Deuteronomy 11:6

6 what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab son of Reuben, how the Earth opened its jaws and swallowed them with their families - their tents, and everything around them - right out of the middle of Israel.

Deuteronomy 11:6 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 11:6

And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the
son of Reuben
When they with Korah and his company quarrelled with Moses and Aaron about the priesthood, ( Numbers 16:1 ) , how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up; the history of which see in ( Numbers 16:30-33 )

and their households and their tents;
not their houses and their tents, as the Septuagint and some other versions; for though the word signifies houses, and is often used for them, yet here it must signify families, their wives, and children; since they had no houses, but dwelt in tents, all which were swallowed up with them:

and all the substance that was in their possession;
gold, silver, cattle, household goods, and whatever they were possessed of:

or was at their feet
F3; or which followed them, their living creatures; or was for them, as Aben Ezra interprets it; for, their use, service, and necessity: and this was done

in the midst of all Israel;
openly and publicly, they beholding it, as follows; and therefore should be rendered, "before all Israel" F4; and, besides, the tents of Dathan and Abiram, Reubenites, were not in the midst of Israel.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 (Mhylgrb rva) "quae erat in pedibus eorum", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus.
F4 (brqb) "coram omni Israele", Noldius, p. 212. No. 975.

Deuteronomy 11:6 In-Context

4 the way he took care of the Egyptian army, its horses and chariots, burying them in the waters of the Red Sea as they pursued you. God drowned them. And you're standing here today alive.
5 Nor was it your children who saw how God took care of you in the wilderness up until the time you arrived here,
6 what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab son of Reuben, how the Earth opened its jaws and swallowed them with their families - their tents, and everything around them - right out of the middle of Israel.
7 Yes, it was you - your eyes - that saw every great thing that God did.
8 So it's you who are in charge of keeping the entire commandment that I command you today so that you'll have the strength to invade and possess the land that you are crossing the river to make your own.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.