God’s Word Translation
Numbers 16:2
2These four men were joined by 250 Israelite men, well-known leaders of the community, chosen by the assembly.
Numbers 16:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
- New International Version (NIV)and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown.
Context of Numbers 16:2
1Korah (son of Izhar), Dathan and Abiram (sons of Eliab), and On (son of Peleth) dared to challenge Moses. (Korah was a descendant of Kohath and Levi. Dathan, Abiram, and On were descendants of Reuben.) These four men were joined by 250 Israelite men, well-known leaders of the community, chosen by the assembly. 3They came together to confront Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You’ve gone far enough! Everyone in the whole community is holy, and the Lord is among them. Why do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?” 4As soon as Moses heard this, he bowed with his face touching the ground.
Read all of Numbers 16Numbers 16:2 word by word
וַיָּקֻ֙מוּ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַאֲנָשִׁ֥ים מִבְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים וּמָאתָ֑יִם נְשִׂיאֵ֥י עֵדָ֛ה קְרִאֵ֥י מוֹעֵ֖ד אַנְשֵׁי־שֵֽׁם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they rose upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- with certainאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- two hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
- and fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
- princesנָשִׂיאnâώîy' nâώi' · leaderH5387
- of the assemblyעֵדָה‛êdâh · congregationH5712
- famousקָרִיאqârîy' · calledH7148
- in the congregationמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meetingH4150
- of renownשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
Cross-references for Numbers 16:2
- Numbers 26:9and Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram were the sons of Eliab. (It was Dathan and Abiram, men chosen by the community, who defied Moses and Aaron’s authority. They joined Korah’s followers when they defied the Lord’s authority.
- Genesis 6:4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, as well as later, when the sons of God slept with the daughters of other humans and had children by them. These children were famous long ago.
- 1 Chronicles 5:24These were the heads of Manasseh’s families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were soldiers who were famous heads of their families.
- 1 Chronicles 12:30From Ephraim’s descendants there were 20,800 warriors who were famous among their families.
- Ezekiel 16:14You became famous in every nation because of your beauty. Your beauty was perfect because I gave you my glory, declares the Almighty Lord.
- Ezekiel 23:10They stripped her naked, took away her sons and daughters, and killed her with a sword. Women gossiped about how she was punished.
Commentaries on Numbers 16:2
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2The “princes” appear to have belonged to the other tribes (compare Numbers 27:3).Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-50Another rebellion demanded a clear separation of duties between priests and Levites. This power struggle was more serious than previous rebellions against God's authority (chapter 11; 12:1–15; 14:1–45). In these historical events, the rebels protested minor issues and questioned their leaders' actions. Yet, Moses reminded them that they were actually rebelling against God. As a result, the Israelites suffered deadly consequences for their rebellion.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-301-2. Now Korah, the son of Izhar--Izhar, brother of Amram (Ex 6:18), was the second son of Kohath, and for some reason unrecorded he had been supplanted by a descendant of the fourth son of Kohath, who was appointed prince or chief of the Kohathites (Nu 3:30). Discontent with the preferment over him of a younger relative was probably the originating cause of this seditious movement on the part of Korah. Dathan and Abiram, ... and On--These were…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 16:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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