Numbers 16:34 At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, "The earth is going to swallow us too!"

◄ Numbers 16:34 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, "The earth is going to swallow us too!"

English Standard Version
And all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!”

New American Standard Bible
All Israel who were around them fled at their outcry, for they said, "The earth may swallow us up!"

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

Holman Christian Standard Bible
At their cries, all the people of Israel who were around them fled because they thought, "The earth may swallow us too!"

International Standard Version
Then all of the Israelis who were around them ran away when they heard them crying, "�so the ground won't swallow us up, too."

American Standard Version
And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them; for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But all Israel, that was standing round about, fled at the cry of them that were perishing: saying: Lest perhaps the earth swallow us up also.

Darby Bible Translation
And all Israel that were round about them fled at their cry; for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up!

Young's Literal Translation
and all Israel who are round about them have fled at their voice, for they said, 'Lest the earth swallow us;'

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

16:23-34 The seventy elders of Israel attend Moses. It is our duty to do what we can to countenance and support lawful authority when it is opposed. And those who would not perish with sinners, must come out from among them, and be separate. It was in answer to the prayer of Moses, that God stirred up the hearts of the congregation to remove for their own safety. Grace to separate from evil-doers is one of the things that accompany salvation. God, in justice, left the rebels to the obstinacy and hardness of their own hearts. Moses, by Divine direction, when all Israel were waiting the event, declares that if the rebels die a common death, he will be content to be called and counted an imposter. As soon as Moses had spoken the word, God caused the earth to open and swallow them all up. The children perished with their parents; in which, though we cannot tell how bad they might be to deserve it, or how good God might be otherwise to them; yet of this we are sure, that Infinite Justice did them no wrong. It was altogether miraculous. God has, when he pleases, strange punishments for the workers of iniquity. It was very significant. Considering how the earth is still in like manner loaded with the weight of man's sins, we have reason to wonder that it does not now sink under its load. The ruin of others should be our warning. Could we, by faith, hear the outcries of those that are gone down to the bottomless pit, we should give more diligence than we do to escape for our lives, lest we also come into their condemnation.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

28-34. Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works—The awful catastrophe of the earthquake which, as predicted by Moses, swallowed up those impious rebels in a living tomb, gave the divine attestation to the mission of Moses and struck the spectators with solemn awe.