolumitate obtulit. Ita Abulensis.
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15. Madianitis, etc., vocabatur Cozbi, filia Sur principis nobilissimi Madianitarum. — Hebraice est, Cozbi filia Sur: ipse erat caput populorum, et caput familiae patris in Madian. Nam in Madian regnabant quinque reges, ut patet capite xxxi, vers. 8, sed parvi, qui proinde Josue xiii, 11, principes vocantur: inter hos quinque nobilissimus et summus erat Sur, qui filiam suam hic prostituit Hebraeis, ut eos ex consilio Balaam hoc modo decipere, atque avertere, vel superare posset. Tantus erat ejus omniumque metus, tantus amor vitae et regni. Non enim norant hi Gentiles bonum honestatis, pudicitiae et virtutis.
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16 et 17. Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen dicens: Hostes vos sentiant Madianitae, et percutite eos. — Hic Deus auctores sceleris et fraudis Beelphegor, scilicet Madianitas, bello ulcisci jubet; Moabitas autem, qui magna sceleris et cladis pars et causa fuerant, tacite excipit, quia Moabitas conservatos volebat: idque partim ob merita Lot, ut dicitur Deuter. ii, 19; partim ob Ruth, ex qua David (fuit enim David pronepos Ruth) et Christus originem erant ducturi; Ruth enim fuit Moabitis, et in Moab nata: unde antequam nata fuit Ruth, Hebraei non intulerant bella Moabitis; sed postquam nata fuit, et ex Moab migravit ad Judaeos, David Moabitas mire castigavit et cecidit, ut patet II Reg. viii, 2. Ita Abulensis. Poterant ex jure naturae et gentium, Hebraei Madianitas, a quibus laesi fuerant, bello appetere, sed exspectarunt imperium Domini; Dominus enim in deserto et ad stationes, et ad bella, et ad quaevis alia eos dirigebat, utpote populi dux. Unde statim a scelere Beelphegor, jussit Madianitis bellum inferri.
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18. Quia et ipsi hostiliter egerunt contra vos, et decepere insidiis (fraudibus, de quibus dixi vers. 1) per idolum Phogor (id est Beelphegor, uti dixi vers. 3), et per Cozbi, filiam ducis Madian, sororem suam (id est gentilem suam; erat enim Cozbi Madianitis, ac consequenter Madianitarum erat soror, id est cognata et affinis. Haec enim decepit Zambri, ducem tribus Simeon, cujus, utpote ducis, exemplum multi ex eadem, ut patebit cap. seq., vers. 14, et ex aliis tribubus secuti sunt. Peccata enim principum et dominorum multos habent imitatores), quae percussa est (a Phinees) in die plagae — nam eodem die grassabatur plaga, immissa a Deo, vers. 8; sed postquam Phinees occidit Cozbi cum Zambri, illico plaga cessavit.
Morale: De periculo conversationis cum feminis Moraliter, disce hoc capite quam sit periculosa conversatio cum feminis, quamque viri feminas, et feminae viros fugere debeant. Adamum seduxit Eva, Davidem Bethsabee, Salomonem mulieres. Praeclare senior ille apud Sophronium in Prato Spirit. cap. cxix: «Filioli, inquit, sal ex aqua est, et, si appropinquaverit aquae, continuo solvitur et deficit: et monachus similiter ex muliere est; itaque si appropinquat mulieri, solvitur et ipse, atque in id desinit, ut jam monachus non sit.» Id omnes Sancti et verbo et exemplo docuerunt. S. Dominicus ad mortem usque virgo permansit, adeo ut et aliis virginitatem afflaret. Unde studiosus quidam osculans manum ejus, tantam inde fragrantiam et gratiam hausit, ut deinceps et mente et corpore esset castus. Et tamen S. Dominicus suadebat castitatis studiosis, ut omnes mulieres prorsus fugerent, ita quoque ipse faciebat, et insuper se jejuniis et poenitentiis affligebat. S. Franciscus asserebat frivolum esse colloquium cum muliere, excepta sola confessione, vel instructione brevissima. S. Jordanes, qui S. Dominico in generalatu proxime successit, Fratrem quemdam increpuit, quod manum mulieris tetigisset; cumque ille regreret: Mulier haec pia et devota est; respondit Jordanes: «Pluvia bona est, et terra bona, et tamen ex horum commixtione fit lutum.» S. Thomas Aquinas a fratribus tentatus per mulierem lascivam, eam titione fugavit, eoque signum crucis formans in pariete, et ibi orans cum lacrymis, postulansque perpetuam virginitatem, indormiit, viditque duos angelos, qui sibi renes astringerent (ita arcte, ut ex dolore exclamaret) dicentes: Ecce cingimus te cingulo castitatis, quod nunquam dissolvetur. Unde ipse omni postea libidinis sensu caruit: et tamen ille ipse deinceps omnes mulieres semper horruit et fugit quasi serpentes. Regina Siciliae, S. Ludovici, ex Franciscana familia Episcopi, mater, eum ad se Neapolim venientem, ut filium suum, more Gallico osculari volebat; renuit S. Ludovicus; tum illa: «Numquid non sum mater tua?» cui ille: «Scio, ait, sed mulier es, quam servo Dei osculari non licet;» nam, ait S. Bernardus: «Mulieris corpus totum est igneum.» Ita fugit Joseph lascivientem heram, relicto in manibus ejus pallio. Ita S. Augustinus, teste Possidonio, domi suae ne quidem sororem habere voluit. Ita fugit non semel S. Bernardus, cum ob eximiam speciem, ab impuris mulierculis ad scelus sollicitaretur. Alias easdem noctu abegit, clamans: Latrones! latrones! ac tandem ut omni tentatione se eximeret, ad claustra Cisterciensis monasterii profugit, nimirum, ut ait Sapiens: «De vestimento procedit tinea, et a muliere iniquitas viri;» et: «Melior est iniquitas viri, quam mulier benefaciens.» Ita denique fugit magnus ille S. Joannes Anachoreta, qui Theodosio Imperatori victoriam praedixit. Nam, uti narrat Palladius in Lausiaca cap. xliii, ipse per 40 annos nullam mulierem vidit. Cumque 90 esset annorum, enixe rogatus a Tribuno, ut uxori suae importune id petenti, videndam se praeberet, respondit: «Hac nocte ab ipsa videbor in somnis, nec amplius pergat in carne videre faciem meam.» In somnis ergo ei per phantasma apparuit, nec aliter ab ea se videri passus est, qui et cap. xliv, luctuosum Eremitae cujusdam per mulierem lapsum enarrat. Plura attuli Genes. cap. xxxiv, vers. 1.
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ABEL (EBR. ABHÈL «PRATO»; FORSE PERÒ È ARAMAIZZAZIONE DAL CANANEO ABIL «CANALE»)
… Accampamento degli Israeliti prima di passare il Giordano (Num. 25, 1; 33, 49; Ios. 2, 1; 3, 1; Mich. 6, 5); oggi Tell Kefrein a 11 km. a est del Giordano, in direzione di Gerico (secondo pochi Wadi es-Sejale, a 5 km. più a sud).
Nelle vicinanze di Settim, Israele si lasciò trascinare dalle donne di Moab e del confinante Madian (Num. 25, 1-17) a feste idolatriche ed a dissolutezze. …
… e Madianite, e con esse dandosi all'osceno culto del Baal del Monte Phegor (v. BEELPHEGOR), per cui furono uccisi da un flagello 24.000 israeliti, e si segnalò per zelo Phinees, cui per premio Dio concesse la sua « alleanza d'un sacerdozio eterno » (Num. 25, 1-18). Era detta Abel (v.) S. « nelle steppe di Moab » (ibid. 33, 49; Settanta Βέλων cod. B, βελοκτίμ cod. A). Da lì furono inviate le spie a Gerico, che stava di fronte; da lì, dopo …
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MADIAN E MADIANI TI (EBR. MIDHJĀN; SETTANTA MĀŠĪAV).
Accantonati negli 'Arbhāth Mā'ābh al nord-est del Mar Morto, divennero uno scandalo per Israele, che ne batté in guerra quattro principi vassalli di Sehon, re amorrita di Hesebon (Num. 22, 47; 25, 6-15;
… colpevoli, e P., visto che « un uomo dei figli d'Israele », Zambrì figlio di Salù, aveva introdotto « in mezzo ai suoi fratelli la madianita Cozbi sotto gli occhi di Mosè e in presenza di tutta la comunità... entrò nella tenda e li trafiesse ambedue » (Num. 25, 6-8).
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… Prima di Gesù Cristo, pare fosse universalmente riconosciuto inoltre il valore della espiazione attraverso la sofferenza, la morte e soprattutto il martirio (II Mach. 7, 37; Siphrē su Num. 25, 13, ecc.). …
25:14
I Madianiti (v.) menzionati nella storia di Mosè (Ex. 2, 15 sg., ecc.) nell'esodo dall'Egitto (Num. 25, 14-18; 31, 2), e infine nel racconto della vittoria di Gedeone (Iudc. 6-8), erano Arabi del nord. …
ZAMRI (EBR. ZIMRI; SETTANTA ZÁPAŘÁ)
1. Membro della tribù di Simeone, figlio di Salu, il quale fu ucciso da Phinees perché sorpreso in tresca con una donna madianita (Num. 25, 14, Volgata Zambri; I Mach. 2, 26.54).
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… Lo stesso B. rimane travolto nella loro rovina (Num. 25, 16, 17; 31, 1-16). S'era dunque indugiato in terra madianita nel viaggio di ritorno, poiché gli avvenimenti di Num. 31 seguono a breve distanza quelli di Num. 22-25 (i capp. 26-30, oltre …
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MADIAN E MADIANI TI (EBR. MIDHJĀN; SETTANTA MĀŠĪAV).
Nome di una regione a sud della Palestina (Ex. 2, 15) e dei suoi abitanti (Ex. 3, 1; 4, 19; 18, 1; Num. 24, 47), talvolta indicati con il patronimico « Madianiti » (Gen. 37, 38; Num. 25, 17).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · Douay-Rheims originale (Douai 1609-10), trascrizione EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Pubblico dominio.