Note [édition originale] : Karûn
was of the people of Moses;] The commentators say,
Karûn was the son of
Yeshar (or
Izhar), the
uncle of
Moses, and, consequently, make him the same with the
Korah of the
scriptures. This person is represented by them as the most beautiful of the
Israelites, and so far surpassing them all in opulency that the riches of
Karûn have become a proverb. The
Mohammedans are indebted to the
Jews for
this last circumstance, to which they have added several other fables; for
they tell us that he built a large palace overlaid with gold, the doors
whereof were of massy gold; that he became so insolent because of his immense
riches, as to raise a sedition against
Moses, tho’ some pretend the occasion
of his rebellion to have been his unwillingness to give alms, as
Moses had
commanded; that one day, when that prophet was preaching to the people, and,
among other laws which he published, declared that adulterers should be
stoned,
Karûn asked him what if he should be found guilty of the same crime?
To which
Moses answered, that in such case he would suffer the same
punishment; and thereupon
Karûn produced a harlot, whom he had hired to swear
that
Moses had lain with her, and charged him publickly with it; but on
Moses
adjuring the woman to speak the truth, her resolution failed her, and she
confessed that she was suborned by
Karûn to accuse him wrongfully; that then
God directed
Moses, who had complained to him of this usage, to command the
earth what he pleased, and it should obey him; whereupon he said, O earth
swallow them up! and that immediately the earth opened under
Karûn and his
confederates, and swallowed them up, with his palace and all his riches
1.
There goes a tradition, that as
Karûn sank gradually into the ground, first to
his knees, then to his waist, then to his neck, he cried out four several
times,
O Moses,
have mercy on me! but that
Moses continued to say,
O earth,
swallow them up, till at last he wholly disappeared; upon which
God said to
Moses, Thou hast no mercy on Karûn,
tho’ he asked pardon of thee four times;
but I would have had compassion on him if he had asked pardon of me but once
2.
-
1
Abu’lfeda, Jallalo’ddin, Al Beidawi, &c.
-
2
Al Beidawi. V. D’Herbel. Bibl. Orient. Art. Carun.