Deuteronomy 11:6
New International Version
and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth right in the middle of all Israel and swallowed them up with their households, their tents and every living thing that belonged to them.

New Living Translation
They didn’t see what he did to Dathan and Abiram (the sons of Eliab, a descendant of Reuben) when the earth opened its mouth in the Israelite camp and swallowed them, along with their households and tents and every living thing that belonged to them.

English Standard Version
and what he did to Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, son of Reuben, how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel.

Berean Standard Bible
and what He did in the midst of all the Israelites to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing that belonged to them.

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
and what He did to Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, their households, their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel—

New American Standard Bible
and what He did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, among all Israel—

NASB 1995
and what He did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, among all Israel—

NASB 1977
and what He did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, among all Israel—

Legacy Standard Bible
and what He did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, among all Israel—

Amplified Bible
and what He did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel.

Christian Standard Bible
and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when in the middle of the whole Israelite camp the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing with them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and what He did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when in the middle of the whole Israelite camp the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing with them.

American Standard Version
and what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; how the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel:

Contemporary English Version
And you saw how the LORD made the ground open up in the middle of our camp underneath the tents of Dathan and Abiram, who were swallowed up along with their families, their animals, and their tents.

English Revised Version
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 every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You also saw what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, from the tribe of Reuben. In the middle of all the Israelites the ground opened up and swallowed them, their families, their tents, and every living creature with them.

Good News Translation
You recall what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab of the tribe of Reuben. In the sight of everyone the earth opened up and swallowed them, along with their families, their tents, and all their servants and animals.

International Standard Version
and what he did to Eliab's sons Dathan and Abiram, descendants of Reuben, when the ground opened up and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing belonging to them in the full sight of Israel.

Majority Standard Bible
and what He did in the midst of all the Israelites to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing that belonged to them.

NET Bible
or what he did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth in the middle of the Israelite camp and swallowed them, their families, their tents, and all the property they brought with them.

New Heart English Bible
and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; how the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel:

Webster's Bible Translation
And what he did to 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:

World English Bible
and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben—how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the middle of all Israel;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and that which He has done to Dathan and to Abiram, sons of Eliab, sons of Reuben, when the earth has opened her mouth and swallows them, and their houses, and their tents, and all that lives which is at their feet, in the midst of all Israel—

Young's Literal Translation
and that which He hath done to Dathan, and to Abiram, sons of Eliab, sons of Reuben, when the earth hath opened her mouth and swalloweth them, and their houses, and their tents, and all that liveth, which is at their feet, in the midst of all Israel:

Smith's Literal Translation
And what he did to Dathan and to Abiram, sons of Eliab, son of Reuben; that the earth opened her mouth and she will swallow them down, and their houses, and their tents, and every living thing which is at their feet in the midst of all Israel:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And to Dathan and Abiron the sons of Eliab, who was the son of Ruben: whom the earth, opening her mouth swallowed up with their households and tents, and all their substance, which they had in the midst of Israel.

Catholic Public Domain Version
and to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, who was the son of Reuben, those whom the earth, opening its mouth, engulfed with their households and tents, and with their entire substance which they had in the midst of Israel.

New American Bible
and what he did to the Reubenites Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up out of the midst of Israel, with their families and tents and every living thing that belonged to them—

New Revised Standard Version
and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab son of Reuben, how in the midst of all Israel the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households, their tents, and every living being in their company;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; how the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their children and their tents and everything which they had, as they stood on their feet in the midst of all Israel;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the thing that He did to Dathan and to Abiram, sons of Eliab, son of Rubil, when the Earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, them and their children and their tents and everything that they had, who were standing on their feet among all Israel:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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 every living substance that followed them, in the midst of all Israel;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and all the things that he did to Dathan and Abiron the sons of Eliab the son of Ruben, whom the earth opening her mouth swallowed up, and their houses, and their tents, and all their substance that was with them, in the midst of all Israel:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Obedience and Discipline
5what He did for you in the wilderness until you reached this place; 6and what He did in the midst of all the Israelites to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing that belonged to them. 7For it is your own eyes that have seen every great work that the LORD has done.…

Cross References
Numbers 16:31-33
As soon as Moses had finished saying all this, the ground beneath them split open, / and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households—all Korah’s men and all their possessions. / They went down alive into Sheol with all they owned. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly.

Numbers 26:9-10
and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. It was Dathan and Abiram, chosen by the congregation, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron with the followers of Korah who rebelled against the LORD. / And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire consumed 250 men. They serve as a warning sign.

Psalm 106:17-18
The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it covered the assembly of Abiram. / Then fire blazed through their company; flames consumed the wicked.

Jude 1:11
Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.

1 Corinthians 10:10-11
And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. / Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

Hebrews 3:17-19
And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? / And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? / So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter.

Numbers 16:1-3
Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath son of Levi, along with some Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—conducted / a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 men of Israel renowned as leaders of the congregation and representatives in the assembly. / They came together against Moses and Aaron and told them, “You have taken too much upon yourselves! For everyone in the entire congregation is holy, and the LORD is in their midst. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”

Numbers 16:12-14
Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come! / Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness? Must you also appoint yourself as ruler over us? / Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes of these men? No, we will not come!”

Numbers 16:19-21
When Korah had gathered his whole assembly against them at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the glory of the LORD appeared to the whole congregation. / And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, / “Separate yourselves from this congregation so that I may consume them in an instant.”

Numbers 16:28-30
Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the LORD has sent me to do all these things, for it was not my own doing: / If these men die a natural death, or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. / But if the LORD brings about something unprecedented, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them and all that belongs to them so that they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have treated the LORD with contempt.”

Numbers 27:3
“Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among the followers of Korah who gathered together against the LORD. Instead, he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons.

Exodus 15:24
So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”

Exodus 17:2-3
So the people contended with Moses, “Give us water to drink.” “Why do you contend with me?” Moses replied. “Why do you test the LORD?” / But the people thirsted for water there, and they grumbled against Moses: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt—to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”

Psalm 95:8-11
do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, in the day at Massah in the wilderness, / where your fathers tested and tried Me, though they had seen My work. / For forty years I was angry with that generation, and I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known My ways.” ...

2 Peter 2:6
if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes as an example of what is coming on the ungodly;


Treasury of Scripture

And what he did to 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 middle of all Israel:

he did unto

Numbers 16:1,31-33
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: …

Numbers 26:9,10
And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD: …

Numbers 27:3
Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons.

substance.

Jump to Previous
Abiram Abi'ram Dathan Earth Eliab Households Israel Middle Midst Mouth Open Opened Possession Reuben Reubenite Right Substance Swallowed Tents Theirs
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Abiram Abi'ram Dathan Earth Eliab Households Israel Middle Midst Mouth Open Opened Possession Reuben Reubenite Right Substance Swallowed Tents Theirs
Deuteronomy 11
1. Another exhortation to obedience
2. by their own experience of God's great works
8. by promise of God's great blessings
16. and by threatenings
18. A careful study is required in God's words
26. The blessing and curse set before them














and what He did
This phrase emphasizes the direct action of God in the events described. The Hebrew root for "did" is "עָשָׂה" (asah), which means to do, make, or accomplish. This underscores God's sovereignty and active involvement in the affairs of His people. It serves as a reminder of His power and justice, reinforcing the idea that God is not passive but actively shapes history according to His divine will.

to Dathan and Abiram
Dathan and Abiram were leaders of a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, as detailed in Numbers 16. Their account is a cautionary tale about the dangers of pride and rebellion against God's appointed leaders. The mention of their names here serves as a historical reminder to the Israelites of the consequences of disobedience and the importance of respecting God's chosen authority.

the sons of Eliab the Reubenite
Eliab was a member of the tribe of Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob. The Reubenites had a significant position among the tribes of Israel, yet Dathan and Abiram's rebellion highlights that status does not exempt one from accountability to God. This phrase serves as a reminder that all are equal before God and subject to His laws, regardless of tribal affiliation or lineage.

when in the middle of all Israel
The public nature of the event is emphasized here. The phrase suggests that the judgment was not done in secret but was witnessed by the entire community. This public demonstration of God's judgment served as a powerful lesson to the Israelites about the seriousness of sin and the reality of divine justice. It was meant to instill a healthy fear of the Lord and encourage obedience among the people.

the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them
This vivid imagery of the earth opening and swallowing the rebels is a dramatic demonstration of God's power over creation. The Hebrew word for "swallowed" is "בָּלַע" (bala), which conveys the idea of engulfing or consuming. This act of divine intervention was a supernatural event that underscored God's ability to execute judgment in extraordinary ways, reinforcing His authority over life and death.

along with their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them
The comprehensive nature of the judgment is highlighted here. Not only were Dathan and Abiram punished, but their entire households and possessions were also consumed. This serves as a sobering reminder of the far-reaching consequences of sin, which can affect not only the individual but also their family and community. It underscores the importance of personal responsibility and the impact of one's actions on others.

(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,

Verse 6. - All the substance that was in their possession; literally, every living thing (Genesis 7:4, 23) that was at their feet, i.e. all their followers (cf. "all the people that follow, thee," Exodus 11:8; "all the men that appertained unto Korah," Numbers 16:32).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
and what
וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר (wa·’ă·šer)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

He did
עָשָׂ֜ה (‘ā·śāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

in the midst
בְּקֶ֖רֶב (bə·qe·reḇ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7130: The nearest part, the center

of all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the Israelites
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

to Dathan
לְדָתָ֣ן (lə·ḏā·ṯān)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1885: Dathan -- a Reubenite

and Abiram,
וְלַאֲבִירָ֗ם (wə·la·’ă·ḇî·rām)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 48: Abiram -- 'exalted father', an Israelite name

the sons
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Eliab
אֱלִיאָב֮ (’ĕ·lî·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 446: Eliab -- 'God is father', the name of several Israelites

the Reubenite,
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

when
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

the earth
הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

opened
פָּצְתָ֤ה (pā·ṣə·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6475: To rend, open

its mouth
פִּ֔יהָ (pî·hā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

and swallowed them,
וַתִּבְלָעֵ֥ם (wat·tiḇ·lā·‘êm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1104: To swallow down, swallow up, engulf

their households,
בָּתֵּיהֶ֖ם (bāt·tê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1004: A house

their tents,
אָהֳלֵיהֶ֑ם (’ā·ho·lê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 168: A tent

and every
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

living thing
הַיְקוּם֙ (hay·qūm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3351: Standing, a living thing

that belonged to them.
בְּרַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם (bə·raḡ·lê·hem)
Preposition-b | Noun - fdc | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7272: A foot, a step, the pudenda


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 11:6 And what he did to Dathan (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 11:5
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