Numbers

Numbers 16:30–35

³⁰But 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.”

³¹As soon as Moses had finished saying all this, the ground beneath them split open, ³²and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households — all Korah’s men and all their possessions. ³³They went down alive into Sheol with all they owned. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly.

³⁴At their cries, all the people of Israel who were around them fled, saying, “The earth may swallow us too!” ³⁵And fire came forth from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.

Read all of Numbers 16

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Numbers 16:30

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But if	וְאִם־	wə·’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
the LORD	יְהוָ֗ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
brings about	יִבְרָ֣א	yiḇ·rā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1254 shape, create
something unprecedented	בְּרִיאָ֞ה	bə·rî·’āh	Noun - feminine singular	H1278 a creation, thing created
and the earth	הָאֲדָמָ֤ה	hā·’ă·ḏā·māh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H127 ground, land
opens	וּפָצְתָ֨ה	ū·p̄ā·ṣə·ṯāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H6475 part, open
its mouth	פִּ֙יהָ֙	pî·hā	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H6310 mouth
and swallows	וּבָלְעָ֤ה	ū·ḇā·lə·‘āh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H1104 swallow down, swallow up, engulf
them	אֹתָם֙	’ō·ṯām	Direct object marker; third person masculine plural	H853 mark of the accusative
and	וְאֶת־	wə·’eṯ-	Conjunctive waw; Direct object marker	H853 mark of the accusative
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
that	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
belongs to them	לָהֶ֔ם	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
so that they go down	וְיָרְד֥וּ	wə·yā·rə·ḏū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H3381 come or go down, descend
alive	חַיִּ֖ים	ḥay·yîm	Noun - masculine plural	H2416 alive, living
into Sheol	שְׁאֹ֑לָה	šə·’ō·lāh	Noun - common singular; third person feminine singular	H7585 underworld
then you will know	וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם	wî·ḏa‘·tem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural	H3045 know
that	כִּ֧י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
these	הָאֵ֖לֶּה	hā·’êl·leh	Article; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
men	הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים	hā·’ă·nā·šîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H582 man, mankind
have treated	נִֽאֲצ֛וּ	ni·’ă·ṣū	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural	H5006 contemn, spurn
the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh

Numbers 16:31

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
As soon as	כְּכַלֹּת֔וֹ	kə·ḵal·lō·ṯōw	Preposition-k; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H3615 be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent
saying	לְדַבֵּ֕ר	lə·ḏab·bêr	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H1696 speak
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
this	הָאֵ֑לֶּה	hā·’êl·leh	Article; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
the ground	הָאֲדָמָ֖ה	hā·’ă·ḏā·māh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H127 ground, land
beneath them	תַּחְתֵּיהֶֽם׃	taḥ·tê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H8478 the under part
split open	וַתִּבָּקַ֥ע	wat·tib·bā·qa‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H1234 cleave, break open or through

Numbers 16:32

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
and the earth	הָאָ֙רֶץ֙	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
opened	וַתִּפְתַּ֤ח	wat·tip̄·taḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H6605 open
its mouth	פִּ֔יהָ	pî·hā	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H6310 mouth
and swallowed	וַתִּבְלַ֥ע	wat·tiḇ·la‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H1104 swallow down, swallow up, engulf
them	אֹתָ֖ם	’ō·ṯām	Direct object marker; third person masculine plural	H853 mark of the accusative
and	וְאֶת־	wə·’eṯ-	Conjunctive waw; Direct object marker	H853 mark of the accusative
their households	בָּתֵּיהֶ֑ם	bāt·tê·hem	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H1004 house
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
Korah’s	לְקֹ֔רַח	lə·qō·raḥ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7141 Korach
men	הָאָדָם֙	hā·’ā·ḏām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
and all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
their possessions	הָרֲכֽוּשׁ׃	hā·ră·ḵūš	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7399 property, goods

Numbers 16:33

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They	הֵ֣ם	hêm	Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
went down	וַיֵּ֨רְד֜וּ	way·yê·rə·ḏū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3381 come or go down, descend
alive	חַיִּ֖ים	ḥay·yîm	Noun - masculine plural	H2416 alive, living
into Sheol	שְׁאֹ֑לָה	šə·’ō·lāh	Noun - common singular; third person feminine singular	H7585 underworld
with all	וְכָל־	wə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
they owned	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
The earth	הָאָ֔רֶץ	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
closed	וַתְּכַ֤ס	wat·tə·ḵas	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3680 cover
over them	עֲלֵיהֶם֙	‘ă·lê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H5921 height
and they vanished	וַיֹּאבְד֖וּ	way·yō·ḇə·ḏū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6 perish
from	מִתּ֥וֹךְ	mit·tō·wḵ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H8432 midst
the assembly	הַקָּהָֽל׃	haq·qā·hāl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6951 assembly, convocation, congregation

Numbers 16:34

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
At their cries	לְקֹלָ֑ם	lə·qō·lām	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H6963 sound, voice
all	וְכָל־	wə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the people of Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
who	אֲשֶׁ֛ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
around them	סְבִיבֹתֵיהֶ֖ם	sə·ḇî·ḇō·ṯê·hem	Adverb; third person masculine plural	H5439 circuit, round about
fled	נָ֣סוּ	nā·sū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H5127 flee, escape
saying	אָֽמְר֔וּ	’ā·mə·rū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H559 utter, say
The earth	הָאָֽרֶץ׃	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
may	פֶּן־	pen-	Conjunction	H6435 lest
swallow us too	תִּבְלָעֵ֖נוּ	tiḇ·lā·‘ê·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular; first person common plural	H1104 swallow down, swallow up, engulf

Numbers 16:35

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And fire	וְאֵ֥שׁ	wə·’êš	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H784 fire
came forth	יָצְאָ֖ה	yā·ṣə·’āh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H3318 go or come out
from the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
and consumed	וַתֹּ֗אכַל	wat·tō·ḵal	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H398 eat
the 250	הַחֲמִשִּׁ֤ים	ha·ḥă·miš·šîm	Article; Number - common plural	H2572 fifty
men	אִ֔ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
who were offering	מַקְרִיבֵ֖י	maq·rî·ḇê	Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural construct	H7126 come near, approach
the incense	הַקְּטֹֽרֶת׃פ	haq·qə·ṭō·reṯ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H7004 smoke, odour of (burning) sacrifice, incense