Deuteronomy 11:6

Deu 11:6 And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that [was] in their possession, in the midst of all Israel:

Ver. 6. Dathan and Abiram.] Who were Reubenites; and therefore discontented, say the Jewish doctors, because the birthright was taken from Reuben, for his incest, and given to Judah and Joseph. Korah is here, though not mentioned yet, neither excluded nor excused.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Deu_11:6

And what He did unto Dathan and Abiram.

The spirit of revolution

Moses recalls the revolt against his authority in the wilderness. It took place in conjunction with the revolt of Korah (Num_17:1-13). The point which Moses emphasises is the revolt against Divinely constituted authority, and the result thereof. At the head of the civil rebellion were the sons of Reuben, Dathan and Abiram. As descendants of the first-born of Israel they grudged Moses his lofty position. They allied themselves with the Levitical revolt, and under the cloak of asserting the universal priesthood of the people (Num_16:3) led many to follow them into the vortex of revolution. This insurrection against the Divinely ordered religious and political order threatened the very existence of Israel. God therefore visited the rebels with special Divine judgment, and the nation was saved. This episode in Israels history gives us a glimpse of the motives which underlie most revolutionary movements. In these--

I. Vice decks herself in the appearance of virtue.

1. The revolutionaries profess ardent desires for the commonweal, for freedom--to save the enslaved community, etc. Liberty, equality, etc., is their cry, war against tyranny and oppression. They seek to play the role of unselfish friends of the people.

2. But in their depths such movements are mostly dominated by selfishness. In the revolt here referred to Korah was simply an ambitious Levite, hypocritical and selfish. The Reubenites were moved by tribal ambition. Selfishness, ambition, special interests were the moving springs of this as of other revolutions.

3. The revolution of Dathan and Abiram took its rise first on an ecclesiastical ground; but the political movement was not far behind the ecclesiastical. Men with widely differing opinions joined in opposing constituted authority. The cry for illumination is speedily followed by that for so-called freedom.

4. Revolution is not accompanied by penitence. It never seeks the ground of its complaints in the faults of the people themselves.

5. Most revolutions are dominated by some phrase or party cry. Here it was: All the people are holy. The power of the partial truth in it lay in Gods Word: Ye shall be to Me . . . an holy nation. But God had appointed leaders in Church and State, therefore it was against His authority Dathan and Abiram rebelled.

II. The prophetic significance of this typical event.

1. The deepest fulfilment lies in the future--in the days of antichrist. Then the political and ecclesiastical order will be overturned--when antichrist comes offering promise of deliverance from all ecclesiastical and political ills.

2. But the punishment meted out to Dathan and Abiram with their fellow rebels shall fall more fiercely on antichrist (Rev_19:20).

3. A veil, however, overhangs this future. Still there are experiences in history which prepare us to understand what shall be. The French Revolution is a striking example. It was not merely a revolt of ruled against rulers. It was first a spiritual revolution. Scepticism had loosened religious authority, and the political crisis speedily followed, as in the rebellion of Korah. So in France ambitious leaders shrieked of liberty, etc. The whole foundations of order were overturned. Then from the Revolution rose one who had no law but his own will. He trod men under his feet; for twenty-five years the storm raged. Here was a faint experience of what will be in the times of antichrist. A respite has been given; but he who has eyes may conceive somewhat of the trend of that great future revolt.

III. What shall we do in view of what is coming?

1. Let us ask, guided by Gods Word, what revolts in Church and State will lead to. What is the meaning of much of so-called progress and freedom? If the Son shall make you free, etc. (Joh_8:36). What is culture if not found in Christs Gospel?--this is the only culture of eternal worth. Modern progress does not always mean progress in righteousness.

2. Do not let the hollow phrases of the modern age influence us. In Gods Word the madness of rebellion, its falseness and hypocrisy are seen, and its terrible end. The way of righteousness is conformity to the Divine order. The sin of participation in rebellion must be shunned. Those who stand on the side of revolution, of the antichristian age, or (in the future) of antichrist, lay themselves open to the punishment of the rebellious Reubenites. (W. Grashoff.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11:6 Dathan and Abiram: See Num 16:1-40. In the Lord’s administration of his kingdom, he established levels of authority and command that were not to be transgressed. Because the Lord had appointed Moses and Aaron as leaders, the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram against Moses was the same as rebellion against God’s sovereign rule.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Hebrew, was at their feet.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 6. What he did unto Dathan, &c.] See the notes on Nu 16:24-33.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(6) What he did unto Dathan and Abiram. . . .—See Numbers 16. It is impossible to separate the rebellion of Korah from that of Dathan and Abiram, and seeing that the whole point of Korah’s rebellion was the priesthood, it is difficult to see how the writer of Deuteronomy could be ignorant of any priesthood save that of the whole tribe of Levi. The object of Koran’s rebellion was to abolish the distinction between a Kohathite and a priest,

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6. what he did unto Dathan and Abiram] The severity of God’s discipline was not only shown to Israel’s enemies, but in the midst of all Israel to rebellious Israelites. Without such a recollection, the description of that discipline, especially in view of the alarm it was fitted to inspire, would not be complete. This answers Steuern.’s argument that the verse is secondary, on the grounds that there was no reason to mention specially this one out of all the divine punishments inflicted on Israel, and that with the phrase in the midst of all Israel the people are not directly addressed, and that the form of the discourse is thus broken. On the contrary, as shown above, the phrase suits the speaker’s purpose, cp. Deu_17:4; Deu_17:7, Deu_23:16 (17). The event is described in Numbers 16, a passage compounded of JE and P (see Numbers in this series). This verse partly repeats the phraseology of JE, with some variations (e.g. a different verb for opened), cp. Num_16:1 b, Num_16:26-27 b (tents), Num_16:30 (all that appertained unto them), Num_16:32 a. And, like JE, D mentions Dathan and Abiram alone as the victims of the judgement. Instead of them P mentions Korah. This is another illustration of the consistency with which D follows JE, and was either ignorant of, or deliberately ignored P. It is interesting that Sam. adds to D’s statement ‘and all the men belonging to Korah.’

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which he did; Even all before related, with many others; and therefore the instruction they should learn from thence should be as follows.

But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which he did; Even all before related, with many others; and therefore the instruction they should learn from thence should be as follows.

Deuteronomy 11:8

deu 11:8

deu 11:8

deu 11:8Therefore shall you keep all the commandments which I command you this day,.... For the reasons before suggested, as well as for what follow:

that ye may be strong; healthful in body, and courageous in mind, for sin tends to weaken both; whereas observance of the commands of God contributes to the health and strength of the body, and the rigour of the mind; both which were necessary to the present expedition they were going upon:

and go in and possess the land whither ye go to possess it; the land of Canaan, they were marching towards in order to possess it; and nothing would more inspire them with courage, and cause them to enter it manfully without fear of their enemies, than obedience to the commands of God; whose presence being promised them on that account, they might expect it, and so had nothing to fear from the inhabitants of the land.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

See the margin. literally, “every living thing at their feet.” The expression does not mean their goods, which would be included in their “households and tents,” but their followers Num 16:32.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

In their possession, Heb. at their feet, i.e. under their power, Psa 8:6, which followed them, or belonged to them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

6. What he did unto Dathan and Abiram — Korah is not here mentioned, though in Numbers xvi the destruction of Korah and his company is recorded as well as that of Dathan and Abiram. Keil suggests that Korah is omitted out of regard to the feelings of his kindred who were then living. Another suggestion to account for the omission is that the rebellion was sufficiently characterized by the two names Dathan and Abiram. There is the same omission of Korah in Psa_106:17 : “The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.” Moses is not giving a full history of the misdeeds of the people. Nor does he mention all the rebellions. He is not writing as an annalist, he is talking as a prophet, and he introduces the historical incidents to add force to his admonitions.

The substance… in their possession — Literally, the living thing which was at their feet. Undoubtedly it means all their servants. In Num_16:32, all the men that belonged to Korah is the correct rendering of the Hebrew expression, and is analogous to this.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

All the substance that was in their possession; literally, every living thing (Gen_7:4, Gen_7:23) that was at their feet, i.e. all their followers. (cf. "all the people that follow, thee," Exo_11:8; "all the men that appertained unto Korah,". Num_16:32)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

Moses continues to remind the adults to teach their children God's mighty deeds.

Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab

Moses is referring to an event in the past when Dathan and Abiram rebelled against Moses and Aaron. The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Dathan ... Abiram ... Eliab

These are names of men. (See: How to Translate Names)

son of Reuben

"descendant of Reuben"

earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up

Yahweh causing the land to split open so that the people fell in is spoken of as if the land had a mouth and the ability to swallow people. (See: Personification)

every living thing that followed them

This refers to their servants and animals.

in the middle of all Israel

This means all the people of Israel witnessed what happened to Dathan, Abiram, their families, and their possessions.

But your eyes have seen

Here "eyes" represents the whole person. AT: "But you have seen" (See: Synecdoche)

translationWords

Yahweh

Reuben

earth

household

tent

life

Israel

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

בקרב כל ישראל [AND THE EARTH SWALLOWED THEM UP] IN THE MIDST OF ALL ISRAEL — Wherever one of them fled the earth was riven beneath him and swallowed him up. This is the view of R. Judah. Rabbi Nehemiah said to him: But is it not already stated, (Numbers 16:32) “And the earth opened its mouth”, and it does not state “its mouths”? Whereupon he (R. Judah) asked him: “But how, then, can I explain the words: “in the midst of all Israel” (if there was but one spot at which they were swallowed up, as you suggest Scripture states by the word פיה, “its mouth”)? He replied to him: you can reconcile the two texts by assuming that the earth became a declivity, — something like a funnel, — and wherever it was that one of them happened to be, he rolled down until he reached the place where the fissure was (cf. Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 752).

ואת כל היקום אשר ברגליהם AND ALL THE SUBSTANCE THAT WAS AT THEIR FEET — This means a man’s money, that places him on his feet (Sanhedrin 110a).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

He mentions and what He did unto Dathan and A biram, but did not mention of Korach and his company that a fire came forth from before the Eternal and consumed them, because it is a prohibition of the Torah for a stranger [non-priest] to approach [the Sanctuary] to burn incense, such a transgressor being punished in all future generations, as happened also to King Uzziah; therefore he did not enumerate it among the signs in the wilderness.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.