Deuteronomy 11:6

6 and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab son of Reuben, how in the midst of all Israel the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households, their tents, and every living being in their company;

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 what he did to the Egyptian army, to their horses and chariots, how he made the water of the Red Sea flow over them as they pursued you, so that the Lord has destroyed them to this day;
5 what he did to you in the wilderness, until you came to this place;
6 and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab son of Reuben, how in the midst of all Israel the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households, their tents, and every living being in their company;
7 for it is your own eyes that have seen every great deed that the Lord did.
8 Keep, then, this entire commandment that I am commanding you today, so that you may have strength to go in and occupy the land that you are crossing over to occupy,
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.