Numbers 16:45

45 "Get away from this assembly, and I will destroy them at once!" But they fell on 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 Moshe and Aharon came to the front of the tent of meeting.

44 ADONAI said to Moshe,

45 "Get away from this assembly, and I will destroy them at once!" But they fell on their faces.

46 Moshe said to Aharon, "Take your fire pan, put fire from the altar in it, lay incense on it, and hurry with it to the assembly to make atonement for them, because anger has gone out from ADONAI, and the plague has already begun!"

47 Aharon took it, as Moshe had said, and ran into the middle of the assembly. There the plague had already begun among the people, but he added the incense and made atonement for the people.