Numbers 16:31-35 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 16:23-34

We have here the determining of the controversy with Dathan and Abiram, who rebelled against Moses, as in the next paragraph the determining of the controversy with Korah and his company, who would be rivals with Aaron. It should seem that Dathan and Abiram had set up a spacious tabernacle in the midst of the tents of their families, where they kept court, met in council, and hung out their flag of defiance against Moses; it is here called the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Num.... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 16:35-40

We must now look back to the door of the tabernacle, where we left the pretenders to the priesthood with their censers in their hands ready to offer incense; and here we find, I. Vengeance taken on them, Num. 16:35. It is probable that when the earth opened in the camp to swallow up Dathan and Abiram a fire went out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men that offered incense, while Aaron that stood with them was preserved alive. This punishment was not indeed so new a thing as the former, for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:31

And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these things ,.... As soon as he had finished his discourse, which was addressed to the congregation, and, according to Josephus F21 Antiqu. l. 4. c. 3. Sect. 2. , after a long prayer to God, which that writer gives at large; immediately so it was: that the ground clave asunder that was under them ; on which they stood, not from any natural cause, as by subterranean volcano, forcibly making their way and bursting the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:32

And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up ,.... Dathan and Abiram, their wives, sons, and little ones, that stood at the door of their tents with them, and all their goods, as follows: the earth, as if it was a living creature or a beast of prey, opened its mouth and swallowed them up, as such a creature does its prey: and their houses ; which may be meant both of their families or households, and of the tents they dwelt in, which were their houses; see Deuteronomy 1:6 , ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:33

They, and all that appertained unto them, went down alive into the pit ,.... The grave which the opening earth made for them, they and their families: and the earth closed upon them ; and covered them over; this it did of itself, as Aben Ezra remarks: this was a wonderful instance of almighty power, that it should open in such large fissures as to swallow up such a number of men, with their tents, goods, and cattle, and then close again so firmly, as not to have the least appearance... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:34

And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them ,.... Or because of it, as Aben Ezra; their cry was so loud, their shrieks so dreadful and piercing, that the Israelites about them fled to get out of the sound of them, as well as for their own safety. The Targum of Jonathan not only represents their cry as terrible, but gives the words they expressed at it;"and all Israel that were round about them fled, because of the terror of their voice, when they cried and said, the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:35

And there came out a fire from the Lord ,.... Flashes of lightning from the cloud in which he was: and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense ; not that it reduced them to ashes, but took away their lives, struck them dead at once, in like manner as Nadab and Abihu were, who though said to be devoured by the fire, yet their bodies remained, Leviticus 10:2 ; and is often the case of persons killed by lightning; though Josephus F1 Antiq. l. 4. c. 3. sect. 4. ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 16:33

They, and all that appertained to them - Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and all that appertained to their respective families, went down into the pit caused by this supernatural earthquake; while the fire from the Lord consumed the 250 men that bare censers. Thus there were two distinct punishments, the pit and the fire, for the two divisions of these rebels. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 16:34

Verse 34 34.And all Israel that were round about them. We must suppose that the people were standing around, expecting at a distance the event that was to take place; for they had previously retired from the tents, in token of their separation (from this wicked company.) (100) That they should now fly in confusion, lest the same destruction should overwhelm themselves, is a sign of their bad conscience, which is always troubled in itself, and agitates the wicked with sore inquietude. It is... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 16:35

Verse 35 35.And there came out a fire from the Lord. The diver-sky of the punishments had the effect of awakening more astonishment in the people, than as if all had been destroyed in the same manner, although God’s anger raged more fiercely against the original authors of the evil, so as to make it manifest that each received a recompense according to the measure of his iniquity. He says that a fire went forth from Jehovah, because it was not kindled naturally, nor accidentally, but was... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 16:23-34

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 16:35-40

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:31

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:32

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:33

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:34

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:35

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 16:33

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 16:34

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 16:35

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