John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 2. And they rose up before Moses , etc.] To his face, openly and publicly, in a bold and audacious manner; with impudence, as the Targum of Jonathan: with certain of the children of Israel ; some out of the several tribes, but perhaps chiefly of the tribe of Reuben, as Jarchi: two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly ; or “congregation” f220 , who were princes in the several tribes to which they belonged, heads of houses and families of their fathers, rulers of thousands, hundreds, etc. famous in the congregation ; or “called” to the tabernacle of the congregation; who, when the great men among the people were gathered together to consult about any affair, were called, as Ben Melech observes: men of renown , or “of name” f222 ; in high esteem among the people for their birth and rank, their wealth and riches, wisdom and prudence; and were so before they came out of Egypt, as Aben Ezra remarks; so that the persons concerned in this rebellion were not the mob and dregs of the people, but men of the greatest figure and fame, and therefore was likely to be of bad consequence.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - Pride and ambition occasion a great deal of mischief both in churche and states. The rebels quarrel with the settlement of the priesthoo upon Aaron and his family. Small reason they had to boast of the people's purity, or of God's favour, as the people had been so ofte and so lately polluted with sin, and were now under the marks of God' displeasure. They unjustly charge Moses and Aaron with taking honour to themselves; whereas they were called of God to it. See here, 1. What spirit levellers are of; those who resist the powers God has set ove them. 2. What usage they have been serviceable. Moses sough instruction from God. The heart of the wise studies to answer, and ask counsel of God. Moses shows their privileges as Levites, and convict them of the sin of undervaluing these privileges. It will help to kee us from envying those above us, duly to consider how many there ar below us.
Original Hebrew ויקמו6965 לפני6440 משׁה4872 ואנשׁים582 מבני1121 ישׂראל3478 חמשׁים2572 ומאתים3967 נשׂיאי5387 עדה5712 קראי7148 מועד4150 אנשׁי582 שׁם׃8034
