The sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. About three thousand men fell of the people that day.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 28. About, and so forth The Hebrew letter c means about, and stands also for twenty. All the versions, and some copies of the Vulg. retain the first signification; but our edition gives also the second. Sixtus V. and the Louvain Bible have about 33,000. Bible.—Saint Paul (1 Corinthians 10:7, 8,) mentions, that three and twenty thousand perished, in punishment of their fornication (with the Moabites), which some explain of the adoration of the calf, and say that Moses only specifies those slain by the Levites; while Saint Paul gives the number of all those who perished by the hand of God on this occasion, verse 35. Calmet.—S. Cyril, Alex. glap. 2, Sulpit. and many other fathers, agree with the Vulgate. The fornication with the Moabites, was followed by the death of 24,000. Numbers 25:9. So that Saint Paul cannot refer to it, unless he only mention those who perished in one day; and Moses expresses the total amount of the slain during the whole affair. Bible.