Numbers 16:33

33 They and all that they had went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the congregation.

Numbers 16:33 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 16:33

They, and all that [appertained] unto them, went down alive
into the pit
The grave which the opening earth made for them, they and their families:

and the earth closed upon them;
and covered them over; this it did of itself, as Aben Ezra remarks: this was a wonderful instance of almighty power, that it should open in such large fissures as to swallow up such a number of men, with their tents, goods, and cattle, and then close again so firmly, as not to have the least appearance upon it of what had happened, as Josephus observes ^F26,

and they perished from among the congregation;
and had a name and a place no more with them.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F26 Antiqu. ut supra, (l. 4. c. 3.) sect. 3.

Numbers 16:33 In-Context

31 And it came to pass as he had made an end of speaking all these words that the ground broke open under them;

32 the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their houses and all the men of Korah and all their goods.

33 They and all that they had went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the congregation.

34 And all Israel, those that were round about them, fled at the cry of them, for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

35 And fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.