Levites taken from the midst for the firstborns
But let us hear what the divine word says to Moses: Behold, I have taken the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel in place of every firstborn who opens the womb; they shall be mine — for every firstborn is mine. Levi is Leah’s third-born, yet those who are not firstborn by nature are taken into the firstborns’ place. With God the firstborns are not those who lead by bodily birth, but those whose open heart-purpose receives the grace of the firstborn portion. What is “from the midst”? The Shunammite answers, I dwell in the midst of my people. And more magnificently John says of the Savior, There stands one in your midst whom you do not know. Christ is said to stand in the middle; his imitator is said to dwell in the middle — for no one is clean from filth. Levites “from the midst” are those who have not known their own right and left, but follow the law of God. Better to be taken than merely to be born first. Stand fixed in the middle; do not lean into sin — and you will be taken from the midst into the number of the firstborns. So much for the word: I will take the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel.
Latin
Sed audiamus quid sermo divinus loquatur ad Moysen: Ecce ego assumpsi Levitas de medio filiorum Israel pro omni primogenito qui adaperit vulvam; redemptiones eorum erunt, et erunt mihi Levitae. Meum est enim omne primogenitum. Levi tertius nascitur ex Lia, et assumuntur in primogenitos qui natura non sunt. Apud Deum non illi primogeniti habentur qui corporea nativitate praecedunt, sed quos propositum cordis Deo patens primitivatus gratia suscepit. Quid est de medio? Sunamitis: in medio populi mei ego habito. Et Iohannes de Salvatore: medius vestrum stat quem vos nescitis. Christus stare in medio dicitur; imitator habitare in medio — nemo enim mundus a sorde. Levitae de medio: qui non cognoverunt dextram et sinistram sed legem Dei sequuntur. Melius est assumi quam primogenitum nasci. Sta medius fixus, non inclineris peccato, et assumeris de medio in primitivorum numerum. Haec pro eo quod scriptum est: et assumam Levitas de medio filiorum Israel.
About this text
Origen’s Homilia II on Numbers (Rufinus’s Latin). Complete on this page: §§1–4.
English follows Baehrens, Origenes Werke VII (GCS 30, 1921), Rufinus’s Latin of Homilia II. Scheck FOTC was not used as wording. This page is Homilia II §§1–4 (closeout).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Baehrens, Origenes Werke VII = GCS 30 (1921) (Latin · Homilia II §§1–4)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.