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[24]
Now although Moses had a great while ago foreseen this calumny of
Corah, and had seen the people were irritated, yet was he not affrighted
at it; but being of good courage, because given them right advice about
their affairs, and knowing that his brother had been made partaker of the
priesthood at the command of God, and not by his own favor to him, he came
to the assembly; and as for the multitude, he said not a word to them,
but spake as loud to Corah as he could; and being very skillful in making
speeches, and having this natural talent, among others, that he could greatly
move the multitude with his discourses, he said, "O Corah, both thou
and all these with thee (pointing to the two hundred and fifty men) seem
to be worthy of this honor; nor do I pretend but that this whole company
may be worthy of the like dignity, although they may not be so rich or
so great as you are: nor have I taken and given this office to my brother
because he excelled others in riches, for thou exceedest us both in the
greatness of thy wealth; 1
nor indeed because he was of an eminent family, for God, by giving us the
same common ancestor, has made our families equal: nay, nor was it out
of brotherly affection, which another might yet have justly done; for certainly,
unless I had bestowed this honor out of regard to God, and to his laws,
I had not passed by myself, and given it to another, as being nearer of
kin to myself than to my brother, and having a closer intimacy with myself
than I have with him; for surely it would not be a wise thing for me to
expose myself to the dangers of offending, and to bestow the happy employment
on this account upon another. But I am above such base practices: nor would
God have overlooked this matter, and seen himself thus despised; nor would
he have suffered you to be ignorant of what you were to do, in order to
please him; but he hath himself chosen one that is to perform that sacred
office to him, and thereby freed us from that care. So that it was not
a thing that I pretend to give, but only according to the determination
of God; I therefore propose it still to be contended for by such as please
to put in for it, only desiring that he who has been already preferred,
and has already obtained it, may be allowed now also to offer himself for
a candidate. He prefers your peace, and your living without sedition, to
this honorable employment, although in truth it was with your approbation
that he obtained it; for though God were the donor, yet do we not offend
when we think fit to accept it with your good-will; yet would it have been
an instance of impiety not to have taken that honorable employment when
he offered it; nay, it had been exceedingly unreasonable, when God had
thought fit any one should have it for all time to come, and had made it
secure and firm to him, to have refused it. However, he himself will judge
again who it shall be whom he would have to offer sacrifices to him, and
to have the direction of matters of religion; for it is absurd that Corah,
who is ambitious of this honor, should deprive God of the power of giving
it to whom he pleases. Put an end, therefore, to your sedition and disturbance
on this account; and tomorrow morning do every one of you that desire the
priesthood bring a censer from home, and come hither with incense and fire:
and do thou, O Corah, leave the judgment to God, and await to see on which
side he will give his determination upon this occasion, but do not thou
make thyself greater than God. Do thou also come, that this contest about
this honorable employment may receive determination. And I suppose we may
admit Aaron without offense, to offer himself to this scrutiny, since he
is of the same lineage with thyself, and has done nothing in his priesthood
that can be liable to exception. Come ye therefore together, and offer
your incense in public before all the people; and when you offer it, he
whose sacrifice God shall accept shall be ordained to the priesthood, and
shall be clear of the present calumny on Aaron, as if I had granted him
that favor because he was my brother."
2
1 Reland here takes notice, that although our Bibles say little or nothing of these riches of Corah, yet that both the Jews and Mahommedans, as well as Josephus, are full of it.
2 HOW THOSE THAT STIRRED UP THIS SEDITION WERE DESTROYED, ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD; AND HOW AARON, MOSES'S BROTHER BOTH HE AND HIS POSTERITY, RETAINED THE PRIESTHOOD.
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