- a ruler hath sinned:
- Under the term nasi, that is, one preferred or elevated above others, from nasa, to exalt, it is probable that any person is meant who held any kind of political dignity among the people; and it evidently means the head of a tribe as in "And with¹ you there shall be¹ a manª of everyª tribe;ª every oneª headª of the houseª of his fathers.ª" {Num 1:4} + "These¹ [were]² the renownedª° of the congregation,ª princesª of the tribesª of their fathers,ª headsª of thousandsª in² Israel.ª" {Num 1:16} + "That the princesª of Israel,ª headsª of the houseª of their fathers,ª who¹ [were] the princesª of the tribes,ª and were overª° them¹ that were numbered,ª°¹ offered:ª°" {Num 7:2}. But the Rabbins generally understand it of the prince of the great sanhedrin, who, when they were under the regal form of government, was the king. A kid of the goats was the sacrifice in this case; and the rites were nearly the same as in the preceding, only the fat was burnt as that of the peace offering ("And he shall burnª° all¹ his fatª upon the altar,ª as the fatª of the sacrificeª of peace offerings:ª and the priestª shall make an atonementª° for¹ him as concerning his sin,ª¹ and it shall be forgivenª° him." {Lev 4:26}). "Moreover thou¹ shalt provideª° out of all¹¹ the peopleª ableª men,²¹ such as fearª God,ª men²¹ of truth,ª hatingª° covetousness;ª and placeª° [such] over¹ them, [to be] rulersª of thousands,ª [and] rulersª of hundreds,ª rulersª of fifties,ª and rulersª of tens:ª" {Exd 18:21} + "And they rose upª° beforeª Moses,ª with certain²¹ of the childrenª¹ of Israel,ª two hundredª and fiftyª princesª of the assembly,ª famousª in the congregation,ª men²¹ of renown:ª" {Num 16:2} + "Then there was¹ a famineª in the daysª of Davidª threeª years,ª yearª afterª year;ª and Davidª enquiredª°¹ of² the LORD.ª And the LORDª answered,ª° [It is] for¹ Saul,ª and for¹ [his] bloodyª house,ª because¹¹ he slewª°¹ the Gibeonites.ª ... Wherefore Davidª saidª° unto¹ the Gibeonites,ª What¹ shall I doª° for you? and wherewith¹ shall I make the atonement,ª° that ye may blessª°¹ the inheritanceª of the LORD?ª" {2Sm 21:1-3} + "And David'sª heartª smoteª° him afterª that¹ he had numberedª°¹ the people.ª And Davidª saidª° unto¹ the LORD,ª I have sinnedª° greatlyª in that¹ I have done:ª° and now,¹ I beseech thee,¹ O LORD,ª take awayª°¹ the iniquityª of thy servant;ª for¹ I have done veryª foolishly.ª° ... And Davidª spakeª° unto¹ the LORDª when he sawª°¹ the angelª that smoteª° the people,ª and said,ª° Lo,¹ I¹ have sinned,ª° and I¹ have done wickedly:ª° but these¹ sheep,ª what¹ have they done?ª° let thine hand,ª I pray thee,¹ be¹ against me, and against my father'sª house.ª" {2Sm 24:10-17}
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