Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 16:14
Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
14. wilt thou bore out the eyes of these men? ] A strong figure which means, metaphorically, to blind them by false promises. Gray ( Numb. p. 200) compares the English expression ‘to throw dust in the eyes.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? – i. e. blind them to the fact that you keep none of your promises; throw dust in their eyes.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Of these men, i.e. of those who are confederate with us, and of all the people who are of our mind. Wilt thou make them blind, or persuade them that they are blind, and that they do not see what is visible to all that have eyes, to wit, that thou hast deceived them, and broken thy faith and promise given to them? or wilt thou lead them about like blind men whither thou pleasest, one time towards Canaan, another time towards Egypt again?
We will not come up; we will not obey thy summons, nor own thy authority.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Moreover, thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey,…. Meaning the land of Canaan; but this was no fault of Moses, he had brought them to the borders of it, he had bid them go up and possess it; but they refused, and chose to have spies first sent into it, who brought an ill report of it, which they listened to, and had so provoked the Lord thereby, that he ordered them to turn back, and threatened them with a consumption of them in the wilderness; or “certainly” n, verily thou hast not brought us, c. though the Septuagint version renders it affirmatively, “thou hast brought us” and the Vulgate Latin version, indeed thou hast brought, directly contrary to the text; unless it is to be understood ironically, as it is by some:
or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards; that is, in the land of Canaan, as were promised them; they suggest, had this been the case, they could have been content that he should have been their prince, and they would have submitted to his government; but having received no advantage from him, but a great deal of hurt and damage, they could not but consider him not only as a tyrant, but as an impostor and deceiver:
wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? or “dig” them out o; either in a literal sense, wilt thou be so cruel and merciless as to put out the eyes of these men, Korah and his company, and us for our opposition to thy government? or though thou shouldest do so,
we will not come up; we are determined not to obey thee, but to shake off the yoke, let our punishment be what it will; or figuratively, dost thou take us for blind persons, whose eyes thou hast put out, and think to lead us at thy pleasure? or dost thou cast a mist before the eyes of this whole congregation, that they are not able to see through thy designs? are the people so bewitched by them, as not to see thy deceits and impostures? pretending to bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey, which thou art not able to do, and now sayest that thou hast a message from God to return again towards the Red sea, and talkest of our posterity inheriting the land forty years hence; who is it that cannot see through all this? Aben Ezra thinks, by “these men” are meant the elders that were with Moses, whom he led as he pleased, and so blinded them with his delusions, as these pretended, that they could not see through them.
n “certe”, Noldius, p. 97. No. 468. so Onkelos. o “effodies”, Pagninus, Piscator; “vis effodere”, Fagius; “fodies”, Junius & Tremellius, Drusius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(14) Moreover thou hast not brought us . . . The words which the Lord had spoken to Moses (Exo. 3:8) concerning the deliverance from Egypt, and the bringing of the people into a land flowing with milk and honey, had been communicated by Aaron to the people (Exo. 4:30). Dathan and Abiram reproach Moses, as though he was responsible for their protracted sojourn in the wilderness.
Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men?Hebrew, those men. The same expression is employed in its literal signification in regard to Samson (Jdg. 16:21). It is probably used here in the same manner; or, it may be, to denote an alleged attempt on the part of Moses to blind the eyes of the people to the violation of promises solemnly made to them, and to impose upon them a law of blind obedience to his own arbitrary injunctions.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Num 16:14. Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? The original is strong, tenakker; wilt thou bore out,”Dost thou think so absolutely to blind us, that none of us shall discern thy deceit and ambition? Or thinkest thou that we will suffer thee to lead us about, like blind men, whither thou pleasest, under pretence of bringing us into a rich and fertile countryfrom one of which sort, indeed, thou hast brought us, miserably to perish in a desolate wilderness?”Houbigant says, that the eyes of these men refer to the two hundred and fifty rebellious. See Num 16:2.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Num 16:14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
Ver. 14. We will not come up, ] sc., To the place of judgment. So they add rebellion to sin, and justify their treasonful practices; as did Ravailliac, Fawks, Saunders, others.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
put out = bore out.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Moreover: Num 36:8-10, Exo 3:8, Exo 3:17, Lev 20:24
put out: Heb. bore out
Reciprocal: Num 20:4 – that we Num 20:5 – this evil Num 21:5 – spake Deu 29:6 – neither have 2Sa 15:3 – thy matters Neh 9:17 – refused Jer 35:9 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 16:14. Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men Of all the people who are of our mind? wilt thou make them blind, or persuade them that they do not see what is visible to all that have eyes, to wit, that thou hast deceived them, and broken thy faith and promise given to them?
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
16:14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou {g} put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
(g) Will you make those who searched the land believe that they did not see that which they saw?