Numbers 16:4

4 When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.

Numbers 16:4 in Other Translations

4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:

4 When Moses heard it, he fell on his face,

4 When Moses heard what they were saying, he fell face down on the ground.

4 On hearing this, Moses threw himself facedown on the ground.

4 When Moses heard [this], he fell facedown.

Numbers 16:4 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 16:4

And when Moses heard [it]
What they said, their complaint against him, for setting up Aaron for an high priest, and against Aaron for taking this honour to himself:

he fell upon his face;
through shame, as the Targum of Jonathan, blushing at their sin, in opposing the ordinance of God; and through fear of the divine displeasure, and of the wrath of God coming upon them for such wickedness; and in order to pray to God for them to make them sensible of their sin, and give them repentance for it, and pardon of it, and avert his judgments from them such a conduct called aloud for.

Numbers 16:4 In-Context

2 and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.

3 They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD’s assembly?”

4 When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.

5 Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the LORD will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him. The man he chooses he will cause to come near him.

6 You, Korah, and all your followers are to do this: Take censers

Cross References

• 1. Numbers 14:5