Numbers 16:4
New International Version
When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.

New Living Translation
When Moses heard what they were saying, he fell face down on the ground.

English Standard Version
When Moses heard it, he fell on his face,

Berean Standard Bible
When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.

King James Bible
And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:

New King James Version
So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face;

New American Standard Bible
When Moses heard this, he fell on his face;

NASB 1995
When Moses heard this, he fell on his face;

NASB 1977
When Moses heard this, he fell on his face;

Legacy Standard Bible
And Moses heard this and fell on his face;

Amplified Bible
And when Moses heard this, he fell face downward;

Christian Standard Bible
When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.

American Standard Version
And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:

Contemporary English Version
When Moses heard this, he knelt down to pray.

English Revised Version
And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
As soon as Moses heard this, he bowed with his face touching the ground.

Good News Translation
When Moses heard this, he threw himself on the ground and prayed.

International Standard Version
When Moses heard this, he fell on his face.

Majority Standard Bible
When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.

NET Bible
When Moses heard it he fell down with his face to the ground.

New Heart English Bible
When Moses heard it, he fell on his face:

Webster's Bible Translation
And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:

World English Bible
When Moses heard it, he fell on his face.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Moses hears, and falls on his face,

Young's Literal Translation
And Moses heareth, and falleth on his face,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Moses will hear, and will fall upon his face:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
When Moses heard this, he fell flat on his face:

Catholic Public Domain Version
When Moses had heard this, he fell prone on his face.

New American Bible
When Moses heard this, he fell prostrate.

New Revised Standard Version
When Moses heard it, he fell on his face.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Moshe heard and he fell on his face.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And when Moses heard it, he fell on his face.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Korah's Rebellion
3They 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?” 4When Moses heard this, he fell facedown. 5Then he said to Korah and all his followers, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will reveal who belongs to Him and who is holy, and He will bring that person near to Himself. The one He chooses, He will bring near to Himself.…

Cross References
Exodus 14:15-16
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. / And as for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.

Exodus 32:19-20
As Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he burned with anger and threw the tablets out of his hands, shattering them at the base of the mountain. / Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, and scattered the powder over the face of the water. Then he forced the Israelites to drink it.

Leviticus 9:24
Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.

Deuteronomy 9:18-19
Then I fell down before the LORD for forty days and forty nights, as I had done the first time. I did not eat bread or drink water because of all the sin you had committed in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD and provoking Him to anger. / For I was afraid of the anger and wrath that the LORD had directed against you, enough to destroy you. But the LORD listened to me this time as well.

1 Samuel 15:11
“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all that night.

1 Kings 18:39
When all the people saw this, they fell facedown and said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”

2 Kings 19:1
On hearing this report, King Hezekiah tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and entered the house of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 20:18
Then Jehoshaphat bowed facedown, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him.

Nehemiah 8:6
Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted, all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Psalm 95:6
O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.

Isaiah 37:1
On hearing this report, King Hezekiah tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and entered the house of the LORD.

Ezekiel 9:8
While they were killing, I was left alone. And I fell facedown and cried out, “Oh, Lord GOD, when You pour out Your wrath on Jerusalem, will You destroy the entire remnant of Israel?”

Matthew 26:39
Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Mark 14:35
Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour would pass from Him.

Luke 22:41
And He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, where He knelt down and prayed,


Treasury of Scripture

And when Moses heard it, he fell on his face:

Numbers 16:45
Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

Numbers 14:5
Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

Numbers 20:6
And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them.

Jump to Previous
Heard Heareth Hearing
Jump to Next
Heard Heareth Hearing
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














When Moses heard this
Moses, as the leader of the Israelites, was often the recipient of complaints and challenges. In this context, "this" refers to the rebellion led by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram against Moses' leadership and Aaron's priesthood. This rebellion is significant as it represents a direct challenge to God's appointed leaders. The Israelites were in the wilderness, a time of testing and reliance on God's guidance. Moses' role as a mediator between God and the people is crucial, and this rebellion threatens the order established by God.

he fell facedown
Falling facedown is a posture of humility, submission, and prayer. It indicates Moses' immediate response to seek God's guidance and intervention. This act is consistent with Moses' character as a humble leader who often intercedes for the people (Exodus 32:11-14, Numbers 14:13-19). In the ancient Near Eastern culture, prostration was a common expression of reverence and supplication, especially in the presence of a deity or a king. Moses' action here can be seen as an appeal to God for wisdom and judgment in dealing with the rebellion. This posture also prefigures Christ's humility and submission to the Father's will, as seen in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to lead His people out of Egypt and through the wilderness. In this passage, Moses is confronted with a rebellion led by Korah.

2. Korah
A Levite who led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, challenging their leadership and the authority God had given them.

3. Israelites
The people of God, who were journeying through the wilderness to the Promised Land. They often struggled with obedience and faithfulness to God.

4. The Tabernacle
The dwelling place of God among His people, where Moses often went to seek God's guidance and presence.

5. Rebellion
The event in which Korah, along with Dathan, Abiram, and others, challenged the leadership of Moses and Aaron, questioning their authority and God's chosen order.
Teaching Points
Humility in Leadership
Moses' response to fall facedown demonstrates humility and dependence on God in the face of opposition. Leaders today should seek God's guidance and remain humble, especially when challenged.

The Danger of Rebellion
Korah's rebellion serves as a warning against challenging God's established order. Believers should be cautious of pride and the temptation to usurp authority.

Seeking God's Will
In times of conflict, turning to God in prayer and seeking His will is crucial. Moses' immediate response was to seek God, setting an example for us to follow.

Respect for God-Ordained Authority
The passage underscores the importance of respecting those whom God has placed in leadership positions, recognizing that they are accountable to God.

The Role of Intercession
Moses' actions can be seen as intercessory, standing in the gap for the people. Believers are called to intercede for others, especially in times of conflict and rebellion.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When Moses
מֹשֶׁ֔ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

heard this,
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע (way·yiš·ma‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

he fell
וַיִּפֹּ֖ל (way·yip·pōl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

facedown.
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against


Links
Numbers 16:4 NIV
Numbers 16:4 NLT
Numbers 16:4 ESV
Numbers 16:4 NASB
Numbers 16:4 KJV

Numbers 16:4 BibleApps.com
Numbers 16:4 Biblia Paralela
Numbers 16:4 Chinese Bible
Numbers 16:4 French Bible
Numbers 16:4 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Numbers 16:4 When Moses heard it he fell (Nu Num.)
Numbers 16:3
Top of Page
Top of Page