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Psalms 106:17

17 The ground split open and swallowed Dathan. It buried Abiram's followers.

Psalms 106:17 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 106:17

The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan
One of the heads of the conspirators against Moses and Aaron; the earth clave asunder under him and his company; opened itself, or its mouth, and devoured them at once. This was a new, marvellous, and unheard of thing, and which manifestly showed the divine displeasure and resentment at their proceedings; and served greatly to confirm the authority and office of Moses and Aaron; see ( Numbers 16:30-33 ) .

And covered the company of Abiram;
another of the heads of the confederacy. Korah is not mentioned, though the earth swallowed up him and all that belonged to him, their houses and their goods; some think the reason is because it was well known that this was his case, when Dathan and Abiram are not so expressly mentioned in the history by Moses; as also because the sons of Korah were now in esteem as singers; nor is On the son of Peleth mentioned, because, as Kimchi says, he repented, and desisted from the conspiracy.

Psalms 106:17 In-Context

15 He gave them what they asked for. He [also] gave them a degenerative disease.
16 In the camp certain men became envious of Moses. They also became envious of Aaron, the LORD's holy one.
17 The ground split open and swallowed Dathan. It buried Abiram's followers.
18 A fire broke out among their followers. Flames burned up wicked people.
19 At Mount Horeb they made [a statue of] a calf. They worshiped an idol made of metal.
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