Numbers 16:41-50

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 16:41-50

Here is, I. A new rebellion raised the very next day against Moses and Aaron. Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and wonder, O earth! Was there ever such an instance of the incurable corruption of sinners? On the morrow (Num. 16:41) the body of the people mutinied. 1. Though they were so lately terrified by the sight of the punishment of the rebels. The shrieks of those sinking sinners, those sinners against their own souls, were yet sounding in their ears, the smell of the fire yet remained,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:41

But on the morrow ,.... The day following the dreadful catastrophe, the earth swallowing up Dathan and Abiram, and all that belonged to them, the burning of Korah and the two hundred fifty men of his company: all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses , and against Aaron ; not the princes and heads of the people only, but the whole body of them; though the above persons that murmured against them had but the day before been made such dreadful examples of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:42

And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron ,.... To kill them, as the Targum of Jonathan adds; who, perhaps, upon uttering their murmurs, made up to them, and by their gestures showed an intention to murder them: that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation ; either the people did, to see whether they could observe any appearance of the displeasure of God against them; or rather Moses and Aaron looked that way for help and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:43

And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation. Whose tent was not far from it, about which the people of Israel were gathered; and from whence they came to the tabernacle, both for shelter and safety, and for advice and instruction how to behave in this crisis; they did not go into it, but stood before it; the Lord being in the cloud over it, they stood in the door of it, Numbers 16:50 ; so the Targum of Jonathan,"and Moses and Aaron came from the congregation to the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:44

And the Lord spake unto Moses ,.... Out of the cloud: saying ; as follows. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:45

Get you up from among this congregation ,.... That is, withdraw from them, and be separate, that they might not be involved in the same destruction with them, as well as that they might have no concern for them, or plead with the Lord in prayer on their account, but let him alone to destroy them, as follows: that I may consume them in a moment ; as he was able to do, and had proposed to do it before, but they entreated him that he would not, Numbers 16:21 ; as they again do: and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:46

And Moses said unto Aaron, take a censer ,.... Which lay in the tabernacle: and put fire therein from off the altar ; the altar of burnt offering, from whence fire only was to be taken for burning incense; and lest Aaron in his hurry should forget to take it from thence, but elsewhere, and offer strange fire as his sons had done, Moses expresses the place from whence he should take it: and put on incense : upon the fire, in the censer, which he was to do when he came into the camp,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:47

And Aaron took as Moses commanded ,.... A censer with fire in it from the altar, and also incense: and ran into the midst of the congregation : though a man in years and in so high an office, and had been so ill used by the people; yet was not only so ready to obey the divine command, but so eager to serve this ungrateful people, and save them from utter destruction, that he ran from the tabernacle into the midst of them: and, behold, the plague was begun among the people ; he saw... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:48

And he stood between the dead and the living ,.... The plague beginning at one end of the camp, and so proceeded on, Aaron placed himself between that part of it wherein it had made havoc, and that wherein yet it was not come; the Targum of Jonathan is,"he stood in prayer in the middle, and made a partition, with his censer, between the dead and living;'in this he was a type of Christ, the Mediator between God and man, the living God and dead sinners; for though his atonement and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 16:49

Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred ,.... 14,700. Thus what they were threatened with, that their carcasses should fall in the wilderness, Numbers 14:29 , was more and more fulfilled: beside them that died about the matter of Korah ; these are not taken into the number here, even the two hundred fifty men of Korah's company, and the families of Dathan and Abiram, Numbers 16:32 ; how many they were is not certain, but they were but few in... read more

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