Numbers 16:42

42 The community came together to confront Moses and Aaron. When they turned toward the tent of meeting, they saw the smoke covering it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.

Numbers 16:42 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 16:42

And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered
against Moses and against Aaron
To kill them, as the Targum of Jonathan adds; who, perhaps, upon uttering their murmurs, made up to them, and by their gestures showed an intention to murder them:

that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation;
either the people did, to see whether they could observe any appearance of the displeasure of God against them; or rather Moses and Aaron looked that way for help and deliverance in this extreme danger, knowing there was no salvation for them but of the Lord, ( Jeremiah 3:23 ) ;

and, behold, the cloud covered it;
as when it was first erected, and which was a token of the divine Presence, ( Numbers 9:15 Numbers 9:16 ) ; perhaps it had dispersed immediately upon the death of the rebels, and now returned again in favour of the servants of the Lord:

and the glory of the Lord appeared;
in the cloud, as in ( Numbers 16:19 ) ; to encourage Moses and Aaron, and to deliver them out of the hands of the people, and to the terror of them.

Numbers 16:42 In-Context

40 following the command that the LORD had given through Moses. The bronze-covered altar will remind Israel that no one but a descendant of Aaron can come near to burn incense to the LORD. Everyone else will die like Korah and his followers.

41 The next day the whole community of Israel complained to Moses and Aaron. They said, "You have killed the LORD's people."

42 The community came together to confront Moses and Aaron. When they turned toward the tent of meeting, they saw the smoke covering it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.

43 Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting.

44 The LORD said to Moses,