God’s Word Translation
Numbers 16:31
31As soon as he had finished saying all this, the ground under them split,
Numbers 16:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
- New International Version (NIV)As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart
- English Standard Version (ESV)And as soon as he had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them,
Context of Numbers 16:31
29If these men die like all other people—if they die a natural death—then the Lord hasn’t sent me. 30But if the Lord does something totally new—if the ground opens up, swallows them and everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive to their graves—then you’ll know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.” As soon as he had finished saying all this, the ground under them split, 32and the earth opened up to swallow them, their families, the followers of Korah, and all their property. 33They went down alive to their graves with everything that belonged to them. The ground covered them, and so they disappeared from the assembly.
Read all of Numbers 16Numbers 16:31 word by word
וַיְהִי֙ כְּכַלֹּת֔וֹ לְדַבֵּ֕ר אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַתִּבָּקַ֥ע הָאֲדָמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּחְתֵּיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Numbers 16:31
- Numbers 26:10The ground opened up and swallowed them along with Korah. They and their followers died when the fire consumed the 250 men. This was a warning.
- Numbers 27:3“Our father died in the desert. He was not a part of Korah’s followers who joined forces against the Lord. He died for his own sin and left no sons.
- Deuteronomy 11:6You also saw what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, from the tribe of Reuben. In the middle of all the Israelites the ground opened up and swallowed them, their families, their tents, and every living creature with them.
- Psalms 106:17The ground split open and swallowed Dathan. It buried Abiram’s followers.
Commentaries on Numbers 16:31
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23-34Verses 23-34 The seventy elders of Israel attend Moses. It is our duty to do what we can to countenance and support lawful authority when it is opposed. And those who would not perish with sinners, must come out from among them, and be separate. It was in answer to the prayer of Moses, that God stirred up the hearts of the congregation to remove for their own safety. Grace to separate from evil-doers is one of the things that accompany salvation. God, in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31-33Korah’s sons did not die at this time (26:10–11). Later, his descendants became gatekeepers and musicians in the temple (1 Chronicles 9:19, 31; 26:19; 2 Chronicles 20:19; see the titles of Psalms 42; 45–49; 84–85; 87–88).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 28-3428-34. Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works--The awful catastrophe of the earthquake which, as predicted by Moses, swallowed up those impious rebels in a living tomb, gave the divine attestation to the mission of Moses and struck the spectators with solemn awe.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 16:31
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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