Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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].
And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them,…. Or because of it, as Aben Ezra; their cry was so loud, their shrieks so dreadful and piercing, that the Israelites about them fled to get out of the sound of them, as well as for their own safety. The Targum of Jonathan not only represents their cry as terrible, but gives the words they expressed at it;
“and all Israel that were round about them fled, because of the terror of their voice, when they cried and said, the Lord is righteous and his judgments truth, and truth are the words of Moses his servant, but we are wicked who have rebelled against him:”
for they said, lest the earth swallow us up [also]; which they might fear, since they had provoked the Lord, by associating with these men, and countenancing them by their presence, as they had done; who would have consumed them in a moment at first, had it not been for the intercession of Moses and Aaron.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This fearful destruction of the ringleaders, through which Jehovah glorified Moses afresh as His servant in a miraculous way, filled all the Israelites round about with such terror, that they fled , “ at their noise, ” i.e., at the commotion with which the wicked men went down into the abyss which opened beneath their feet, lest, as they said, the earth should swallow them up also.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
34. And all Israel that were round about them. We must suppose that the people were standing around, expecting at a distance the event that was to take place; for they had previously retired from the tents, in token of their separation (from this wicked company.) (100) That they should now fly in confusion, lest the same destruction should overwhelm themselves, is a sign of their bad conscience, which is always troubled in itself, and agitates the wicked with sore inquietude. It is needful, indeed, that even the pious should be alarmed by God’s judgments, in order that their consternation or dread should instruct them (101) in his holy fear, and therefore they never reflect without dread on the punishments which God has inflicted upon the crimes of men. But, since hypocrites carry in their hearts a hot iron, as it were, they fall down like dead men, as if the lightning fell from God upon their own heads. Thus we shall presently see that this blind fear profited them but little.
(100) Added from Fr.
(101) “A s’humilier devant luy;” to humble themselves before Him. — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
34. All Israel fled By separating themselves from the tents of the doomed men at the command of Moses they had evinced some faith in the theocracy as administered by Moses. Now they instinctively flee from destruction.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
If all Israel fled at the cry of the sufferers, think, my soul, with what awakened earnestness wouldst thou flee from the wrath to come, didst thou but see with thine eyes the horrible pit of the damned; or with thine ears hear the doleful shrieks of the everlastingly wretched spirits, who dwell in those regions of misery. What an awful question is that of the prophet: Isa 33:14 ?
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Num 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].
Ver. 34. Lest the earth swallow us up also. ] Let the destruction of others be a terror to us, that we may wash our feet in the blood of the wicked. Psa 52:6 But he that is swallowed up with earth, as Korah, his ears stopped, his heart stuffed with earth, shall have earth enough when he dies, but of heaven little enough.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
fled: Isa 33:3, Zec 14:5, Rev 6:15-17
Lest: Num 17:12, Num 17:13
Reciprocal: 1Sa 15:6 – depart Psa 64:8 – all that Psa 69:15 – pit Pro 21:11 – the scorner Nah 3:7 – that all Zec 2:7 – Deliver Act 5:5 – great Rev 18:10 – afar