Numbers 16:24 - Forerunner Commentary

Numbers 16:24

22 Then they ^afell on their faces, and said, “O God, ^bthe God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the ^ccongregation?”

23 So the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

24 “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ ”

25 Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.

26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, ^a“Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.”

27 So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little ^achildren.

28 And Moses said: ^a“By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them ^bof my own will.

29 If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are ^avisited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.

Commentaries:

No entry exists in Forerunner Commentary for Numbers 16:24.

Numbers 16:23-27

That is really interesting that Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the door of their tents, because apparently they did not even come outside of their tents up till this time. This shows what an attitude they had.

Now God acceded to part of Moses' and Aaron's request about sparing those who were innocent of what was going on there by sending Moses to instruct those not directly involved in the rebellion to get away from the living quarters of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, thus assuring Moses that God was not going to kill innocent bystanders even though the judgment was going to be very severe.

There is a very interesting play on the word "tabernacle" that appears in verse 24, in that the word that is used there is normally used for God's tabernacle rather than the word that would normally be translated "tent." Is there a bit of dark humor from God that He is about to destroy their tabernacle, which was their tent? He is saying, "The tabernacle you are serving is not My tabernacle. It's your tabernacle."

Excerpted from Sanctification and Holiness (Part 3) by John W. Ritenbaugh

**Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Numbers 16:24:**

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