Psalms 106:17
the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse doesn't mention Korah by name, even though he was central to the rebellion, because his fate was different: he and his followers were consumed by fire, while Dathan and Abiram's companies were swallowed by the earth. The psalmist's focus on Dathan and Abiram highlights the unique, terrifying judgment of the earth opening up, a distinct and memorable sign of God's wrath.
This verse recalls a dramatic rebellion against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, where Dathan and Abiram, along with their followers, challenged their authority. The psalm is recounting this history to highlight Israel's ongoing pattern of forgetting God's faithfulness and rebelling against His chosen leaders. The swallowing earth is presented as a stark, immediate consequence of this profound act of defiance.
Ever felt a pang of jealousy that festered into something ugly? This verse points to a rebellion rooted in envy, not just against leaders, but against God's divine appointment.
This event, recounted in Numbers 16, wasn't just a political squabble. Dathan and Abiram, along with Korah, envied Moses and Aaron's God-given authority. Calvin emphasizes that their rebellion against Moses and Aaron was a rebellion against God himself, as these leaders were appointed by Him.
Their sin was rooted in pride and a refusal to submit to God's chosen means of leadership. It highlights a dangerous truth: when we envy or reject God's appointed ways and people, we are ultimately rejecting God.
Why does this psalm mention Dathan and Abiram, but not Korah? The answer lies in the specific judgment and how Scripture remembers events.
Commentators note that the historical accounts (Numbers 16) and Deuteronomy 11:6 mention Dathan and Abiram being swallowed by the earth, while Korah and his followers were consumed by fire from the Lord.
The Psalmist, by focusing on Dathan and Abiram's fate, emphasizes a specific, terrifying judgment. This isn't an error in the text; it's a purposeful selection. It reminds us that God's justice can manifest in different ways, and Scripture often highlights particular aspects of events to teach specific lessons about obedience and rebellion.
This verse is part of a larger psalm about forgetting God's mighty deeds. What's the connection between profound judgment and human memory?
Psalm 106 is a national confession, recounting Israel's repeated sinfulness despite God's faithfulness. Verse 17, detailing the swallowing of rebels, follows a section lamenting Israel's forgetfulness (v. 13: 'They soon forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel').
The swallowing of Dathan and Abiram is presented as a consequence of this deep-seated discontent and forgetfulness. Even after witnessing God's power in Egypt and the Red Sea, they rebelled. This highlights a crucial spiritual principle: forgetting God's past faithfulness makes us susceptible to present rebellion and discontent, inviting severe judgment. True faith remembers, trusts, and obeys.
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 references a dramatic judgment during Israel's wilderness journey. It serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of challenging God's appointed leaders and His divine order, even amidst His ongoing faithfulness to His people.
c. 1440 BC
Israel Departs Egypt
After centuries of slavery, God miraculously led the Israelites out of Egypt under Moses' leadership, initiating their journey to the Promised Land.
c. 1440 BC
Wandering in the Wilderness
The Israelites spent 40 years wandering in the Sinai desert due to their disobedience and lack of faith, during which numerous challenges and divine interventions occurred.
c. 1440 BC— this verse
Rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, challenging their authority and God's chosen leadership. This event resulted in a catastrophic divine judgment.
c. 1440 BC
Divine Judgment on Rebels
God opened the earth, swallowing Dathan and Abiram and their followers, while fire consumed others. This demonstrated God's severe judgment against rebellion and challenged the people's faith.
This is the primary historical account of the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram, detailing how the earth opened and swallowed them and their households as divine judgment.
Deuteronomy 11:6This passage also recounts the judgment upon Dathan and Abiram, highlighting the earth opening to swallow them, serving as a warning about disobedience.
Psalm 78:17This psalm, like Psalm 106, recounts Israel's history of sin and God's judgment in the wilderness, mentioning their 'sinning more and more' and 'provoking the Most High' in the desert, which parallels the context of Dathan and Abiram's rebellion.
Jude 1:11This New Testament book directly references the rebellion of Korah (which included Dathan and Abiram) as a warning against grumbling and rebellion against God-ordained authority, likening such individuals to those who 'perished in the rebellion of Korah'.
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 .)
This verse doesn't mention Korah by name, even though he was central to the rebellion, because his fate was different: he and his followers were consumed by fire, while Dathan and Abiram's companies were swallowed by the earth. The psalmist's focus on Dathan and Abiram highlights the unique, terrifying judgment of the earth opening up, a distinct and memorable sign of God's wrath.
This verse recalls a dramatic rebellion against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, where Dathan and Abiram, along with their followers, challenged their authority. The psalm is recounting this history to highlight Israel's ongoing pattern of forgetting God's faithfulness and rebelling against His chosen leaders. The swallowing earth is presented as a stark, immediate consequence of this profound act of defiance.
This verse recalls a dramatic rebellion against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, where Dathan and Abiram, along with their followers, challenged their authority. The psalm is recounting this history to highlight Israel's ongoing pattern of forgetting God's faithfulness and rebelling against His chosen leaders. The swallowing earth is presented as a stark, immediate consequence of this profound act of defiance.
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c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites crossed the Jordan River and began conquering the Promised Land, fulfilling God's promises to Abraham.
c. 1000 BC - 586 BC
Period of Judges and Monarchy
Following the conquest, Israel experienced cycles of disobedience, oppression, and deliverance under the Judges, eventually leading to the establishment of the monarchy.
c. 586 BC
Exile in Babylon
Due to persistent disobedience and idolatry, the Southern Kingdom of Judah was conquered by Babylon, and many of its people were exiled, leading to a period of national reflection and repentance.
"the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram." — This verse doesn't mention Korah by name, even though he was central to the rebellion, because his fate was different: he and his followers were consumed by fire, while Dathan and Abiram's companies…
