translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: NUM

label: NET textual note

text: The MT reading is plural (“the sons of Reuben”); the Smr and LXX have the singular (“the son of Reuben”).


label: NET translator note

text: In the Hebrew text there is no object for the verb “took.” The translation presented above supplies the word “men.” However, it is possible that the MT has suffered damage here. The LXX has “and he spoke.” The Syriac and Targum have “and he was divided.” The editor of BHS suggests that perhaps the MT should be emended to “and he arose.”


text: Heb “princes” (so KJV, ASV).


text: These men must have been counselors or judges of some kind.


text: Heb “men of name,” or “men of renown.”


text: The meaning of רַב־לָכֶם ( rab-lakhem ) is something like “you have assumed far too much authority.” It simply means “much to you,” perhaps “you have gone to far,” or “you are overreaching yourselves” (M. Noth, Numbers [OTL], 123). He is objecting to the exclusiveness of the system that Moses has been introducing.


text: Heb “fell on his face.”


text: Heb “him.”


text: Heb “his congregation” or “his community.” The expression is unusual, but what it signifies is that Korah had set up a rival “Israel” with himself as leader.


text: The verb is the Piel perfect. There is no imperfect tense before this, which makes the construction a little difficult. If the vav ( ו ) is classified as a consecutive, then the form would stand alone as an equivalent to the imperfect, and rendered as a modal nuance such as “would you [now] seek,” or as a progressive imperfect, “are you seeking.” This latter nuance can be obtained by treating it as a regular perfect tense, with an instantaneous nuance: “do you [now] seek.” sn Moses discerned correctly the real motivation for the rebellion. Korah wanted to be the high priest because he saw how much power there was in the spiritual leadership in Israel. He wanted something like a general election with himself as the candidate and his supporters promoting him. The great privilege of being a Levite and serving in the sanctuary was not enough for him – the status did not satisfy him. Korah gave no rebuttal. The test would be one of ministering with incense. This would bring them into direct proximity with the Lord . If God honored Korah as a ministering priest, then it would be settled. But Moses accuses them of rebellion against the Lord , because the Lord had chosen Aaron to be the priest.


text: Heb “Moses sent to summon.” The verb קָרָא ( qara ’) followed by the lamed ( ל ) preposition does not mean “call to” but “summon.” This is a command performance; for them to appear would be to submit to Moses’ authority. This they will not do.


text: The imperfect tense נַעֲלֶה ( na ’ aleh ) expresses their unwillingness to report: “we are not willing,” or “we will not.” The verb means “to go up.” It is used in the sense of appearing before an authority or a superior (see, e.g., Gen 46:31 ; Deut 25:7 ; Judg 4:5 ).


text: The question is rhetorical. It was not a small thing to them – it was a big thing.


text: The modern scholar who merely sees these words as belonging to an earlier tradition about going up to the land of Canaan that flows with milk and honey misses the irony here. What is happening is that the text is showing how twisted the thinking of the rebels is. They have turned things completely around. Egypt was the land flowing with milk and honey, not Canaan where they will die. The words of rebellion are seldom original, and always twisted.


text: The verb הִשְׂתָּרֵר ( histarer ) is the Hitpael infinitive absolute that emphasizes the preceding תִשְׂתָּרֵר ( tistarer ), the Hitpael imperfect tense (both forms having metathesis). The verb means “to rule; to act like a prince; to make oneself a prince.” This is the only occurrence of the reflexive for this verb. The exact nuance is difficult to translate into English. But they are accusing Moses of seizing princely power for himself, perhaps making a sarcastic reference to his former status in Egypt. The rebels here are telling Moses that they had discerned his scheme, and so he could not “hoodwink” them (cf. NEB).


text: Here אַף (’ af ) has the sense of “in addition.” It is not a common use.


text: Heb “will you bore out the eyes of these men?” The question is “Will you continue to mislead them?” (or “hoodwink” them). In Deut 16:19 it is used for taking a bribe; something like that kind of deception is intended here. They are simply stating that Moses is a deceiver who is misleading the people with false promises.


text: The verb means “to turn toward”; it is a figurative expression that means “to pay attention to” or “to have regard for.” So this is a prayer against Dathan and Abiram.


text: Heb “and take, a man, his censer.”


text: This verb and the following one are both perfect tenses with vav ( ו ) consecutives. Following the imperative they carry the same force, but in sequence.


text: This clause is clearly foundational for the clause that follows, the appearance of the Lord ; therefore it should be subordinated to the next as a temporal clause (one preterite followed by another preterite may be so subordinated).


text: The verb is הִבָּדְלוּ ( hibbadÿlu ), the Niphal imperative of בָּדַל ( badal ). This is the same word that was just used when Moses reminded the Levites that they had been separated from the community to serve the Lord .


text: The expression “the God of the spirits of all humanity [flesh]” is somewhat difficult. The Hebrew text says אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל־בָּשָׂר (’ elohey harukhot lÿkhol-basar ). This expression occurs in Num 27:16 again. It also occurs in some postbiblical texts, a fact which has prompted some scholars to conclude that it is a late addition. The words clearly show that Moses is interceding for the congregation. The appeal in the verse is that it is better for one man to die for the whole nation than the whole nation for one man (see also John 11:50 ).


text: The verb is the Qal imperfect יֶחֱטָא ( yekheta ’); it refers to the sinful rebellion of Korah, but Moses is stating something of a principle: “One man sins, and will you be angry….” A past tense translation would assume that this is a preterite use of the imperfect (without vav [ ו ] consecutive).


text: The motif of “going up” is still present; here the Hebrew text says “go up” (the Niphal imperative – “go up yourselves”) from their tents, meaning, move away from them.


text: Heb “rose up.”


text: The word רָשָׁע ( rasha ’) has the sense of a guilty criminal. The word “wicked” sometimes gives the wrong connotation. These men were opposing the Lord , and so were condemned as criminals – they were guilty. The idea of “wickedness” therefore applies in that sense.


text: The preposition bet ( בְּ ) in this line is causal – “on account of their sins.”


text: The verb נִצָּבִים ( nitsavim ) suggests a defiant stance, for the word is often used in the sense of taking a stand for or against something. It can also be somewhat neutral, having the sense of positioning oneself for a purpose.


text: Heb “in this.”


text: The Hebrew text simply has כִּי־לֹא מִלִּבִּי ( ki-lo ’ millibbi , “for not from my heart”). The heart is the center of the will, the place decisions are made (see H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament ). Moses is saying that the things he has done have not come “from the will of man” so to speak – and certainly not from some secret desire on his part to seize power.


text: Heb “if like the death of every man they die.”


text: The noun is פְּקֻדָּה ( pÿquddah , “appointment, visitation”). The expression refers to a natural death, parallel to the first expression.


text: The verb בָּרָא ( bara ’) is normally translated “create” in the Bible. More specifically it means to fashion or make or do something new and fresh. Here the verb is joined with its cognate accusative to underscore that this will be so different everyone will know it is of God.


text: The figures are personifications. But they vividly describe the catastrophe to follow – which was very much like a mouth swallowing them.


text: The word is “life” or “lifetime”; it certainly means their lives – they themselves. But the presence of this word suggest more. It is an accusative specifying the state of the subject – they will go down alive to Sheol.


text: The word “Sheol” in the Bible can be used four different ways: the grave, the realm of the departed [wicked] spirits or Hell, death in general, or a place of extreme danger (one that will lead to the grave if God does not intervene). The usage here is certainly the first, and very likely the second as well. A translation of “pit” would not be inappropriate. Since they will go down there alive, it is likely that they will sense the deprivation and the separation from the land above. See H. W. Robinson, Inspiration and Revelation in the Old Testament ; N. J. Tromp, Primitive Conceptions of Death and the Netherworld in the Old Testament (BibOr 21), 21-23; and A. Heidel, The Gilgamesh Epic, especially ch. .


text: The initial temporal clause is standard: It begins with the temporal indicator “and it was,” followed here by the Piel infinitive construct with the preposition and the subjective genitive suffix. “And it happened when he finished.”


text: The infinitive construct with the preposition lamed ( ל ) functions here as the direct object of the preceding infinitive. It tells what he finished.


text: Heb “all Israel.”


text: Heb “voice.”


text: Heb “lest.”


text: For a discussion of the fire of the Lord , see J. C. H. Laughlin, “The Strange Fire of Nadab and Abihu,” JBL 95 (1976): 559-65.


text: Heb “say to.”


text: The verb is the jussive with a vav ( ו ) coming after the imperative; it may be subordinated to form a purpose clause (“that he may pick up”) or the object of the imperative.


text: The Hebrew text just has “fire,” but it would be hard to conceive of this action apart from the idea of coals of fire.


text: The expression is “in/by/against their life.” That they sinned against their life means that they brought ruin to themselves.


text: The form is the perfect tense with vav ( ו ) consecutive . But there is no expressed subject for “and they shall make them,” and so it may be treated as a passive (“they shall [must] be made”).


text: Heb “from the seed of.”


text: Heb “hand.”


text: The temporal clause is constructed with the temporal indicator (“and it was”) followed by the Niphal infinitive construct and preposition.


text: The verse uses וְהִנֵּה ( vÿhinneh , “and behold”). This is the deictic particle – it is used to point things out, suddenly calling attention to them, as if the reader were there. The people turned to look toward the tent – and there is the cloud!


text: Heb “they fell on their faces.”


text: Heb “took.”


text: Or “had spoken” (NASB); NRSV “had ordered.”