Now Korah, son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, betook himself, uncertain. along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—descendants of Reuben descendants of Reuben According to Num. 26.5, 8–9, Eliab was son of Pallu, son of Reuben. —
They combined against Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all the community are holy, all of them, and יהוה is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above יהוה’s congregation?”
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויקהלו
157
עלמשה
445
ועלאהרן
362
ויאמרו
263
אלהם
76
רבלכם
292
כי
30
כלהעדה
134
כלם
90
קדשים
454
ובתוכם
474
יהוה
26
ומדוע
126
תתנשאו
1157
עלקהל
235
יהוה
26
Numbers 16:4
Gematria: 1143
וישמעמשהויפלעלפניו
When Moses heard this, he fell on his face. he fell on his face Perhaps in the sense of “his face fell.”
Then he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Come morning, יהוה will make known who is [God’s] and who is holy by granting direct access; the one whom [God] has chosen will be granted access.
Word-by-Word Analysis
וידבר
222
אלקרח
339
ואלכלעדתו
567
לאמר
271
בקר
302
וידע
90
יהוה
26
אתאשרלו
938
ואתהקדוש
822
והקריב
323
אליו
47
ואת
407
אשר
501
יבחרבו
228
יקריב
322
אליו
47
Numbers 16:6
Gematria: 2686
זאתעשוקחולכםמחתותקרחוכלעדתו
Do this: You, Korah and all your ” band, take fire pans,
and tomorrow put fire in them and lay incense on them before יהוה. Then the candidate “man.” See the Dictionary under ’ish. whom יהוה chooses, he shall be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!”
Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has set you apart from the community of Israel and given you direct access, to perform the duties of יהוה’s Tabernacle and to minister to the community and serve them?
Word-by-Word Analysis
המעט
124
מכם
100
כיהבדיל
81
אלהי
46
ישראל
541
אתכם
461
מעדת
514
ישראל
541
להקריב
347
אתכם
461
אליו
47
לעבד
106
אתעבדת
877
משכן
410
יהוה
26
ולעמד
150
לפני
170
העדה
84
לשרתם
970
Numbers 16:10
Gematria: 2735
ויקרבאתךואתכלאחיךבנילויאתךובקשתםגםכהנה
Now that [God] has advanced you and all your fellow Levites with you, do you seek the priesthood too?
Even if you had ” brought us to a land flowing with milk and honey, and given us possession of fields and vineyards, should you gouge out the eyes of those involved? gouge out the eyes of those involved Gouging out the eyes was punishment for runaway slaves and rebellious vassals; cf. 2 Kings 25.4–7; Jer. 39.4–7; 52.7–11. “Those involved” (NJPS “those men”; see the Dictionary under ’ish) is a euphemism for self-reference; cf. 1 Sam. 29.4. We will not come!
Moses was much aggrieved and he said to יהוה, “Pay no regard to their oblation. I have not taken the ass of any one of them, nor have I wronged any one of them.”
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויחר
224
למשה
375
מאד
45
ויאמר
257
אליהוה
57
אלתפן
561
אלמנחתם
569
לא
31
חמור
254
אחד
13
מהם
85
נשאתי
761
ולא
37
הרעתי
685
אתאחד
414
מהם
85
Numbers 16:16
Gematria: 3081
ויאמרמשהאלקרחאתהוכלעדתךהיולפנייהוהאתהוהםואהרןמחר
And Moses said to Korah, “Tomorrow, you and all your company appear before יהוה, you and they and Aaron.
Each of you take your fire pan and lay incense on it, and each of you bring that fire pan before יהוה, two hundred and fifty fire pans; you and Aaron also [bring] your fire pans.”
But they fell on their faces and said, “O God, Source ” of the breath of all flesh! When one member ” Trad. “man.” See the Dictionary under ’ish. sins, will You be wrathful with the whole community?”
Translation Notes
*Source — Lit. “God.
*member — Lit. “participant whose involvement defines the depicted situation.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויפלו
132
עלפניהם
285
ויאמרו
263
אל
31
אלהי
46
הרוחת
619
לכלבשר
582
האיש
316
אחד
13
יחטא
28
ועל
106
כלהעדה
134
תקצףס
730
Numbers 16:23
Gematria: 895
וידבריהוהאלמשהלאמר
יהוה spoke to Moses, saying,
Word-by-Word Analysis
וידבר
222
יהוה
26
אלמשה
376
לאמר
271
Numbers 16:24
Gematria: 2278
דבראלהעדהלאמרהעלומסביבלמשכןקרחדתןואבירם
“Speak to the community and say: Withdraw from about the abodes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”
Word-by-Word Analysis
דבר
206
אלהעדה
115
לאמר
271
העלו
111
מסביב
114
למשכןקרח
748
דתן
454
ואבירם
259
Numbers 16:25
Gematria: 2316
ויקםמשהוילךאלדתןואבירםוילכואחריוזקניישראל
Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, the elders of Israel following him.
He addressed the community, saying, “Move away from the tents of these wicked men wicked men Or “guilty parties”—alluding to the crime of insurrection, for which they are about to be punished. Cf. Exod. 2.13; Deut. 25.1; 2 Sam. 4.11. On “men,” see note at Gen. 19.5. and touch nothing that belongs to them, lest you be wiped out for all their sins.”
So they withdrew from about the abodes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Now Dathan and Abiram had come out and they stood at the entrance of their tents, with their wives, their adult children, ” and their little ones.
But if יהוה brings about something unheard-of, so that the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, you shall know that those involved have spurned יהוה.”
Word-by-Word Analysis
ואםבריאה
265
יברא
213
יהוה
26
ופצתה
581
האדמה
55
אתפיה
496
ובלעה
113
אתם
441
ואתכלאשר
958
להם
75
וירדו
226
חיים
68
שאלה
336
וידעתם
530
כי
30
נאצו
147
האנשים
406
האלה
41
אתיהוה
427
Numbers 16:31
Gematria: 3493
ויהיככלתולדבראתכלהדבריםהאלהותבקעהאדמהאשרתחתיהם
Scarcely had he finished speaking all these words when the ground under them burst asunder,