ORIGEN’S SELECTIONS ON NUMBERS
ORIGEN ANNOTATIONS ON NUMBERS
(From the Gallandian Library)A
CHAP. XI. V. 7. And the manna was as coriander seed. That “as coriander seed,” others render as bdellium; another says, as honey; Aquila and Symmachus, oil of the breast, breasts into fats.
CHAP. XII. VV. 1, 2, 10, 15. Miriam, having spoken against Moses, became leprous, and remained outside the camp for seven days. This was done for the terror of the people. For if He did not spare the sister, neither would He another.
CHAP. XIV. V. 36. And those men. They who slandered the land, according to them, showed God to be a liar—piously, in their own view—whereas He had commended Palestine.
CHAP. XXII. V. 2. And Balak seeing. The nations heard and were enraged. Among whom is also that: The princes of Moab, trembling took hold of them. V. 4. Since, as if to a prophet, they were bringing his reward to offer it to him.
CHAP. XXIII. V. 7. And taking up his parable. Divine Scripture in certain places prefers and puts forward the symbolical sense over the historical narrative itself for its argument.
CHAP. XXIV. V. 7. And shall rule over many nations. There are many lords and gods. But blessed are those who have our Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord: for they shall rule over many lordships. V. 17. And a man shall arise out of Israel. They say that Balaam had disciples of his art, who were B taught magic by him; and the fame about them C signifies certain different qualities of the soul; for who would not be at a loss, seeing that on the one hand leprosy makes a man unclean by occurring in living skin, but on the other hand sets one free from all uncleanness who has become entirely leprous? For then a person is considered unclean when living skin is found in him along with total leprosy, the living skin defiling the total leprosy, which is said to be undefiled. For I suppose that leprosy is taken as representing the passions of the soul, and the living skin as representing the rational state. The discourse, therefore, seems to me to contain a mystery; for in the age of infants the soul is blameless, with irrationality being freed from every charge; but if living skin is seen in it—that is, if the beginnings of the Word spring up—then the beginning of sin comes into existence, until, with the living skin prevailing—that is, the Word growing and being perfected—the Word becomes the living skin, and the leprosy is completely vanished.