Matthew Henry on Numbers 16:23-34
We have here the determining of the controversy with Dathan and Abiram, who rebelled against Moses, as in the next paragraph the determining of the controversy with Korah and his company, who would be rivals with Aaron. It should seem that Dathan and Abiram had set up a spacious tabernacle in the midst of the tents of their families, where they kept court, met in council, and hung out their flag of defiance against Moses; it is here called the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Num 16:24, Num 16:27. There, as in the place of rendezvous, Dathan and Abiram staid, when Korah and his friends went up to the tabernacle of the Lord, waiting the issue of their trial; but here we are told how t…
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they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh--The benevolent importunity of their prayer was the more remarkable that the intercession was made for their enemies.
John Gill on Numbers 16:23
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... When on his face in prayer, and bid him rise up, and told him he had granted his request, and then spoke to him:
saying; as follows.
John Calvin on Numbers 16:22-23
O God, the God of the, spirits of all flesh. The old interpreter renders the first 'l, el, as an adjective, in which some others have followed him; [93] but, in my opinion, the name of God is rather repeated by way of adding force to the sentence. It does not, however, so clearly appear to me why all render the word flesh, in the genitive case. But, since I do not think that the l, lamed, is superfluous here, but that it is used for v, beth, as often elsewhere, I have accurately expressed the sense by my translation, "in all flesh." [94] There is no question but that Moses applies this epithet to God in connection with the present matter; as if he desired to induce God to preserve His own wo…
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