Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 16:30
But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that [appertain] unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
30. into the pit ] into Sheol, the place of departed human beings. It was thought of as lying beneath the earth, or deep within it.
We are probably to think of the catastrophe as taking place in the form of an earthquake; or possibly the tradition may have grown up as a popular explanation of some deep fissure or chasm in the rocks.
32b. and all the men their goods ] This half verse is the work of the compiler who combined the narratives. Korah’s company of adherents (‘the men that appertained unto K.’) were not swallowed up in the earth; they died afterwards by fire ( Num 16:35).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 30. If the Lord make a new thing] veim beriah yibra Yehovah, and if Jehovah should create a creation, i. e., do such a thing as was never done before.
And they go down quick into the pit] sheolah, a proof, among many others, that sheol, signifies here a chasm or pit of the earth, and not the place called hell; for it would be absurd to suppose that their houses had gone to hell; and it would be wicked to imagine that their little innocent children had gone thither, though God was pleased to destroy their lives with those of their iniquitous fathers.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Make a new thing, i.e. do such a work as was never heard before.
Into the pit, i.e. into the grave which God thereby makes. The Hebrew word scheol sometimes signifies hell, and sometimes the grave, as Gen 37:35; Psa 55:15.
Have provoked the Lord by making his words and works to be nothing but my devices and artifices.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
But if the Lord make a new thing,…. Or “create a creation”, or “creature” s, what never was before, or put those persons to a death that none ever in the world died of yet; what that is he means is next expressed:
and the earth open her mouth and swallow them up, with all that [appertain] unto them; their persons, their wives, children and substance:
and they go down quick into the pit; alive into the grave the opening earth makes for them; this is the new thing created; though the Rabbins say t, the mouth of the earth, or the opening of the earth, was created from the days of the creation, that is, it was determined or decreed so early that it should be:
then ye shall understated that these men have provoked the Lord; by rising up against Moses and Aaron, and so against the Lord; by falsely accusing his servants, and endeavouring to set the people against them, and so alter the constitution of things in church and state.
s “creationem, creaverit”, Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Fagius; “creaturam”, Vatablus, Drusius. t Pirke Abot, c. 5. sect. 6. Pirke Eliezer, c. 19.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(30) Make a new thing.Literally, create a creationi.e., do something hitherto unknown.
Into the pit.Literally, into Sheol.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
30. Make a new thing Hebrew, create a creation, that is, do a thing never done before. The crisis was momentous. The expression of Jehovah’s will must be decisive. An earthquake was probably not a new thing in the history of the world. Something different is demanded here.
Go down quick into the pit A providential calamity which discriminates between the righteous and the wicked and destroys the latter shows that the world is ruled by a power which frowns upon sin.
Quick R.V., “alive;” an old meaning of the word quick.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Num 16:30. If the Lord make a new thing The Hebrew, as rendered in the margin of our Bibles, expresses their Lord’s doing something which was never done or heard of in the world before; create a new creation. Our translation of pit,they go down quick into the pit, is certainly right in this place: the original word sheol, signifying a grave, or receptacle for the dead, and so any pit or cavity of the earth; and, consequently, gives no countenance to the absurd ideas of the Catholic writers, who understand it here to mean hell, and thence conclude that hell to be in the centre of the earth. But, were there no other absurdity in this opinion, we may be well assured that a just and good God would never condemn little innocent children to the torments of hell for the sins of their fathers. Compare Num 16:27; Num 16:33. Thus, too, Dr. Beaumont observes, that the word cannot be properly taken for hell. What, says he, should their houses and substance do there? Neither will it be easily proved, that they all perish for ever; and that their bodies did now go to Gehenna [hell] cannot be held.
REFLECTIONS.Moses, at God’s command, is enjoined to give the people warning. Some distinguished tent had been reared, perhaps, for the consultation of the rebel prince, and the people had gathered around them, either as partisans of their cause, or spectators of the issue, 1. Moses immediately proceeds to execute his commission; he seeks first to prevail on Dathan and Abiram themselves to repent of their sins, that they might prevent the approaching ruin: at least, if they refused, to call upon those who were about their tents to flee for their lives. The elders of Israel accompany him to countenance his authority, and to enforce, by their presence, the mandate that he brought. Note; (1.) It becomes us to use every endearing method to save our bitterest enemies from ruin. (2.) We must hear the voice of God calling us to flee from the wrath to come, and save ourselves from this untoward generation. 2. The people with haste obeyed; gat themselves up on every side, and removed their tents to a distance: fear of ruin is often the first step to safety. 3. The rebels, incorrigibly audacious, with their families at their tent doors, seem to brave the divine threatening: they who thus refuse to fear will surely fall into mischief. 4. The sentence is pronounced, and Moses appeals to its certain execution for the proof of his own divine mission. If these men should die of natural diseases, or age, or any death common to men, he would admit every accusation as true; but if the earth should open and swallow them up alive, the evidence of his innocence and their guilt must be uncontroverted. 5. No sooner is the word spoken than the thing is done: a new unprecedented judgment overtakes them; the ground cleaves asunder; alive they descend into the pit; their shrieks and cries are fruitless; the earth closes upon them, as groaning under their guilt, and weary of their blasphemies. Note; (1.) It is owing to God’s mercy that we are not all consumed, and that the earth does not swallow up such sinners as we are. (2.) If men continue impenitent, the jaws of hell stand open to devour them; and if that pit shut its mouth upon them, then they perish for ever. 6. Shocked at the fearful sight, and terrified by their cries, the people fly still farther from the dreadful scene, not without apprehensions of sharing, as they deserved, the like fate. Note; We should do well to look down into the everlasting burnings, and open our ears to the shrieks which fill the horrid caverns of Tophet, that, warned by others’ suffering, we come not into their place of torment.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Num 16:30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that [appertain] unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
Ver. 30. Quick unto the pit. ] Not into hell, as the Papists conclude from this text; for how could their houses and goods go down to hell? Num 16:32 and who would not hope that some of them were innocent, some penitent? The punishment they suffered in being buried alive was very miserable; and so accounted by the heathens, who served their vestal virgins in this sort that had been deflowered.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
make a new thing. Hebrew “create a creation”. Figure of speech Polyptoton. App-6, for emphasis, throwing light on Gen 1:1. Compare Isa 45:7; Isa 48:6, Isa 48:7.
them: Dathan and Abiram. Compare Num 16:27. Korah’s sons had obeyed the command, Compare Num 26:11.
quick = alive.
pit = Sheol, see Num 16:33 and App-35.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
make a new thing: Heb. create a creature; weim beriah yivra Yehowah, “And if Jehovah should create a creation,” i.e., do such a thing as was never done before. Job 31:3, Isa 28:21, Isa 43:19, Isa 45:7, Isa 45:12, Jer 31:22
and they: Num 16:33, Psa 55:15
Reciprocal: Exo 16:6 – the Lord Num 16:32 – the earth Job 10:16 – marvellous Psa 58:9 – both living Psa 63:9 – go Psa 124:3 – swallowed Pro 1:12 – whole Isa 5:14 – opened Eze 26:20 – I shall bring Eze 32:21 – gone Luk 19:27 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
16:30 But if the LORD make {m} a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that [appertain] unto them, and they go down quick into {n} the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
(m) Or, show a strange sight.
(n) Or, deep and dark places of the earth.