Charles Ellicott Commentary Numbers 26:10

Charles Ellicott Commentary

Numbers 26:10

1819–1905
Anglican
Charles Ellicott
Charles Ellicott

Charles Ellicott Commentary

Numbers 26:10

1819–1905
Anglican
SCRIPTURE

"and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died; what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men, and they became a sign." — Numbers 26:10 (ASV)

And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah ... Hebrew, and Korah. It would appear from this verse that Korah perished in the earthquake with Dathan and Abiram.

The Samaritan Pentateuch, however, has a different reading here. It transposes the words "and Korah," and combines them with the words "and the two hundred and fifty men": thus—when the fire devoured Korah and the two hundred and fifty men. (See Notes on Numbers 16:32; Numbers 16:35).

It is possible that there may have been an omission here of the words which are found in Numbers 16:32, all the men that pertained to, or of words denoting all the goods belonging to.