Numbers 16:45

45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

Numbers 16:45 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 16:45

Get you up from among this congregation
That is, withdraw from them, and be separate, that they might not be involved in the same destruction with them, as well as that they might have no concern for them, or plead with the Lord in prayer on their account, but let him alone to destroy them, as follows:

that I may consume them in a moment;
as he was able to do, and had proposed to do it before, but they entreated him that he would not, ( Numbers 16:21 Numbers 16:22 ) ; as they again do:

and they fell upon their faces;
in prayer, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem; and so Aben Ezra observes, it was to pray to deprecate the wrath of God, and to implore his pardoning mercy for this sinful people; which shows what an excellent temper and disposition these men were of, to pray for them that had so despitefully used them as to charge them with murder, and were about to commit it on them; see ( Matthew 5:44 ) ( Luke 23:34 ) .

Numbers 16:45 In-Context

43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.
44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.
47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
The King James Version is in the public domain.