Numbers 16:42

42 But it so happened that when the community got together against Moses and Aaron, they looked over at the Tent of Meeting and there was the Cloud - the Glory of God for all to see.

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 just as God had instructed him by Moses. This was to serve as a sign to Israel that only descendants of Aaron were allowed to burn incense before God; anyone else trying it would end up like Korah and his gang.

41 Grumbling broke out the next day in the community of Israel, grumbling against Moses and Aaron: "You have killed God's people!"

42 But it so happened that when the community got together against Moses and Aaron, they looked over at the Tent of Meeting and there was the Cloud - the Glory of God for all to see.

43 Moses and Aaron stood at the front of the Tent of Meeting.

44 God spoke to Moses: