John Calvin on Numbers 33:55-56

55 But if ye will not drive out. We have elsewhere seen why God’s wrath was so greatly aroused against those nations, that He desired them to be exterminated. Even in Abraham’s time gross indulgence of sin had begun to prevail there, as we gather from God’s word, when He said that “their iniquity was not yet full.” After they had abused the forbearance of God Himself for 400 years, who will deny that their destruction was the just and reasonable reward of their long obstinacy? Still, in cutting them off, God had regard to His elect people, in order that they might be separated from the heathen, and never turn aside to foreign superstitions. But the punishment which is here threatened the Israelites deserved twice over by their remissness, for they neither performed their duty in executing God’s vengeance, and, as far as in them lay, they detracted from His grace. He had conferred upon them no common honor, when He appointed them to be His ministers for executing His judgments. It was therefore base supineness in them to be remiss on this point. But again, He had given them the whole land; when, then, they contented themselves with part of it, and neglected the rest, their perverse ingratitude betrayed itself by their indifference. Besides, they had willfully entangled themselves in deadly nerds, by mixing with heathen nations, from whom they had been separated by God, lest they should imitate their habits, and corrupt religious ceremonies. God, therefore, threatens that these nations shall be as prickles to pierce their eyes, and thorns in their sides. That this was fulfilled, the Book of Judges affords the clearest and most ample testimony, although, even to the days of David, this punishment was constantly in course of infliction upon their eyes and sides. Thus, also, is their untamable headstrongness proved, since such a solemn admonition had no effect in causing “Pour les faire marcher vertueusement parmi leur vietoires, a punir les crimes dont ils estoyent juges;” to cause them to advance virtuously amidst their victories, in punishing the crimes of which they were the judges. — Fr. them to go forwards, no less in the open punishment of iniquity, than in a course of victory and success.

Numbers 34

Numbers 34:1-29

1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

1. Et loquutus est Jehova ad Mosen, dicendo:

2. Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan, (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan, with the coasts thereof,)

2. Praecipe filiis Israel, et dices eis, Quum intraveritis terram Chenaan (ista est terra quae cadet vobis in haereditatem, terra Chenaan per terminos suos.)

3. Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin, along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward.

3. Erit vobis plaga meridiei a deserto Sin usque ad terminos Edom: erit inquam vobis terminus meridiei ab extremo maris salis ad orientem.

4. And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadesh-barnea, and shall go on to Hazar-addar and pass on to Azmon.

4. Et circuibit vobis iste terminus a Maale Acrabim, et transibit usque ad Sin: et erunt egressus ejus a meridie in Cades-Barnea, atque illinc egredietur ad villam Addar, et transibit usque ad Asmon.

5. And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.

5. Praeterea circuibit terminus iste ab Asmon usque ad flumen Aegypti: et erunt illinc egressus ejus ad occidentum.

6. And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border.

6. Terminum autem occidentalis erit vobis mare magnum, terminus, inquam, iste erit vobis terminus occidentalis.

7. And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor.

7. Iste vero erit vobis terminus aquilonaris, a mari magno describetis vobis Hor montem.

8. From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad.

8. Ab hoc monte describetis usque ad introitum Hamach: et erunt eggressus termini illius ad Sedad.

9. And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazar-enan: this shall be your north border.

9. Et illinc egredietur terminus iste ad Ziphon, eruntque egressus ejus ad villam Enan: iste erit vobis terminus aquilonaris.

10. And ye shall point out your east border from Hazar-enan to Shepham.

10. Describetis praeterea vobis terminum ad orientem, a villa Enan usque ad Sepham.

11. And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward.

11. Et destendet iste terminus a Sepham usque ad Riblah ab oriente Ain: et descendet terminus iste, provenietque ad latus maris Cinnereth ad orientem.

12. And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: this shall be your land, with the coasts thereof round about.

12. Et descendet iste terminus ad Jordanem, erunt que egressus ejus ad mare salis: ista erit vobis terra per terminos suos, per circuitum.

13. And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the Lord commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half-tribe.

13. Praecepit autem Moses filiis Israel, dicendo: Haec est terra quam possidebitis sorte, et quam princepit Jehova dare novem tribubus, et dimidiae tribui.

14. For the tribe of the children of Reuben, according to the house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children of Gad, according to the house of their fathers, have received their inheritance, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance:

14. Acceperunt enim tribus filiorum Rubenitarum per domos patrum suorum, et tribus filiorum Gaditarum per domos patrum suorum, et dimidia tribus Manasse: acceperunt inquam haereditatem suam:

15. The two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho eastward, toward the sun-rising.

15. Duae tribus et dimidia acceperunt possessionem suam citra Jordanera Jericho ad orientem ad exortum solis.

16. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

16. Loquutus est praeterea Jehova ad Mosen, dicendo:

17. These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you; Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.

17. Ista sunt nomina virorum qui possidendam vobis distribuent terram, Eleazar sacerdos, et Josue filius Nun.

18. And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance.

18. Et principes singulos de qualibet tribu capietis ad possidendam terram.

19. And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb, the son of Jephunneh.

19. Ista sunt nomina virorun: de tribu Jehudah, Caleb filius Jephune.

20. And of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud.

20. Et de tribu filiorum Simeon, Samuel filius Ammihud.

21. Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.

21. Et de tribu Benjamin, Elidad filius Chislon.

22. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the son of Jogli.

22. Et de tribu filiorum Dan, princeps Bucci filius Jogli.

23. The prince of the children of Joseph, for the tribe of the children of Manasseh, Harmtel the son of Ephod.

23. De filiis Joseph, de tribu filiorum Manasse, princeps Huiel filius Ephod.

24. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan.

24. Et de tribu filiorum Ephraim, princeps Cemuel illius Siphtan.

25. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, Elizaphan the son of Parnach.

25. Et de tribu filiorum Zabulon, princeps Elisaphan filius Parvaeh.

26. And the prince of the tribe of the children of lssachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan.

26. Et de tribu filiorum Issachar, princeps Paltiel illius Azzam.

27. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi.

27. Et de tribu filiorum Aser, princeps Ahihud filius Selomi.

28. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.

28. Et de tribu filiorum Nephthali, princeps Pedahel filius Ammihud.

29. These are they whom the Lord commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.

29. Isti sunt quibus praecepit Jehova, Ut distribuerent haereditatem filiis Israel in terra Chenaan.