Numbers 16:12

16:12 Then Moses summoned ¹  Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up. ² 

Numbers 16:25

16:25 Then Moses got up ³  and went to Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel went after him.

Numbers 16:27

16:27 So they got away from the homes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram on every side, and Dathan and Abiram came out and stationed themselves ⁴  in the entrances of their tents with their wives, their children, and their toddlers.

¹ tn Heb “Moses sent to summon.” The verb קָרָא (qara’) followed by the lamed (ל) preposition does not mean “call to” but “summon.” This is a command performance; for them to appear would be to submit to Moses’ authority. This they will not do.

² tn The imperfect tense נַעֲלֶה (na’aleh) expresses their unwillingness to report: “we are not willing,” or “we will not.” The verb means “to go up.” It is used in the sense of appearing before an authority or a superior (see, e.g., Gen 46:31; Deut 25:7; Judg 4:5).

³ tn Heb “rose up.”

⁵ tn The verb נִצָּבִים (nitsavim) suggests a defiant stance, for the word is often used in the sense of taking a stand for or against something. It can also be somewhat neutral, having the sense of positioning oneself for a purpose.