Numbers 16:42

42 Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered 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 to be a memorial to the children of Israel that no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the Lord, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, just as the Lord had said to him through Moses.

41 On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You have killed the people of the Lord."

42 Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.

43 Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting.

44 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,