Numbers 14:37

14:37 those men who produced the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the Lord.

Numbers 16:33-35

16:33 They and all that they had went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed over them. So they perished from among the community. 16:34 All the Israelites ¹  who were around them fled at their cry, ²  for they said, “What if ³  the earth swallows us too?” 16:35 Then a fire ⁴  went out from the Lord and devoured the 250 men who offered incense.

Numbers 16:1

The Rebellion of Korah

16:1 ⁵ Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, who were Reubenites, ⁶  took men ⁷ 

Numbers 13:24-28

13:24 That place was called ⁸  the Eshcol Valley, ⁹  because of the cluster ¹⁰  of grapes that the Israelites cut from there. 13:25 They returned from investigating the land after forty days.

The Spies’ Reports

13:26 They came back ¹¹  to Moses and Aaron and to the whole community of the Israelites in the wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. ¹²  They reported ¹³  to the whole community and showed the fruit of the land. 13:27 They told Moses, ¹⁴  “We went to the land where you sent us. ¹⁵  It is indeed flowing with milk and honey, ¹⁶  and this is its fruit. 13:28 But ¹⁷  the inhabitants ¹⁸  are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. Moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.

¹ tn Heb “all Israel.”

² tn Heb “voice.”

³ tn Heb “lest.”

⁴ tn For a discussion of the fire of the Lord, see J. C. H. Laughlin, “The Strange Fire of Nadab and Abihu,” JBL 95 (1976): 559-65.

⁵ sn There are three main movements in the story of ch. 16. The first is the rebellion itself (vv. 1-19). The second is the judgment (vv. 20-35). Third is the atonement for the rebels (vv. 36-50). The whole chapter is a marvelous account of a massive rebellion against the leaders that concludes with reconciliation. For further study see G. Hort, “The Death of Qorah,” ABR 7 (1959): 2-26; and J. Liver, “Korah, Dathan and Abiram,” Studies in the Bible (ScrHier 8), 189-217.

⁶ tc The MT reading is plural (“the sons of Reuben”); the Smr and LXX have the singular (“the son of Reuben”).

⁷ tn In the Hebrew text there is no object for the verb “took.” The translation presented above supplies the word “men.” However, it is possible that the MT has suffered damage here. The LXX has “and he spoke.” The Syriac and Targum have “and he was divided.” The editor of BHS suggests that perhaps the MT should be emended to “and he arose.”

⁸ tn The verb is rendered as a passive because there is no expressed subject.

⁹ tn Or “Wadi Eshcol.” The translation “brook” is too generous; the Hebrew term refers to a river bed, a ravine or valley through which torrents of rain would rush in the rainy season; at other times it might be completely dry.

¹⁰ tn The word “Eshcol” is drawn from the Hebrew expression concerning the “cluster of grapes.” The word is probably retained in the name Burj Haskeh, two miles north of Damascus.

¹¹ tn The construction literally has “and they went and they entered,” which may be smoothed out as a verbal hendiadys, the one verb modifying the other.

¹² sn Kadesh is Ain Qadeis, about 50 miles (83 km) south of Beer Sheba. It is called Kadesh-barnea in Num 32:8.

¹³ tn Heb “They brought back word”; the verb is the Hiphil preterite of שׁוּב (shuv).

¹⁴ tn Heb “told him and said.” The referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁵ tn The relative clause modifies “the land.” It is constructed with the relative and the verb: “where you sent us.”

¹⁶ sn This is the common expression for the material abundance of the land (see further, F. C. Fensham, “An Ancient Tradition of the Fertility of Palestine,” PEQ 98 [1966]: 166-67).

¹⁷ tn The word (אֶפֶס, ’efes) forms a very strong adversative. The land was indeed rich and fruitful, but….”

¹⁸ tn Heb “the people who are living in the land.”