Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 26:9

And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This [is that] Dathan and Abiram, [which were] famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD:

9 11. The mention of Dathan and Abiram leads the writer, or a later editor, to add a note recalling the incidents of ch. 16. He combines the story of Dathan and Abiram with that of Korah in such a way that the events are inextricably confused.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Num 26:9-11

The earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up.

Solemn monitors against sin

Sin and infamy cling to families long after the actors have passed away. Parents ought to strive above all to leave to their children the heritage of a good name. Sin and infamy are long lived; as in the verse of our text, many years after the descendants are reminded of their ancestors crime. Their sin was to oppose Moses and God–using their influence as men of note to create a rebellion. God visited them for their sin–And they became a sign (see chap. 16.). They became symbols, beacons. God made use of them to teach great lessons. Visitations like that have tongues; they speak to us from God.

I. The insidious character of sin. Sin grows upon us; never trifle with it; safety in the opposing it. As the moth, dazzled with the light, &c., ends in being scorched or burnt, so it ever is with those who trifle with sin and parley with temptation.

II. They warn us of the terrible evil and danger of sin. Sin becomes our greatest curse; we have, indeed, nothing else to fear.

III. They show us what a curse bad men are to their families and others. If there is any manhood left in one, this thought must arrest his attention.

IV. They show us Gods desire to benefit man. (David Lloyd.)

The victims of sin a warning to others

I. A warning against the commission of sin.

II. A warning against association with sinners.

III. A warning against tempting others. (Lay Preacher.)

Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.—

Children that live

Notwithstanding, the children of Korah died not. May we not read it–that though the sire dies the progeny lives? There is a continuity of evil in the world. We only cut off the tops of iniquities, their deep roots we do not get at; we pass the machine over the sward, and cut off the green tops of things that are offensive to us; but the juicy root is struck many inches down into the earth, and our backs will hardly be turned, and the click of the iron have ceased, before those roots are asserting themselves in new and obvious growths. Iniquity is not to be shaved off the earth–ironed and mowed away like an obnoxious weed–it must be uprooted, torn right up by every thinnest, frailest fibre of its bad self, and then, having been torn out, left for the fire of the sun to deal with–the fire of mid-day is against it and will consume it. And thus only can growths of evil be eradicated and destroyed. It is an awful thing to live! You cannot tell where influence begins, how it operates, or how it ends. The boy sitting next you is partly yourself, and he cannot help it, You cannot turn round and say, You must look after yourself as I had to do. That is a fools speech. You can never shake off the responsibility of having helped in known and unknown ways and degrees to make that boy what he is. Life is not a surface matter, a loose pebble lying on the road that men can take up and lay down again without any particular harm being done. When the boy drinks himself into madness, he may be but expressing the influences wrought within him by three generations. When the young man tells a lie, he may be surprised at his own audacity, and feel as if he were rather a tool and a victim than a person and a responsible agent–as if generations of liars were blackening his young lips with their falsehoods. When this youth is restive and will not go to the usual church, do not blame the modern spirit of scepticism and restlessness, but go sharply into the innermost places of your own heart, and see how far you have bolted the church doors against your son, or made a place which he would be ashamed to be seen in. Then there is a bright side to all this view. I can, now that I have got my rough reading done, turn this notwithstanding into a symbol of hope, a light of history; I can make high and inspiring uses of it. I will blot out the word, Korah, and fill in other names, and then the moral lesson of the text will expand itself into gracious meanings, rise above us like a firmament crowded with innumerable and brilliant lights. In days long ago they killed the martyrs–notwithstanding, the children of the martyrs died not. There the light begins to come; there I hear music lifting up sweetest voice of testimony and hope. So, in all the ages, one generation passeth away and another generation cometh, and still Christs following enlarges; on the whole, he sums up into higher figures year by year. Not that I care for census-religion, not that I would number people for the purpose of ascertaining Christs position in the world. The kingdom of heaven cometh not with observation; is not a matter of census-reckoning or statistic-returns; it is a matter of spiritual quality, inner manhood, meaning and attitude of the soul; and amid all sin, struggle, doubt, difficulty, darkness, the kingdom moves. (J. Parker, D. D.)

The children of Korah

These sons of Korah were afterwards in their prosperity eminently serviceable to the Church, being employed by David as singers in the house of the Lord; hence many psalms are said to be for the sons of Korah; and perhaps they were made to bear his name so long after, rather than the name of any other of their ancestors, for warning to themselves, and as an instance of the power of God, which brought those choice fruits even out of that bitter root. The children of families that have been stigmatised, should endeavour by their eminent virtues to bear away the reproach of their fathers. (Matthew Henry, D. D.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram,…. Of Nemuel we nowhere else read either he died without children, or he and his family perished with his brethren, being concerned with them in the conspiracy; or the family of the Palluite was in his line; one of the same name may be observed in the tribe of Simeon:

this is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation; either before their rebellion, for their power and authority, being heads of their fathers’ houses; or for their parts and abilities, being men of great wisdom and sense; or for their zeal, activity, and usefulness; or after it, and became famous, or rather infamous, on account of it, see Nu 16:2

who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the Lord; who joined with Korah and his company, and quarrelled with Moses and Aaron about the priesthood; with Moses for putting Aaron into it, and with Aaron for accepting it, and officiating in it; and so with the Lord himself, by whose orders he was invested with it.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

“Handfuls of Purpose”

For All Gleaners

“Famous in the congregation.” Num 26:9

This is a necessity of human life. In every assembly diversity of position and influence must be recognised. The evil to be guarded against is jealousy. Aaron and his sister envied Moses, because of his preeminence. Men who are truly famous have restraints enough to keep them within proper limits; restraints which are often unknown to the very people who envy them. Fame is an element of moral power. To have fame, is to have opportunities innumerable for profitably addressing public attention. Jesus Christ’s fame went throughout all Syria. The more his fame extended the larger became the number of applications for healing. It is right to have high spiritual ambitions. Men who work solely to acquire fame, will be disappointed. “He that saveth his life shall lose it.” We have simply to do the work and let fame come or go as it may. The motive of fame is contemptible vanity; but fame as an honest result cf beneficent life may become the beginning of new and large advantages. There were famous men amongst the disciples of Jesus Christ. Peter, James, and John were admitted to privileges which other disciples did not enjoy. Jesus Christ laid down the great doctrine: “He that is greatest among you, let him be the servant of all.” Eminence is not to be a justification of tyranny. There is a bad fame as well as a good one. “Diotrephes loveth to have the preeminence.” Simon Magus gave out that he was some great one. Character is of infinitely greater importance than reputation. It is of no importance how much fame a man may have, if he has not self-respect. A man must, so to say, confirm his own fame, if it is to be of any service to him or to others. The approval of a good conscience is the fame which every honest man supremely desires. We know not who may be famous at the last, for then many an undiscovered worker will be revealed and crowned. The “well done” of the Lord, is the fame after which every labourer should aspire.

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

Num 26:9 And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This [is that] Dathan and Abiram, [which were] famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD:

Ver. 9. Which were famous. ] But for no goodness. Tubulus, who was the Roman praetor a little afore Cicero’s time, was homo tam proiecte improbus, ut eius nomen non hominis sed vitii esse videretur, so wicked a wretch, that he seemed to be wickedness itself. a Portius Latro calleth Catiline, sacrarium libidinum, portentum scelerum, gurgitem et sentinam flagitiorum, &c., a sink of sinfulness. And Josephus saith of Antipater, that his life was no better than a mystery of iniquity. These men were famous, or rather infamous, for their flagitious practices; notoriously naught; signally sinful.

a Lips., Antiq. Lection.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)