Números 16

Números 16

Morris on sheol - sheol is the equivalent of hades (commonly translated "hell") in the New Testament, so that this event was no ordinary earthquake but was indeed a "new thing." Korah and his followers descended quick ("alive"), deep into the great cavity at the center of the earth where the spirits of the lost--both men and angels--are now confined (Ps 55:15). NET NOTE on sheol - The word “Sheol” in the Bible can be used four different ways: the grave, the realm of the departed [wicked] spirits or Hell, death in general, or a place of extreme danger (one that will lead to the grave if God does not intervene). The usage here is certainly the first, and very likely the second as well. Then you will understand that these men have spurned the LORD - NLT = "then you will know that these men have despised the LORD." Spurn (despise, reject, blaspheme) (05006) naas means to revile, to scorn, to reject, despise, abhor (hate extremely or with contempt), spurn, treat with contempt, revile. God tells Moses His people "spurn" Him (Nu 14:11) and that those who "spurned" Him would not enter the promised land (Nu 14:23) The rebellion of Korah and those with him in effect "spurned the LORD" (Nu 16:30) by challenging Moses' divinely appointed role as leader (Nu 16:1-3). God prophesied that His people would "spurn" Him by turning to other gods and serving them and thus breaking His (Mosaic) covenant (Dt 31:20). Israel made Jehovah jealous with strange gods, provoking Him to anger (even sacrificing to demons!) and thus Jehovah "spurned them because of the provocation." (Dt 32:19, context Dt 32:16-18) The sons of Eli were worthless men who did not know Jehovah and as a result "despised the offering of the LORD." (1Sa 2:17). Naas is used in the Psalms of a greedy man who "spurns Jehovah" (Ps 10:3), the wicked who "spurned God" (Ps 10:13), "the enemy" who spurned His Name (Ps 74:10), foolish people who "spurned" His Name (Ps 74:18) and His people who "spurned the counsel of the Most High." (Ps 107:11). Israel was disciplined because they "despised the word of the Holy One of Israel" (Isa. 5:24, cp Isa 1:4 "despised the Holy One of Israel"). Webster says spurn is from a root meaning to kick and means literally to kick; to drive back or away as with one's foot. To reject with disdain; to scorn to receive or accept. To treat with contempt. To manifest disdain in rejecting any thing; as to spurn at the gracious offers of pardon.To make contemptuous opposition; to manifest disdain in resistance. Related Resources: What is the difference between Sheol, Hades, Hell, the lake of fire, Paradise, and Abraham’s bosom? | GotQuestions.org What do Jews believe about the afterlife? | GotQuestions.org Do Jews believe in hell? | GotQuestions.org What is Abraham’s bosom? | GotQuestions.org Where is hell? What is the location of hell? | GotQuestions.org Did God create hell? | GotQuestions.org Where did Old Testament believers/saints go when they died? | GotQuestions.org Numbers 16:31 As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; BGT Numbers 16:31 ὡς δὲ ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἐρράγη ἡ γῆ ὑποκάτω αὐτῶν NET Numbers 16:31 When he had finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open, NLT Numbers 16:31 He had hardly finished speaking the words when the ground suddenly split open beneath them. ESV Numbers 16:31 And as soon as he had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart. NIV Numbers 16:31 As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart KJV Numbers 16:31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: YLT Numbers 16:31 And it cometh to pass at his finishing speaking all these words, that the ground which is under them cleaveth, LXE Numbers 16:31 And when he ceased speaking all these words, the ground clave asunder beneath them. ASV Numbers 16:31 And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them; Nu 26:10,11 27:3 De 11:6 Ps 106:17,18 Numbers 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Deuteronomy 11:6 and what He did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, among all Israel– MOSES STOPS. GOD ACTS! As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open - God now took over and spoke not with words but with one of the most dramatic events in the Bible! These verses have to be some of the most frightening passages in the Bible regarding the hand of divine judgment on rebellious sinners. This is surely but a faint foreshadowing of the horrors which will befall all who reject Messiah's gracious offer of salvation. See eternal punishment. Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them. -- Ecclesiastes 9:12 Bush - The response to the awful appeal of Moses was speedily made. He had scarce done speaking ere the earth opened, as it were, its ponderous jaws, and the guilty band with all their households and effects were precipitated into the yawning abyss. As we have already seen, the fate of Korah himself is by the narrative left doubtful. Bishop Hall - “So soon as the innocent are severed, the guilty perish; the earth cleaves and swallows up the rebels. This element was not used to such morsels. It devours the carcases of men; but bodies informed with living souls, never before. To have seen them struck dead upon the earth had been fearful; but to see the earth at once their executioner and grave, was more horrible.” Norman Geisler (When Critics Ask) - NUMBERS 16:31—Was Korah swallowed by the earth or burned? PROBLEM: In verses 31–32 it says the earth opened and swallowed Korah and his 250 rebellious associates. Yet verse 35 asserts that fire came from God and consumed Korah and his associates. SOLUTION: Some scholars have suggested that Korah was burned along with the 250 other rebels. However, no verse actually affirms this and other verses seem to deny it (noted below). It seems better to understand it as follows: Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (v. 27) were swallowed by the earth, while at the same time (cf. Nu 26:10) a fire from God consumed the 250 other rebels who offered incense in the tabernacle (cf. Ps. 106:17–18). Numbers 16:32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. BGT Numbers 16:32 καὶ ἠνοίχθη ἡ γῆ καὶ κατέπιεν αὐτοὺς καὶ τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς ὄντας μετὰ Κορε καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν NET Numbers 16:32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with their households, and all Korah's men, and all their goods. NLT Numbers 16:32 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned. ESV Numbers 16:32 And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. NIV Numbers 16:32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, with their households and all Korah's men and all their possessions. KJV Numbers 16:32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. YLT Numbers 16:32 and the earth openeth her mouth, and swalloweth them, and their houses, and all the men who are for Korah, and all the goods, LXE Numbers 16:32 And the ground opened, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that were with Core, and their cattle. ASV Numbers 16:32 and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. the earth: Nu 16:30 Ge 4:11 Isa 5:14 Rev 12:16 all the: Nu 16:17 26:11 27:3 1Ch 6:22,37 Ps 84:1 85:1 88:1 Numbers 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Numbers 26:9-11 The sons of Eliab: Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram who were called by the congregation, who contended against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD, 10 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up along with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured 250 men, so that they became a warning. 11 The sons of Korah, however, did not die. God Opened the Grave! And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households - One is reminded of the 10 spies who had declared of the promised land it was "a land that devours its inhabitants." (Nu 13:32+) A man who hardens his neck after much reproof Will suddenly be broken beyond remedy. -- Proverbs 29:1 and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions - This does not include the children of Korah. From Nu 26:11+ we learn "The sons of Korah, however, did not die." One can only presume that they did not take part in their father's sin. But what about Dathan's family? I am not sure. All I can say is God is just, holy, righteous and true in His judgments of sinful men (that is all of us beloved)! We can learn from Dathan’s sin that the Lord requires more from those to whom more has been given (Luke 12:48+). He holds us responsible for the knowledge, callings, and opportunities He gives us. -- Gotquestions In Nu 26:11 we read "The sons of Korah, however, did not die." In fact they later penned 11 psalms, some of which are the favorites: Ps. 42:1; Ps. 44:1; Ps. 45:1; Ps. 46:1; Ps. 47:1; Ps. 48:1; Ps. 49:1; Ps. 84:1; Ps. 85:1; Ps. 87:1; Ps. 88:1 Bush - Their names are enumerated 1 Chr 6:22–24, and we find, moreover, several of the Psalms bearing the title, “For the sons of Korah,” as Ps. 42; 44; 45; 48; 49. Indeed, it was from the stock of Korah that Samuel the prophet derived his pedigree, 1 Chr 6:28 Brian Bell - In Nu 26:11 we learn not all of Korah’s family was destroyed (were not involved) :)This explains we have Psalms titled “A Psalm of the sons of Korah” (Ps.84,85,87,88) Apparently the descendants of Korah were content to be humble ministers & not priests, for they wrote in Ps.84:10 “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” [see Nu 16:26 for the tents of wickedness] Cyril Hocking - The tragedy of Korah and the chief transgressors, who, without experiencing corporeal death, went down alive into sheol, has a prophetic significance. When Christ comes again in regal power, “the beast and the false prophet” will be “cast alive into a lake of fire”, Rev. 19:20+. THOUGHT - Have we been tempted to rebel against God by criticizing or grumbling against those leading in His name, especially your pastor? Maybe you had better watch the ground beneath your feet! Norman Geisler (When Critics Ask) - NUMBERS 16:32—Were all Korah’s family killed with him or only some? PROBLEM: This verse states that “the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah.” However, Numbers 26:11 speaks about Korah’s descendants who did not perish in the judgment. SOLUTION: Those who perished with Korah were all his followers, but not all his family. Numbers 26:11 states clearly: “Nevertheless the children of Korah did not die.” Indeed, the prophet Samuel was a descendant of Korah (1 Chron. 6:22–28). Numbers 16:33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. BGT Numbers 16:33 καὶ κατέβησαν αὐτοὶ καὶ ὅσα ἐστὶν αὐτῶν ζῶντα εἰς ᾅδου καὶ ἐκάλυψεν αὐτοὺς ἡ γῆ καὶ ἀπώλοντο ἐκ μέσου τῆς συναγωγῆς NET Numbers 16:33 They and all that they had went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed over them. So they perished from among the community. NLT Numbers 16:33 So they went down alive into the grave, along with all their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished from among the people of Israel. ESV Numbers 16:33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. NIV Numbers 16:33 They went down alive into the grave, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. KJV Numbers 16:33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. YLT Numbers 16:33 and they go down, they, and all that they have, alive to Sheol, and the earth closeth over them, and they perish from the midst of the assembly; LXE Numbers 16:33 And they went down and all that they had, alive into Hades; and the ground covered them, and they perished from the midst of the congregation. ASV Numbers 16:33 So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into Sheol: and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the assembly. into the: Ps 9:15 55:23 69:15 143:7 Isa 14:9,15 Eze 32:18,30 they perished: Jude 1:11 Numbers 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries BURIED ALIVE BY EARTH THE UNDERTAKER! So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol - NLT = "So they went down alive into the grave, along with their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished." Went down alive indicates they were literally buried alive! I have a great fear of drowning, but this passage makes drowning pale in comparison. Sheol (07585) (she'ol) is the underworld or the place to which people descend at death. The grave, death, the depths, the nether world, the underworld. Sheol was viewed as the place where departed spirits went after death. Sheol was envisioned as a dark region within the earth, the entrance to which was the grave with its steep slopes (cf. Ps 88:4-6). In Job 14:13-22, Job expressed the common view of life beyond death, namely, that in Sheol there is no contact with the living, only separation, but in Sheol there is a conscious awareness of the dreary existence. In Jonah 2:3 Jonah pictures himself in the belly of Sheol, its very center - in other words he is as good as dead. In Ps 22:6 Sheol, the underworld, the place of the dead, is personified as David’s enemy. Abaddon is used as a name for Sheol in Ps 88:11. In Ps 143:3 "dark places" is a synonym for Sheol, pictured as a dark place located deep in the ground. In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol. In Isaiah 7:11, the phrase “Make it as deep as Sheol or make it high upwards” words suggest that Ahaz can feel free to go beyond the bounds of ordinary human experience. The phrase “path of life” stands in contrast to death/Sheol in Pr 2:18-19; Pr 5:5-6; Pr 15:24. Sheol, the place of death, is sometimes depicted as a raging sea (see Ps 18:4, 15-16). Sheol is the land of the dead localized in Hebrew thought in the earth’s core or the grave. “Sheol” in the Bible can be used four different ways: the grave, the realm of the departed [wicked] spirits or Hell, death in general, or a place of extreme danger (one that will lead to the grave if God does not intervene. (Note: Many of these comments on Sheol are summarized from over 100 comments on "Sheol" in the very helpful resource, NET Notes). And the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly - “It was a marvel that the waters opened (for Israel); it was no wonder that they shut again; for the retiring and flowing was natural. It was no less a marvel that the earth opened; but more marvel that it shut again; because it had no natural disposition to meet when it was divided. Now might Israel see, they had to do with a God that could revenge with ease.” Bishop Hall - “It was a marvel that the waters opened (for Israel); it was no wonder that they shut again; for the retiring and flowing was natural. It was no less a marvel that the earth opened; but more marvel that it shut again; because it had no natural disposition to meet when it was divided. Now might Israel see, they had to do with a God that could revenge with ease.” Bush -The deprecatory prayer of David, Ps. 69:15, seems to allude to this terrible judgment Perished (lost, destroy, ruin) (06)(abad cp Abaddon 011) is a verb meaning to perish, to be destroyed, to be ruined, to be lost, to in a state of ruin and destruction pertaining to an object, including the death (Ex 10:7). Abad can mean literally to die, or, in the case of things, reputation, etc., to pass away. In a causative sense, abad means to destroy, to reduce to some degree of disorder. God’s destruction of evil, both threatened (Lev. 26:38) and realized (Nu 17:12); Israel’s destruction of the Canaanites and their altars (Nu 33:52; Dt. 12:2, 3); the perishing of natural life (Ps. 49:10; 102:26; Eccl. 7:15); the perishing of abstract qualities such as wisdom and hope (Isa. 29:14; Lam. 3:18); and an item or animal being lost (Dt. 22:3; Eccl. 3:6). Uses in Numbers - Num. 16:33; Num. 17:12; Num. 21:29; Num. 21:30; Num. 24:19; Num. 33:52. The Septuagint translates it with apollumi (from apo = away from or wholly + olethros = state of utter ruin <> ollumi = to destroy <> root of apollyon [Re 9:11] = destroyer) means to destroy utterly but not to cause one to cease to exist. Apollumi as it relates to men, is not the loss of being per se, but is more the loss of well-being. It means to ruin so that the person (or thing) ruined can no longer serve the use for which he (it) was designed. To render useless. The gospel promises everlasting life for the one who believes. The failure to possess this life will result in utter ruin and eternal uselessness (but not a cessation of existence). Numbers 16:34 All Israel who were around them fled at their outcry, for they said, "The earth may swallow us up!" BGT Numbers 16:34 καὶ πᾶς Ισραηλ οἱ κύκλῳ αὐτῶν ἔφυγον ἀπὸ τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῶν ὅτι λέγοντες μήποτε καταπίῃ ἡμᾶς ἡ γῆ NET Numbers 16:34 All the Israelites who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, "What if the earth swallows us too?" NLT Numbers 16:34 All the people around them fled when they heard their screams. "The earth will swallow us, too!" they cried. ESV Numbers 16:34 And all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, "Lest the earth swallow us up!" NIV Numbers 16:34 At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, "The earth is going to swallow us too!" KJV Numbers 16:34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. YLT Numbers 16:34 and all Israel who are round about them have fled at their voice, for they said, 'Lest the earth swallow us;' LXE Numbers 16:34 And all Israel round about them fled from the sound of them, for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. ASV Numbers 16:34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them; for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up. fled: Isa 33:3 Zec 14:5 Rev 6:15-17 The earth may swallow us up: Nu 17:12,13 Numbers 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries All Israel who were around them fled at their outcry, for they said, "The earth may swallow us up!" - "The Israelites respond by fleeing in panic and terror. The word translated ‘lest’ is a telic negative which expresses great caution in the face of great fear. This scene is reminiscent of Israel’s fleeing from Mount Sinai and from the presence of God. And the reason given for their panic on that occasion is ‘lest we die’ (Exod. 20:18–19)." (Currid) Bush - At the cry or noise they made in perishing, for we can well believe that the most heartrending shrieks would be heard from the multitude when they found themselves being engulfed in the opening caverns of the earth.