And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
Ver. 4. Aram begat Aminadab, and Aminadab begat Naasson] Who was hung up in the wilderness, among the rest of their rulers, for folly committed with the mistresses of Moab. Neither escaped the common sort scot-free, for they fell in one day "three and twenty thousand," saith St Paul, 1 Corinthians 10:8; "Four and twenty thousand," saith Moses: whereof a thousand were the chief princes, the other were inferiors provoked to sin by their example. But why doth the apostle insist in the special punishment of the people? To show, saith learned Junius, how rigid and slender their defence is, how short their covering, who plead and pretend for their sins the example of their superiors.
And Naasson begat Salmon] Called, 1 Chronicles 2:11, Salmah. There was also a mount of this name (as touching the sound, though with difference of one letter in the original) whither Abimelech and his host resorted, Judges 9:48; and whereof the Psalmist speaketh: "When the Almighty scattered kings, they shall be white as snow in Salmon." Now the story is told of Andronicus, the old Emperor of Constantinople, that all things going cross with him, he took a Psalter into his hand to resolve his doubtful mind; and opening the same, as if it were of that heavenly oracle to ask counsel, he lighted upon this verse, and was thereby comforted and directed what to do for his greatest safety. To be "white as snow in Salmon" Psa 68:14 is to have joy in affliction, light in darkness. "Salmon" signifieth shady and dark: so this mount was with dens and glimness but made lightsome by snow. Hoc autem obiter But this in way of passing.