Numbers 16:26

26 He said to the community, saying, "Please turn away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything {that belongs to them}, or you will be destroyed with all their sins."

Numbers 16:26 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 16:26

And he spake unto the congregation
To the people of Israel assembled together on this occasion: some, out of ill will to Moses and Aaron, inclining to the side of Korah and his accomplices, and some out of curiosity to see the issue of this affair saying, depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men;
these turbulent, seditious, and ill-designing men, disturbers of the commonwealth and church of Israel, enemies to the peace of its civil and ecclesiastic state: and when Moses desires the people to depart from their tents, he means not only that they would remove in person, and stand at a distance, but such who had their tents, and families, and substance near them, would take care to remove, lest they should be destroyed with them: and touch nothing of theirs;
not carry off anything belonging to them along with their own, being all devoted to destruction: lest ye be consumed in all their sins;
lest partaking of their sins they should of their plagues, and die in their sins, as they would, or for them.

Numbers 16:26 In-Context

24 "Speak to the community, saying, 'Move away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.'"
25 So Moses stood up and went to Dathan and Abiram; the elders of Israel followed after him.
26 He said to the community, saying, "Please turn away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything {that belongs to them}, or you will be destroyed with all their sins."
27 And so they moved away from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out standing [at] the doorway of their tents, with their wives, sons, and little children.
28 And Moses said, "In this you will know that Yahweh has sent me to do all these works; [it is] not from my heart.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "that [is] to them"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.