Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 25:4
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.
4. hang them up ] i.e. the offenders, not the chiefs. The form of execution denoted by the Heb. word is uncertain. It is the causative (Hiphil) form of the verb used of the dislocation of Jacob’s thigh (Gen 32:25). Aquila understood it to mean ‘impale,’ Targ. ‘crucify’; others, from the analogy of an Arabic word, explain it as ‘to throw down,’ as from a high rock. It occurs elsewhere only of the execution of Saul’s sons (2Sa 21:6).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Take – i. e., assemble the chiefs of the people to thee (compare the phrase took men, in Num 16:1). The offenders were to be first; slain by the hands of the judges of Israel Num 25:5, and afterward hung up against the sun (i. e., publicly, openly; compare 2Sa 12:12) as an aggravation of their punishment. This would be done by impaling the body or fastening it to a cross. Compare Deu 21:23 note, and 2Sa 21:9.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. Take all the heads of the people, c.] Meaning the chiefs of those who had transgressed as if he had said, “Assemble the chiefs and judges, institute an inquiry concerning the transgressors, and hang them who shall be found guilty before the Lord, as a matter required by his justice.” Against the sun – in the most public manner, and in daylight.
Dr. Kennicott has remarked that the Samaritan and Hebrew texts must be both taken together, to make the sense here complete: And the Lord said unto Moses, SPEAK unto all the heads of the people; AND LET THEM SLAY THE MEN THAT WERE JOINED TO BAAL-PEOR; and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The sense is, either,
1. Take, to wit. to thyself and thy assistance,
all the heads, i.e. the judges, as they are called Num 25:5, or rulers,
of the people; and in their presence, and by their help,
hang them, i.e. the people, now mentioned, to wit, such of them as were guilty, as was said Num 25:1. And this sense seems to be favoured by the next verse, where the execution of this command is mentioned, Moses said unto the judges of Israel, whom he had taken to himself and called together, Slay ye every one his man, i.e. each. of you execute this command of God, and hang up the delinquents under your several jurisdictions. Or,
2. Take, i.e. apprehend,
all the heads, i.e. the chief, of the people, such as were chief, either in this transgression, or rather in place and power, who are singled out to this exemplary punishment either for their neglect in not preventing, restraining, or punishing the offenders according to their power and duty, or for their concurrence with others in this wickedness, which was more odious and mischievous in them than in others. And then this must be necessarily limited to such heads as were guilty, which is evident from the nature of the thing, and from the words of the verse. And so these
heads of the people differ, as in name and title, so in place and dignity, from the judges of the people, Num 25:5, which may seem to note the superior magistrates, even the seventy elders, which, being persons of great worth and piety, chosen by God, and endowed with his Spirit, most probably kept themselves from this contagion, and therefore were fitter to punish others; and the heads of the people seem to be the inferior magistrates, the rulers of tens or hundreds, or the like, who as they did many of them partake with the people in other rebellions, so probably were involved in this guilt. Now these are to be hanged up as other malefactors and condemned persons were, Deu 21:23; 2Sa 21:6.
Before the Lord; to the vindication of Gods honour and justice.
Against the sun, i.e. publicly, as their sin was public and scandalous; and speedily, before the sun go down. But withal this phrase may signify, that these also must be taken down about sun-setting, as other malefactors were, Deu 21:23.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. The Lord said unto Moses, Takeall the heads of the people, and hang them upIsraelitecriminals, who were capitally punished, were first stoned or slain,and then gibbeted. The persons ordered here for execution werethe principal delinquents in the Baal-peor outragethe subordinateofficers, rulers of tens or hundreds.
before the Lordforvindicating the honor of the true God.
against the sunthatis, as a mark of public ignominy; but they were to be removed towardssunset (De 21:23).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the Lord said unto Moses,…. Being provoked with the sins of the people, he called to him out of the tabernacle, or out of the cloud:
take all the heads of the people, the princes of the tribes, not to hang them, but to judge those that worshipped Peor, as Jarchi interprets it; though some think that these having sinned, were ordered to be taken and hanged, and made public examples of; but it can hardly be thought, though there were some that might be guilty of the above sins, as Zimri, yet not all of them:
hang them up before the Lord against the sun; that is, those that were guilty of idolatry: the meaning is, and which all the Targums give into, that these heads of the people were to assemble at some proper place, the court of judicature, and order the delinquents to be brought before them, and try, judge, and condemn those they found guilty, and cause them to be hanged somewhere near the tabernacle, and before it, having neglected the worship of God there, and served an idol; and this was to be done openly in the daytime, that all might see and fear; and if it was the sun that was worshipped in this idol, as some think, they were hanged against the sun, to show that the idol they worshipped was not able to deliver them; but, in the face of it, and as it were in defiance of it, they were ordered to be hanged up; and this, according to the Targum of Jonathan, was in the morning against the rising sun, and where they hung all day, and were taken down at sun setting:
that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel; when justice had taken place, and proper punishment was inflicted upon the criminals, whereby a just resentment was made against sin, and God glorified.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
4. And the Lord said unto Moses. We have often seen before how God executed His judgments by His own hand, as if He put it forth from heaven; He now imposes this office on Moses, although it is evident from the context that he was not appointed to execute it alone, but that the other judges were associated with him; for it immediately follows that Moses intrusted the same charge to them, and thus, what was obscure, on account of the brevity with which it is recorded, is more clearly expressed. At any rate, it was a notable judgment of God Himself, though He employed men as its ministers. Nor does Paul in vain exhort (184) us by this example to beware of fornication.
The mode of the punishment, however, was diverse, for the lower orders were slain (by pestilence,) but the leaders were hanged upon the gallows, that the sight might awaken more terror; for by “the heads of the people” he means those of the highest repute, whose ignominy must have been most notable, because the eyes of all men are generally upon the great and noble. Hence, also, they deservedly incur the heavier punishment, because obscure persons do less harm by their example, nor are their acts so generally the objects of imitation. Let, therefore, those who are held in esteem beware lest they provoke others to sin by their evil deeds, for, in proportion to each man’s pre-eminence, the less excuse he deserves. Others interpret it differently, as if Moses were commanded to fetch the princes to give their sentence against the criminals; thus by the pronoun “them” they understood whosoever should be convictcd; but it is hardly probable that so great a multitude were hanged, and therefore I do not doubt but that reference is made to their peculiar punishment:.
(184) “Les Corinthiens.” — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) Take all the heads of the people.The heads or chiefs of the people seem to be identical with the judges of the following verse. Some understand by all the heads those only who had been the chief offenders, whilst others understand the word take as equivalent to assemble, or bring before thee, and refer the word them to the offenders.
Hang them up . . . It is obvious from Num. 25:5 that the punishment of impaling or crucifying was not to be inflicted until after death. The LXX. renders the Hebrew verb which is here used (and which is found also in 2Sa. 21:6; 2Sa. 21:9) by the same word which occurs in Heb. 6:6, and is there translated to put to an open shame.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
THE IDOLATERS PUNISHED, Num 25:4-9.
4. Take all the heads of the people This command is not only to put to death the guilty Israelites, but as a strong expression of loathing and a seeming aggravation of punishment, (note, Lev 20:14,) as well as a most impressive warning against future idolatry, their bodies were to be impaled and publicly exposed. Dr. Kennicott remarks that the Samaritan and the Hebrew texts united make the sense of this verse complete. Speak unto all the heads of the people; and let them slay the men that were joined to Baal-peor; and hang them up before the Lord, etc.
Before the Lord Literally, for Jehovah, that is, to placate him.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Num 25:4. Take all the heads of the people, &c. The next verse very fully explains what is meant by this expression; namely, all those who had joined themselves unto Baal-peor: others, however, would interpret it, take unto thee, that is, unto thy assistance, all the heads of the people; that is, all the judges: but the word them in the next clause will, under this interpretation, be very harsh. It is probable, for the reason we shall suggest by and by, that a thousand of the Israelites underwent this punishment.
REFLECTIONS.Balaam’s counsel, before he left Moab, produced a worse effect than his intended curse could have done. The alluring arts of lascivious beauty are the strongest witchcraft of the devil. Observe,
1. The crying sins that Israel committed; whoredom and idolatry. The daughters of Moab, armed with more offensive weapons than Balak’s mighty warriors, with eyes full of adultery, which cannot cease from sin, and tongues smoother than oil, yet sharper than drawn swords, beset them, and (shameful to tell!) prevail. Bound in these silken cords of pleasure’s lure, they run to those sacrifices which they before abhorred; for the gratification of bestial appetites they deny their God, and sacrifice to the abomination of the Moabites. Blind to the happy land before them, even at Shittim, in full view of it, they prefer a present lust to all the promises of a covenant God. Dreadful and aggravated crime! Note; (1.) They who tempt others to sin, are the most guilty instruments of the devil. (2.) The lures of women are the most dangerous of temptations. (3.) Flight is the only conquest. (4.) If once the heart be ensnared, there are no lengths into which the miserable slave of lust and beauty may not be led. (5.) Nothing more strongly tends to effect the soul’s final apostacy from God, than yielding to the solicitation of the flesh.
2. The judgment of God upon them. They will buy pleasure dear, who purchase it at the price of God’s displeasure and eternal damnation. Execution is immediately done upon them. They are hung up before the Lord, and a plague consumes the people. Note; (1.) The fire of lust and the flames of hell are inseparable. (2.) The plagues of God will quickly turn the sweets of forbidden pleasure into the gall of asps, and the gnawings of the worm which never dies.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
What an awful visitation is implied in these verses! For I would have the Reader remark, that nothing more is said of it, than it is the fierce anger of the LORD; and the dreadful effects are mentioned in the course of the chapter; that no less than four and twenty thousand of the people became the victims of it. Perhaps it was by the plague, or some other epidemical disease. Reader! behold in it the awful consequences of sin. You plainly perceive, that Israel’s own sins did that, which all the machinations and enchantments of Balaam could not accomplish. GOD was turned (as the prophet speaks) to be their enemy, and fought against them, Isa 63:10 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Num 25:4 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.
Ver. 4. Take all the heads. ] The chieftains: their greatness might not bear them out. Potentes potenter torquebuntur. Hell is paved, said one of old, with the bald pates of shavellings, and with the crests of great commanders, who had ever opposed with crest and breast whatsoever stood in the way of their sins and lusts.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
said. See note on Num 3:40.
heads: i.e. chiefs or princes of the People. The number not stated here, but must have been 1,000, and included in the 24,000 of Num 25:9, and excluded in 1Co 10:8. The 23,000 mentioned in 1Co 10:8 “fell in one day”: the day of the plague, verses: Num 25:9, Num 25:18. And those who were hanged prior to that (verses: Num 25:4, Num 25:5) are not included.
hang them up: i.e. impaled or nailed to a stake, as in crucifixion (Vulg, renders it “crucify”, which means the same thing).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
all the heads: Num 25:14, Num 25:15, Num 25:18, Exo 18:25, Deu 4:3, Jos 22:17, Jos 23:2
and hang: Dr. Kennicott remarks, that the Samaritan and Hebrew Texts must be united to make the sense of this verse complete: “And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto all the heads of the people; and let them slay the men that were joined to Baal-peor; and hang them up before the Lord, against the sun,” etc. Deu 13:6-9, Deu 13:13, Deu 13:15, Deu 21:23, 2Sa 21:6, 2Sa 21:9, Est 7:9, Est 7:10
that the fierce: Num 25:11, Deu 13:17, Jos 7:25, Jos 7:26, Psa 85:3, Psa 85:4, Jon 3:9
Reciprocal: Num 1:4 – General Num 25:9 – General Deu 21:22 – General Jos 10:26 – hanged 2Ki 10:6 – take ye Ezr 10:14 – the fierce Hos 14:4 – for
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 25:4. Take That is, apprehend; all the heads (or chief) of the people Such as were chief in this transgression, and in place and power. These are singled out to this exemplary punishment for their concurrence with others in this wickedness, which was more odious, and of more pernicious tendency in them. Hang them up before the Lord That is, either before the sanctuary, as men who had forsaken the worship of God, and were by his sentence adjudged to die; or, to the vindication of his honour and justice. Others interpret the words thus: Take unto thee, or to thine assistance, the heads, or judges of the people, and hang them up; that is, hang up such as have joined themselves to Baal-peor. This interpretation seems to be justified by the next verse, in which Moses directs the judges to do their duty by punishing the offenders. Against the sun Publicly and openly, as their sin was public and scandalous, that all the people might see, and fear to sin; and speedily, before the sun went down. It was provided by the Jewish law, that the bodies of malefactors should hang no longer than till the evening of the day on which they suffered, Deu 21:22-23.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
25:4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD {c} against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.
(c) Openly in the sight of all.