Numbers 16:30

30 but if the Lord doeth a new thing, that the earth open his mouth, and swallow them, and all things that pertain to them, and they go down quick into hell, ye shall know that they blasphemed the Lord. (but if the Lord doeth a new thing, yea, and the earth open its mouth, and swallow them, and all things that pertain to them, and they go down alive into hell, or to Sheol, then ye shall know that they blasphemed against the Lord.)

Numbers 16:30 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 16:30

But if the Lord make a new thing
Or "create a creation", or "creature" ^F19, what never was before, or put those persons to a death that none ever in the world died of yet; what that is he means is next expressed:

and the earth open her mouth and swallow them up, with all that
[appertain] unto them;
their persons, their wives, children and substance:

and they go down quick into the pit;
alive into the grave the opening earth makes for them; this is the new thing created; though the Rabbins say ^F20, the mouth of the earth, or the opening of the earth, was created from the days of the creation, that is, it was determined or decreed so early that it should be:

then ye shall understated that these men have provoked the Lord;
by rising up against Moses and Aaron, and so against the Lord; by falsely accusing his servants, and endeavouring to set the people against them, and so alter the constitution of things in church and state.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 (arby hayrb) "creationem, creaverit", Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Fagius; "creaturam", Vatablus, Drusius.
F20 Pirke Abot, c. 5. sect. 6. Pirke Eliezer, c. 19.

Numbers 16:30 In-Context

28 And Moses said, In this ye shall know that the Lord sent me, that I should do all things which ye see, and that I brought them not forth of mine own heart. (And Moses said, By this ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me, to do all these things which ye see, and that I did not bring them forth from my own heart.)

29 If they perish by customable death of men, and wound, either pestilence, visit them, by which also other men be wont to be visited, the Lord sent not me; (If these men die by the customary deaths of people, or if a wound, or a pestilence, visit them, by which other people be wont to be visited, then the Lord did not send me;)

30 but if the Lord doeth a new thing, that the earth open his mouth, and swallow them, and all things that pertain to them, and they go down quick into hell, ye shall know that they blasphemed the Lord. (but if the Lord doeth a new thing, yea, and the earth open its mouth, and swallow them, and all things that pertain to them, and they go down alive into hell, or to Sheol, then ye shall know that they blasphemed against the Lord.)

31 Therefore anon as he ceased to speak, the earth was broken under their feet, (And so as soon as he ceased to speak, the ground broke up under their feet,)

32 and the earth opened his mouth, and devoured them, with their tabernacles, and all their chattel; (and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them, and their tents, and all their possessions;)