Numbers 16:26
New International Version
He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.”

New Living Translation
“Quick!” he told the people. “Get away from the tents of these wicked men, and don’t touch anything that belongs to them. If you do, you will be destroyed for their sins.”

English Standard Version
And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins.”

Berean Standard Bible
And he warned the congregation, “Move away now from the tents of these wicked men. Do not touch anything that belongs to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.”

King James Bible
And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

New King James Version
And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.”

New American Standard Bible
and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Get away now from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin!”

NASB 1995
and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin.”

NASB 1977
and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, lest you be swept away in all their sin.”

Legacy Standard Bible
and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Turn aside now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, lest you be swept away in all their sin.”

Amplified Bible
And he said to the congregation, “Get away from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, or you will be swept away in all their sin.”

Christian Standard Bible
He warned the community, “Get away now from the tents of these wicked men. Don’t touch anything that belongs to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He warned the community, “Get away now from the tents of these wicked men. Don’t touch anything that belongs to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.”

American Standard Version
And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

Contemporary English Version
Then Moses warned the people, "Get away from the tents of these sinful men! Don't touch anything that belongs to them or you'll be wiped out."

English Revised Version
And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He said to the community, "Move away from the tents of these wicked men. Don't touch anything that belongs to them, or you'll be swept away because of all their sins."

Good News Translation
He said to the people, "Get away from the tents of these wicked men and don't touch anything that belongs to them. Otherwise, you will be wiped out with them for all their sins."

International Standard Version
Then he told the community, "Move away from the camps of these wicked men and don't touch anything that belongs to them. That way you won't be destroyed along with all their sins."

Majority Standard Bible
And he warned the congregation, “Move away now from the tents of these wicked men. Do not touch anything that belongs to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.”

NET Bible
And he said to the community, "Move away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything they have, lest you be destroyed because of all their sins."

New Heart English Bible
He spoke to the congregation, saying, "Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins."

Webster's Bible Translation
And he spoke to the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

World English Bible
He spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins!”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and he speaks to the congregation, saying, “Now turn aside from the tents of these wicked men, and do not come against anything that they have, lest you are consumed in all their sins.”

Young's Literal Translation
and he speaketh unto the company, saying, 'Turn aside, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and come not against anything that they have, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will speak to the assembly, saying, Remove, now, from the tents of these guilty men, and ye shall not touch upon any thing which is to them lest ye shall he destroyed in all their sin.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He said to the multitude: Depart from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be involved in their sins.

Catholic Public Domain Version
and he said to the crowd, “Withdraw from the tabernacles of these impious men, and touch nothing which pertains to them, lest you become involved in their sins.”

New American Bible
Then he spoke to the community, “Move away from the tents of these wicked men and do not touch anything that is theirs: otherwise you too will be swept away because of all their sins.”

New Revised Standard Version
He said to the congregation, “Turn away from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, or you will be swept away for all their sins.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he spoke to all the congregation and said to them, Depart from the tents of these sinful men and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in their sins.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he spoke with the whole assembly and he said to them: “Separate from the tents of these men who are sinners and you shall not touch anything that is theirs, that you will not be destroyed in their sins.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he spoke unto the congregation, saying: 'Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be swept away in all their sins.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he spoke to the congregation, saying, Separate yourselves from the tents of these stubborn men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, lest ye be consumed with them in all their sin.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Moses Separates the People
25So Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. 26And he warned the congregation, “Move away now from the tents of these wicked men. Do not touch anything that belongs to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.” 27So they moved away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Meanwhile, Dathan and Abiram had come out and stood at the entrances to their tents with their wives and children and infants.…

Cross References
2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”

Revelation 18:4
Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or contract any of her plagues.

Isaiah 52:11
Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing; come out from it, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.

2 Corinthians 6:17
“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

Psalm 1:1
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.

Proverbs 4:14-15
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. / Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.

Ephesians 5:11
Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

1 Timothy 5:22
Do not be too quick in the laying on of hands and thereby share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

Jeremiah 51:6
Flee from Babylon! Escape with your lives! Do not be destroyed in her punishment. For this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance; He will pay her what she deserves.

1 Corinthians 10:21
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too.

1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. / For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. / The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

2 Peter 2:9
if all this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.

Genesis 19:12-17
Then the two men said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here—a son-in-law, your sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, / because we are about to destroy this place. For the outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that He has sent us to destroy it.” / So Lot went out and spoke to the sons-in-law who were pledged in marriage to his daughters. “Get up,” he said. “Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking. ...

Joshua 7:13
Get up and consecrate the people, saying, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Among you, O Israel, there are things devoted to destruction. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.

Psalm 26:4-5
I do not sit with deceitful men, nor keep company with hypocrites. / I hate the mob of evildoers, and refuse to sit with the wicked.


Treasury of Scripture

And he spoke to the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of their's, lest you be consumed in all their sins.

depart, I pray you.

Leviticus 16:21-24
And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: …

Genesis 19:12-14
And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: …

Deuteronomy 13:17
And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers;

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Assembly Belonging Belongs Congregation Consumed Depart Evil Move Perish Punishment Sin Sins Swept Tents Theirs Touch Touching Warned Wicked
Numbers 16
1. The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram
23. Moses separates the people from the rebels' tents
31. The earth swallows up Korah, and a fire consumes others
36. The censers are reserved to holy use
41. 14,700 are slain by a plague, for murmuring against Moses and Aaron
46. Aaron by incense stays the plague














He warned the assembly
In this phrase, we see Moses taking on the role of a prophet and leader, issuing a warning to the people. The Hebrew root for "warned" is "אָמַר" (amar), which means to say or speak. This is not merely a casual statement but a solemn declaration. Moses, as God's appointed leader, is acting as the mouthpiece of divine instruction. Historically, leaders in Israel were often tasked with guiding the people back to God's commandments, and Moses' warning is a continuation of this tradition. The assembly, or "קָהָל" (qahal), refers to the gathered community of Israel, emphasizing the collective responsibility and unity of the people in adhering to God's commands.

Move back from the tents of these wicked men!
The command to "move back" is a call for physical and spiritual separation. The Hebrew word "סוּר" (sur) means to turn aside or depart. This is a directive to distance oneself from sin and its consequences. The "tents" symbolize the dwelling places and, by extension, the lives and actions of the "wicked men," who are identified as Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. The term "wicked" is derived from the Hebrew "רָשָׁע" (rasha), indicating those who are guilty or in rebellion against God. This phrase underscores the biblical principle of holiness, which requires separation from sin and those who practice it. Archaeologically, tents were the primary dwelling structures during the Israelites' wilderness journey, representing both physical and spiritual domains.

Do not touch anything that belongs to them
The instruction "do not touch" is a prohibition against any form of association or contamination. The Hebrew "נָגַע" (naga) means to touch or strike, implying that even the slightest contact with the accursed could lead to defilement. This reflects the biblical concept of purity, where contact with the unclean renders one unclean. The phrase "anything that belongs to them" highlights the totality of the separation required. Historically, this command echoes the broader biblical narrative where God's people are called to be distinct and set apart from the practices and possessions of those who oppose Him.

or you will be swept away because of all their sins
The consequence of disobedience is to be "swept away," a phrase that conveys complete destruction or removal. The Hebrew "סָפָה" (saphah) means to consume or destroy. This is a stark warning of the judgment that befalls those who align themselves with rebellion against God. The phrase "because of all their sins" points to the cumulative nature of sin and its inevitable judgment. The Hebrew "חֵטְא" (chet) refers to offenses or transgressions against God's law. Scripturally, this serves as a reminder of the seriousness of sin and the importance of obedience to God's commands. The historical context of this passage, set during the wilderness wanderings, illustrates the constant tension between faithfulness to God and the temptation to rebel, a theme that resonates throughout the biblical narrative.

Verse 26. - Touch nothing of theirs. Because they, and all that belonged to them, were anathema, devoted to destruction. Compare the case of Achan (Joshua 7:1).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And he warned
וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר (way·ḏab·bêr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

the congregation,
הָעֵדָ֜ה (hā·‘ê·ḏāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5712: A stated assemblage

“Move away
ס֣וּרוּ (sū·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

now
נָ֡א (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then'

from
מֵעַל֩ (mê·‘al)
Preposition-m
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the tents
אָהֳלֵ֨י (’ā·ho·lê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 168: A tent

of these
הָאֵ֔לֶּה (hā·’êl·leh)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

wicked
הָֽרְשָׁעִים֙ (hā·rə·šā·‘îm)
Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person

men.
הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים (hā·’ă·nā·šîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

Do not
וְאַֽל־ (wə·’al-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

touch
תִּגְּע֖וּ (tig·gə·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5060: To touch, lay the hand upon, to reach, violently, to strike

anything
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

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

or
פֶּן־ (pen-)
Conjunction
Strong's 6435: Removal, lest

you will be swept away
תִּסָּפ֖וּ (tis·sā·p̄ū)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5595: To sweep or snatch away, catch up

because of all
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

their sins.”
חַטֹּאתָֽם׃ (ḥaṭ·ṭō·ṯām)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2403: An offence, its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, expiation, an offender


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OT Law: Numbers 16:26 He spoke to the congregation saying Depart (Nu Num.)
Numbers 16:25
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