Anno••ations.
LIfted up] to wit, their voice, as after followeth, and as is expressed in Gen. 21. 16. she lifted up 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, and wept. Or, all the congregation tooke ••p, that is, received, to wit, the evill report which the spies gave of the land, Num. 13. 32. So the phrase is used, in Exod. 23. 1. Thou shalt not take up a vaine report. This latter, the Greeke version favoureth. gave their voice] that is, cried out. This manner of speech is used to signifie any loud voice, noise or crie, or any creature, or of God him-selfe; as in Psal. 18. 14. the Most high gave his voice; in Ier. ••2. 15. the Lions gave their voice, in Psal. 104. 12. the fowles give the voice; in Psal. 77. 18. the skies gave a voice; in Habak. 3. 10. the deepe gave his voice; and in 2 Chron. 24. 9. men are said to give a voice, when they made a proclamation tho∣row Iudah and Ierusalem. So this people here openly rebelled, and uttered their evill hearts with∣out feare, or shame. that night] Hebr. in or through that night; which the Greeke explaineth, that whole night.
Verse 2. and against Aaron] which were the [unspec 2] Lords ministers, therefore their murmuring was not against them onely, but against the LORD, as Moses told them, in Exod. 16. 2. 8. and as after appeareth in vers. 3. Oh that we might die] or, (Would God) that we were dead: they are words of unbeleefe and despaire, and of great unthank∣fulnesse: compare Exod. 16. 3. Psal. 106. 24, 25. The Greeke translateth, If we were dead: which is a forme of wishing, both in the Greeke and He∣brew tongues, as in 1 Chron. 4. 10. If thou wilt blesse me; that is, Oh that thou wouldest blesse me; so in Luke 12. 49. If it were (for, Oh that it were) al∣ready kindled; and so the Syriak version there ex∣plaineth it.
Vers. 3. to fall] i. that we should fall, that is, [unspec 3] die by the sword? Here they murmure against God himselfe through unbeleefe; as David saith, They contemptuously refused the land of desire, (the plea∣sant land;) they beleeved not his word, but murmu∣red in their tents; they heard not the voice of Iehovah, Psal. 106. 24. 25. were it not better] or, were it not good? The Greeke changeth the phrase thus, Now therefore it is better for us to turne backe into Egypt. So, are they not written, 2 King. 20. 20. is explained thus, Behold they are writen, 2 Chron. 32. 32.
Verse 4. Let us make a captaine] Hebr. Let us [unspec 4] give a head: where by give, is meant make or ap∣point, as the Chaldee expoundeth it; and by head they meane a captaine or chiefe governour, as in Num. 25. 4. 1 Chron. 4. 42. and 12. 20. and as the Greeke here explaineth it. Targum Ionathan paraphraseth thus; Let us appoint a King over us for head. Of this their sinne the scripture saith, They dealt proudly, and hardned their necks, and heark∣ned not to Gods commandements; and refused to heare, and were not mindfull of the wonders that he had done among them: but hardned their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captaine (or made a head) to returne to their bondage, Nehem. 9. 16, 17. So their evill words and purpose, is counted unto them as the deed done. Sol. Iarchi openeth their words thus, Let us appoint a King over us; and he saith, the Rabbines have expounded this, as mea∣ning idolatry. The same is also noted by R. Menachē, who further likeneth this sin, to theirs that buil∣ded