Selecta in Numeros

Origen's Selections on the Book of Numbers. Our eyes are fixed on nothing but the manna. It was called "man" from the Hebrews, when they first saw a strange sight, saying to one another in their native tongue, "Man," that is, "What is this?" which they would not have said if it were customary, as some of the pagans claim, for the nature of the places to produce such things from eternity. And now, for the sake of memory, a small amount descends.

And they added no more. The phrase "to prophesy" is implied. They no longer, it says, prophesied. For they prophesy only once, so that they might not be made equal to Moses; but rather so that it might be known that they have partaken, and they all prophesy together. For the Spirit in Christ is one, and the activity through all is one.

And the people did not depart until Moroam was stoned. The tent remained for seven days upon the place in honor of Mary, so that she, being such, might not follow. Send men for yourself, and so forth. He commands that some be sent, showing that they are approaching Palestine. Having set forth what is more ready for the Hebrews in Egypt, and having refuted the disbelief, he assigns the desert as a tomb to those whose mind remained hard; for the death of the impious is preferable to the error of their life.

And Moses named Auses, the son of Nun, Joshua. It is to be noted that the son of Nun became a type of Christ, who, having delivered the most pitiable people wandering, led them up into heaven, not into a land that devours its inhabitants.

Indeed, they will not see the land which I swore to their fathers. It must be observed that some of those who came out of the land of Egypt entered the land of promise; for God did not forbid this. But He slew only those twenty years old and above among those who came out of the land of Egypt and made the calf, in the wilderness, sparing the kindred of their youth, those whose time of life was not yet twenty years. And much more so the infants and children, up to the age of adolescence.

The same author. This is a type of the truth: "For if you do not turn and become as children, you will not enter the kingdom.

Take up the bronze fire-pans. Just as the bronze serpent was a sign of their faithlessness, so also the fire-pans of the company of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, being a covering for the altar.

And to the sons of Levi, behold, I have given every tenth part in Israel. Fittingly, the first fruits have been assigned to the priests, since the tribe of Levi does not inherit, nor does it receive a lot as the other tribes do. This lot of being without property is the cause for the priests to share with the altar. The people gave tithes to the Levites, and the Levites to the priests. Shall we not bring forth water for you from this rock? Moses, not having glorified God before the people, was prevented from passing over with him. For so that they might not honor him whom they honored while alive with the services of God after his departure, he made the place invisible, a tomb.

Now this assembly will lick up all our quails. This example was taken: just as the calf has the green plants in its mouth, so also the holy people, campaigning with their lips, have weapons in their mouths through prayers. And knowing this, Balak, since it happened clearly in the earlier wars, wishes himself also to campaign with the weapons of the lips; and he calls Balaam, who has the weapons of the opposing power in his lips—the curses. For the holy angels cooperate with the righteous for saving and good works, and the evil demons cooperate with impious sinful men for the wicked and harmful works that hinder the salvation of men. For the holy campaign with words of prayers, but the impious and sinful with words of sorceries.

Of the same author. And the history, as perceived through the senses, is filled with great benefit. From the present history we learn many things, and that it is possible to campaign with words, and that great matters are managed and accomplished through words. And the holy ones campaign with words of prayer, while the impious do so with words of sorcery.

Of the same author. The opposing power never performs a good work, but always brings about the worst things; and whatever evil it may set in motion, it cannot restore to a better state, for it does not possess the order of the better. But for the better power, all things are possible. For our God causes pain, and again restores; but to work evil He does not have, for He is good not only by habit, but also by essence.

Of the same author. Among human affairs there are also some oracles that have been consecrated, and sacrifices, and certain gifts offered to the demons, so that through these things, when they are accepted, those who wish may receive oracles. But each thing is an oracle. For it is not a true prediction.

And Cyrus came to him. In truth, a divine power came to Balaam, not summoned by him. It came, then, to effect an averting of the demons called by Balaam, and to administer the divine prophecies.

And the angel of God stood up to oppose him on the road. The angel opposing Balaam on the road—is this not the one concerning whom God said to Moses, "My angel goes before you, guarding you on the way"?

Travel with these men. God did not permit Balaam to go to Balak; but since he wished to go, he allows it. He commands him to say only the things that are revealed. And the angel, having appeared and frightened him, confirms this. Build me seven altars. There are also works performed through another body, both among the better and among the worse. For example, the things done in Egypt by Moses and Aaron and the magicians. But when the divine power is compared with the opposing power face to face before those who are in doubt, this divine power prevails, just as the rod of Moses swallowed the rods of the magicians.

Of the same author. Balaam was accustomed to summon the demons by serving them with the same sacrifices. For such sacrifices were performed in the world to the demons. For this reason, therefore, God demands sacrifices from the first people, so that by being offered to God, the offering to demons might be abolished, even though they were symbols.

The same author. Therefore the Savior, having become incarnate, sent his disciples to untie the donkey, that is, from the bonds with which the opposing power, the noetic Balaam, had bound it; and having untied it, they led it to Jesus, and placed upon the donkey the garments, that is, the virtues of the Gospel; and the Savior, having mounted it, entered into the holy city.

And Balak took Balaam to the summit of Peor. Balak supposed that Balaam's art was measured by the places. Therefore he took him to the summit of Peor, thinking that the magician would be able to curse the people of God from there, Balaam. Now Peor is interpreted as "seasoning" or "skin of the mouth," that is, the extremity of pleasure-seeking and the deadness of reason. From these Balaam attempted to curse the people of God.

The same author. There are two peaks, that is, the utmost heights of virtue and of vice. And Moses has ascended to the summit of virtue, while Balaam has ascended to the summit of vice.

He did not go according to his custom to meet the birds. This Balaam is a symbol of the people from the nations who formerly followed the birds, but having learned that it is insatiable to the Lord, he did not add to it. Moreover, he is interpreted as "vain." The people, and the son of Beor is interpreted as "leathern." The "vain" was according to the former state of the nations, and Beor was in vanity and in deadness according to the former state, evidently.

A man who truly sees. I, who was once Balaam, the vain people, having opened the inner eyes of my mind and seen at one time the spiritual Israel and the economy concerning him, am deemed worthy of the Holy Spirit. The words, "The man who truly sees says," and what follows, do not suit the former Balaam, but they suit the present Balaam. How beautiful are your houses, Jacob, your tents, Israel. The name Jacob is not of the inhabitant, but of the house; the name Israel is of the inhabitant; for Jacob is of the bodily thing.

Like shadowy glens. The glens are intelligible, casting shade upon that in which rational fruits and the luxuriant growth of practical virtue are found. Gardens by a river are intelligible, a place in which rational plants are watered, either by the contemplation of events or by the contemplation of the Holy Trinity.

The same. Those dwelling in tents are among those journeying, and there is outside this world a great road and many tents. Those dwelling within are not among those journeying, but among those standing still.

Like cedars by waters. Cedars are intelligible, growing by waters, rational souls watered by the knowledge of truth.

And he will rule over many nations. A master is one who commands with authority, a slave is one who obeys in a servile manner. A master is one who is purchased by his own labors and, having been formed in lordship, is free from passion. A slave is one who is subject to passion and in need of a superior, and who requires the oversight of his own master. There are many masters, but blessed are those who have our Lord Jesus Christ as master.

And the kingdom of Gog will be exalted. The kingdom of Gog is interpreted as "gifts." According to one interpretation, the gifts are the gifts of the Holy Spirit; according to another, "Let him who is on the roof not go down into his house." Therefore, it is a kingdom of such a disposition.

God led him out of Egypt. Both the Savior, according to the verse, "I called my son out of Egypt," and Israel. He casts out the one, and calls the other.

Of the same author. The oracle that the Lord would come into Egypt indicated the journey of our Savior Jesus Christ that would take place together with his parents. And this world is compared to Egypt.

As the glory of a unicorn is to him. A unicorn is mystically Christ according to the accidental property; from which there are many unicorns. For from one Jesus Christ many have partaken to be christs. Some say also that the deer is a unicorn.

He will eat the nations of his enemies. Concerning Christ: we ourselves were once nations of his enemies. Christ, then, eats us, the essential virtue distributing itself to us, as he says: "My food is to do the will of him who sent me.

And he will suck out their marrow. Then, he says, when he transforms the fleshly state into a spiritual one through practical action.

Those who bless you are blessed. Two persons are indicated in these matters: they are of the faithful and the unfaithful in relation to Christ. And a little later: In these things, then, both the undertaking of those opposing Israel has been overturned, and the evil craft of magic.

And the people were induced to commit fornication. The intention for the Hebrews to commit fornication and to worship Beelphegor was that of the seer. Hence Moses says: "These things were for the sons of Israel, according to the word of Balaam, to cause them to forsake and disregard the word of the Lord for the sake of Beelphegor.

And the side toward Aiba will be yours. From the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates he promised to Abraham. Why then did he not give it to them? For the Numbers indicate a lesser grant. But I think he would have given it, if, according to the one receiving the promises, they had been faithful. And this is reasonable. For often, having threatened evils, he did not carry them out, for they repented, as in the case of the Ninevites.

Only from the people of their father will the women be. So God commands that, except for the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Levi, there be no intermarriage from tribe to tribe, so that the one coming from above, "King and priest according to the order of Melchizedek," may not be shown to be foreign to the Savior. Nothing except for the manna our eyes. "Man" was named from the fact that the Hebrews, seeing a strange sight for the first time, said to each other in their native tongue, "Man," that is, "What is this?" which they would not have said if, as some of the Gentiles claim, the nature of the places had produced such things from eternity. And now, for the sake of memory, a little descends. And they added no more. "To prophesy" is missing. No longer, he says, did they prophesy. For they prophesy only once, so that they may not be made equal to Moses; but so that it be known that they have partaken, and all together they prophesy. For the Spirit is one in Christ, and the activity is one through all. And the people did not depart until Moroam was walled up. And the tent remained for seven days on the place in honor of Mary, so that she, being such, might not follow. Send for yourself men, and so forth. He commands that some be sent, showing that they are approaching Palestine. Having presented what is more ready for the Hebrews in Egypt, and having refuted the disbelief, he assigns the desert as a tomb to those whose mind remained hard; for the death of the impious is preferable to the error in life. And Moses renamed Auses, son of Nun, Joshua.

It should be noted that the son of Nun became a type of Christ, who, having freed the most pitiable people wandering, led them up into heaven—not into a land that devours its inhabitants. "Shall they not see the land which I swore to their fathers?" It must be observed that some of those who came out of the land of Egypt entered the land of promise; for God did not forbid this. But He destroyed only those twenty years old and above who came out of the land of Egypt and made the calf, in the wilderness, sparing the kindred of their youth, those whose time of life was not yet twenty years, and much more the infants and children up to the age of adolescence. 33 Num. ii, 6. 34 ibid. 25. 35 Num. x, 15. 36 Num. xiii, 3. 37 ibid. 17. 38 Num. xiv, 25. Of the same author. This is a type of the truth: "For if you do not turn and become as children, you will not enter the kingdom." "Take up the bronze fire-pans." Just as the bronze serpent was a sign of their faithlessness, so also the fire-pans of those around Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were a covering for the altar. "And to the sons of Levi, behold, I have given every tithe in Israel." Rightly the first-fruits are assigned to the priests, since the tribe of Levi does not inherit, nor does it receive a lot as the others do. This lot, of sharing with the altar, is the cause of poverty for the priests. The people gave tithes to the Levites, and the Levites to the priests. "Shall we not bring forth water for you from this rock?" Moses, not having glorified God before the people, was prevented from passing on with him.

For so that they might not honor him while alive, whom they honored in the services of God after his departure, he made the place invisible, that is, the tomb. Now this synagogue will lick up all those around us. He took this example: just as the calf has the green plants in its mouth, so also the holy people, campaigning with their lips, have their weapons in their mouths through prayers. And knowing this, Balak, seeing it clearly happening in the earlier wars, wishes himself also to campaign with the weapons of the lips; and he calls Balaam, who has the weapons of the opposing power in his lips—the curses. For the holy angels assist the righteous in works of salvation and good deeds, and the evil demons assist impious sinful men in wicked and harmful works that hinder the salvation of men. For the holy campaign with words of prayers, but the impious and sinful with words of sorceries. Of the same. And the historical narrative, according to the perception of events, is filled with great benefit. From the present narrative we learn many things, and that it is possible to campaign with words, and that great matters are managed and accomplished through words; and the holy campaign with words of prayers, but the impious with words of sorceries. Of the same. The opposing power never does a good work, but always effects the worst things; and whatever evil it will effect, it cannot restore to the better, for it does not have the order of the better. But for the better power, all things are possible. For our God causes pain, and again restores, but to effect evil he does not have.

For he is good not only in habit but also in essence. The same author. Among human affairs there are also some oracles that have been consecrated, and sacrifices, and certain gifts offered to the demons, so that through these, when they are accepted, those who wish may receive oracles. But each thing is an oracle. For it is not a true prophecy. And Cyrus came to him. In truth, a divine power came to Balaam, not summoned by him. It came, then, to make an averting of the demons summoned by Balaam and to administer the divine prophecies. And the angel of God arose to intercept him on the road. The angel intercepting Balaam on the road—is this not the one concerning whom God said to Moses, "My angel goes before you, guarding you on the road"? Travel together with these men. God did not permit Balaam to go to Balak; but since he wished to go, he allows it. And he commands him to say only the things that are revealed; and the angel, appearing and frightening him, confirms this. Build me seven altars. There are also works performed through another body, both in better and in worse things. For example, the things done in Egypt by Moses and Aaron and the enchanters. But when the divine power is compared with the opposing power face to face before those who are in doubt, this divine power prevails.

as the rod of Moses swallowed the rods of the enchanters. The same author. Balaam was accustomed to summon the demons by serving them with the same sacrifices. For such sacrifices were performed in the world to the demons. Therefore God demands sacrifices from the first people, so that by offering to God, the offering to the demons might be abolished, even though they were symbols. The same author. So the Savior, having become man, sent his disciples to untie the donkey, that is, from the bonds with which the opposing power, the spiritual Balaam, had bound it; and having untied it, they led it to Jesus, and placed on the donkey the garments, that is, the virtues of the Gospel; and the Savior, mounting it, entered the holy city. And Balak took Balaam to the peak of Phogor. Balak supposed that Balaam's art was measured in those places. Therefore he took him to the peak of Phogor, thinking that the magician could curse the people of God from there, Balaam. Phogor is interpreted as "seasoning" or "skin of the mouth," that is, the extremity of pleasure-seeking and deadness of speech. From these Balaam attempted to curse the people of God. The same author. There are two peaks, that is, the extreme of virtue and of vice; and Moses ascended to the peak of virtue, while Balaam ascended to the peak of vice. He did not go as was his custom to meet the omens. This Balaam is a symbol of the people from the nations who formerly followed omens, but having learned that it is insatiable to the Lord, he did not continue.

But also "Balaam" is interpreted as "vain people." The son of Beor is interpreted as "leathery." The "vain" was according to the former of the nations, and Beor of vanity and deadness according to the former, evidently. "The man who truly sees." I, the former Balaam, the vain people, having opened my inner eyes of the mind and seen the spiritual Israel at some time and the economy according to it, am deemed worthy of the Holy Spirit. The saying, "The man who truly sees," and the following, does not suit the former Balaam, but suits the present Balaam. "How beautiful are your houses, Jacob; your tents, Israel." The name Jacob is not of the dweller, but of the house; the name Israel is of the dweller; for "Jacob" belongs to the bodily thing. "Like shady glens." There are spiritual glens shading that in which are rational fruits and thickets of practical virtue. "Gardens by a river" are spiritual, a place where rational plants are planted, watered either by the contemplation of events or by the contemplation of the Holy Trinity. The same author. Those dwelling in tents are of those journeying, and there is outside this world a great road and many tents. The dwellers are not of those journeying, but of those standing still. "Like cedars by waters." There are spiritual cedars growing by waters, rational souls watered by the knowledge of truth. "And he will rule over many nations.

The Lord is the one who commands authoritatively, the slave is the one who obeys slavishly. The Lord is the one who is purchased by his own labors and, having been formed in lordship, is free from passion. The slave is the one who is subject to passion and in need of something better, and who requires the oversight of his own master. There are many lords, but blessed are those who have our Lord Jesus Christ as lord. And the kingdom of Gog will be exalted. The kingdom of Gog is interpreted as "gifts." According to one interpretation, gifts are the gifts of the Holy Spirit; according to another, "Let the one on the roof not go down into his house." So it is a kingdom of such a disposition. God led him out of Egypt. Both the Savior, according to "I called my son out of Egypt," and Israel. He casts out one, and calls the other. By the same author. The oracle, that the Lord would come into Egypt, indicated the journey of our Savior Jesus Christ that would take place together with his parents. Egypt is also compared to this world. As the glory of a unicorn to him. A unicorn is conceptually Christ according to the attribute; from which there are many unicorns. For from one Jesus Christ many have partaken in being christs. Some say that the deer is also a unicorn. He will devour the nations of his enemies. Concerning Christ: we were once the nations of his enemies. So Christ devours us, the essential virtue grazing on us, as it says.

My food is to do the will of the one who sent me. And it will suck out their marrow. Then, he says, when it transforms the fleshly state into a spiritual one through practical action. Those who bless you are blessed. This signifies two persons: those of the faithful and the unfaithful in relation to Christ. And a little later: In these things, then, both the attempt of those opposing Israel and the evil craft of magic have been overturned. And the people were debased to commit fornication. The intention of the Hebrews to commit fornication and worship Beelphegor was that of the seer. Hence Moses says: 'These were for the sons of Israel, according to the word of Balaam, to cause them to abandon and disregard the word of the Lord for the sake of Beelphegor.' And the side toward Aiba will be yours. From the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates he promised to Abraham. Why, then, did he not give it to them? For the Numbers indicate a lesser gift. But I think he would have given it, if they had been faithful according to the one who received the promises. And this is reasonable. For often, having threatened evils, he did not carry them out, for they repented, as in the case of the Ninevites. Nevertheless, women will be from the tribe of their father. So God commands that, except for the tribe of Judah and Levi, it is not permitted to intermarry from tribe to tribe, so that it may not be shown that the one coming from above, 'King and priest according to the order of Melchizedek,' is a stranger.