Numbers 25:1-9
Shittim <07851> [Shittim.]
people <05971> [the people.]
invited <07121> [they called.]
bowed <07812> [bowed.]
When ... joined <06775> [joined.]
anger <0639> [the anger.]
leaders <07218> [all the heads.]
hang ... up <03363> [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.
fierce <02740> [that the fierce.]
judges <08199> [judges.]
Midianite <04084> [a Midianitish.]
view ... Moses <05869 04872> [in the sight of Moses.]
weeping <01058> [weeping.]
Phinehas <06372> [Phinehas.]
javelin <07420> [a javelin.]
thrust through <01856> [thrust.]
plague <04046> [So the plague.]
St. Paul reckons only 23,000: Moses includes in the 24,000 he names, the 1,000 men who were slain in consequence of the judicial examination, (ver. 4,) as well as the 23,000 who died of the plague; while St. Paul only refers to the latter.
Exodus 25:5
acacia wood <06086 07848> [shittim wood.]
Exodus 25:10
ark <0727> [an ark.]
{Aron} denotes a chest, or coffer, in general; but is applied particularly to the chest or ark in which the testimony or two tables of the covenant were laid up; on the top of which was the propitiatory or mercy seat; and at the end of which were the cherubim of gold; between whom the visible sign of the presence of God appeared as seated upon his throne.
Exodus 25:23
table <07979> [a table.]
acacia wood <06086 07848> [shittim wood.]
{Shittim} wood is probably the acacia Nilotica. St. Jerome says, that the {shittim} wood grows in the deserts of Arabia, and is like white thorn, as to its colour and leaves; but the tree is so large as to furnish very long planks. The wood is hard, tough, and extremely beautiful. It is thought he means the black acacia, because that is the most common tree in the deserts of Arabia. It is of the size of a large mulberry tree. The spreading branches and larger limbs are armed with thorns, which grow three together. The bark is rough; and the leaves are oblong, standing opposite each other. The flowers, though sometimes white, are generally of a bright yellow; and the fruit, which resembles a bean, is contained in pods like those of the lupin. "The acacia," says Dr. Shaw, "being by much the largest and most common tree in the deserts," (Arabia Petr‘a,) we have some reason to conjecture that the {shittim} wood was the wood of the acacia, especially as its flowers are of an excellent smell; for the {shittah} tree is, in Isa 41:19, joined with the myrtle and other fragrant shrubs. It may be remarked, that of the two Hebrew names, {shittim} is masculine, and {shittah} feminine. So Mr. Bruce says, "the male is called {saiel;} from it proceeds the {gula} Arabic, on incision with an axe."
Joshua 2:1
sent <07971> [sent. or, had sent. Shittim.]
spies out .... secretly <07270 02791> [to spy secretly.]
Jericho <03405> [even Jericho.]
prostitute <0802 02181> [harlot's house.]
Though the word {zonah} generally denotes a prostitute, yet many very learned men are of opinion that it should be here rendered an innkeeper or hostess, from {zoon,} to furnish or provide food. In this sense it was understood by the Targumist, who renders it, {ittetha pundekeetha,} "a woman, a tavern-keeper," and so St. Chrysostome, in his second sermon on Repentance, calls her [pandokeutria.] The Greek [porn‚,] by which the LXX. render it, and which is adopted by the Apostles, is derived from [perna¢,] to sell, and is also supposed to denote a tavern keeper. Among the ancients, women generally kept houses of entertainment. Herodotus says, "Among the Egyptians, the women carry on all commercial concerns, and keep taverns, while the men continue at home and weave." The same custom prevailed among the Greeks.
[Rachab.]
spent the night <07901> [lodged. Heb. lay.]
