the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to overlook that this verse doesn't mention Korah by name, even though he was central to the rebellion. The psalm specifically focuses on Dathan and Abiram being swallowed by the earth, highlighting a distinct and terrifying fate that separated them from Korah and his followers in God's judgment. This subtle omission emphasizes how Scripture can choose to focus on particular aspects of a story to convey a specific message about divine justice.
the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse recalls a dramatic moment of divine judgment described in Numbers 16, where the Israelites rebelled against Moses and Aaron's leadership. The psalmist is recounting Israel's history of forgetting God's faithfulness and turning to sin, highlighting this particular instance where the earth literally swallowed rebels alive as a severe consequence. This event serves as a stark reminder of God's wrath against defiance, setting the stage for further examples of Israel's repeated disobedience and God's subsequent, though often delayed, mercy.
Have you ever read about the earth swallowing people and wondered if it was just a freak event? This wasn't just a geological phenomenon.
The verse describes a terrifying event: the earth opening up and consuming rebels against God's authority. While it reads like a natural disaster, the context reveals it as a direct and powerful act of divine judgment.
God's Uncompromising Justice
This event, recorded in Numbers 16, was a response to a rebellion led by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram against Moses and Aaron. Their sin wasn't just a political disagreement; it was a challenge to the divinely appointed leadership and, by extension, to God Himself. God's judgment here is swift, dramatic, and absolute, demonstrating that He takes rebellion against His established order very seriously.
The Specificity of Judgment
Notice how the psalm specifically names Dathan and Abiram. While Korah was also involved, the historical accounts show that Korah's fate was different (consumed by fire), and his descendants were spared. This psalm focuses on the earth-swallowing judgment, highlighting God's precise and targeted justice. It wasn't a blanket destruction but a specific consequence for specific sins.
We often remember God's miracles, but what about His judgments? This psalm reminds us that both are crucial for understanding God's character.
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This verse appears in Psalm 106, a psalm of confession and remembrance. It's not just recounting Israel's history; it's drawing lessons from it.
The Dual Nature of God's Actions
While Israel often forgot God's mighty deeds and provisions (like the Exodus), the psalmist emphasizes that they also forgot His judgments and warnings. The swallowing of Dathan and Abiram was a stark reminder of the consequences of rebellion against God's chosen leaders and His divine plan. Remembering these judgments is as vital as remembering the miracles for maintaining awe and obedience.
A Lesson for Today
The psalmist uses this historical event to call the people (and us) to a deeper understanding of God. It’s a reminder that God’s grace and love are constant, but so is His justice. Ignoring the reality of His judgment is as dangerous as ignoring His goodness.
Understand the original words
edah · Hebrew Noun
A gathering or assembly of people, often used in a negative sense to denote a rebellious or conspiratorial faction acting against God's order.
This verse recalls a dramatic act of divine judgment during Israel's wilderness wanderings. It highlights the severe consequences of challenging God's appointed leadership and serves as a stark reminder of His power and the importance of obedience.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Enslaved in Egypt
The Israelites endured centuries of oppression and forced labor in Egypt.
c. 1446 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
Led by Moses, the Israelites were miraculously delivered from slavery in Egypt.
c. 1446-1406 BC
Wandering in the Wilderness
After the Exodus, the Israelites spent 40 years wandering in the Sinai desert due to their disobedience and lack of faith.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram
Korah, along with Dathan and Abiram, led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron's authority, challenging God's appointed leaders.
c. 1406 BC
Divine Judgment on the Rebels
The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan and Abiram and their followers, while fire consumed others, demonstrating God's severe judgment on rebellion.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Following the wilderness period and the judgment on the rebels, the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, began their conquest of the Promised Land.
This passage is the primary historical account of the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, detailing the earth opening up to swallow them as described in the psalm.
Deuteronomy 11:6This verse also recounts the destruction of Dathan and Abiram by the earth opening up, noting their rebellion against Moses and Aaron, similar to the context provided by the psalm.
Psalm 78:34-36This psalm recounts Israel's repeated sinfulness and God's response, including their hypocrisy and forgetfulness of His works, paralleling the psalm's theme of remembering Israel's rebellion and God's judgment.
Jude 1:11This New Testament passage directly references the 'way of Cain' and the 'rebellion of Korah,' linking this ancient rebellion to ongoing patterns of sin and defiance against God's appointed leaders.
pulpitPsalms 106:17: "The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram."
Verse 17. - The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan (see Numbers 16:31-33). And covered the company of Abiram. It is asked why there is no mention of Korah here, and suggested that he owed his escape from mention to the favouritism of the Levitical "temple poets" (Cheyne). But the real reason seems to be that Korah was not "swallowed up;" he and his company were destroyed by fire, and are alluded to…
ellicottPsalms 106:17: "The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram."
(17) The omission of Korah is in keeping with the historical accounts, which indicate a difference both in the attitude of Korah and his family from that of Dathan and Abiram, and also a difference of fate. (Comp. Numbers 16:23 , seqq.; Deuteronomy 11:6 ; Numbers 26:10 .)
It's easy to overlook that this verse doesn't mention Korah by name, even though he was central to the rebellion. The psalm specifically focuses on Dathan and Abiram being swallowed by the earth, highlighting a distinct and terrifying fate that separated them from Korah and his followers in God's judgment. This subtle omission emphasizes how Scripture can choose to focus on particular aspects of a story to convey a specific message about divine justice.
This verse recalls a dramatic moment of divine judgment described in Numbers 16, where the Israelites rebelled against Moses and Aaron's leadership. The psalmist is recounting Israel's history of forgetting God's faithfulness and turning to sin, highlighting this particular instance where the earth literally swallowed rebels alive as a severe consequence. This event serves as a stark reminder of God's wrath against defiance, setting the stage for further examples of Israel's repeated disobedience and God's subsequent, though often delayed, mercy.
This verse recalls a dramatic moment of divine judgment described in Numbers 16, where the Israelites rebelled against Moses and Aaron's leadership. The psalmist is recounting Israel's history of forgetting God's faithfulness and turning to sin, highlighting this particular instance where the earth literally swallowed rebels alive as a severe consequence. This event serves as a stark reminder of God's wrath against defiance, setting the stage for further examples of Israel's repeated disobedience and God's subsequent, though often delayed, mercy.
"the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram." — It's easy to overlook that this verse doesn't mention Korah by name, even though he was central to the rebellion. The psalm specifically focuses on Dathan and Abiram being swallowed by the earth, hig…
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Last reviewed October 2026