Psalms 106:17-18
the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. Fire also broke out in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse specifically mentions Dathan being swallowed and Abiram's company being covered, subtly distinguishing their fates. This detail highlights how even within a single act of divine judgment, there can be varied outcomes, and it emphasizes the thoroughness of the punishment.
This verse recalls a dramatic rebellion against Moses and Aaron's leadership in the wilderness, specifically the uprising led by Dathan and Abiram. The passage is part of a larger lament in Psalm 106, recounting Israel's repeated unfaithfulness and God's subsequent judgments, contrasting with His persistent mercy. The immediate context highlights how the people, despite witnessing God's powerful acts, still harbored envy and discontent, leading to this earth-shattering divine punishment.
Imagine the ground beneath your feet suddenly splitting open, swallowing people whole. This isn't a scene from a disaster movie; it's a stark biblical image of God's judgment.
This verse vividly describes the dramatic and terrifying judgment of God against rebels. The earth literally opening up and swallowing Dathan and his followers, while covering Abiram's company, is a powerful metaphor for complete annihilation.
A Judgment Like No Other
This event, detailed in the book of Numbers, was a direct response to Dathan and Abiram's rebellion against Moses and Aaron's God-given authority. Their defiance wasn't just against human leaders; it was against God Himself.
The earth swallowing them signifies that their sin was so profound, so earth-shattering, that the very ground cried out against them. It was a public, undeniable display of God's wrath against rebellion and pride.
The Bible is precise. Have you ever wondered why this verse mentions Dathan and Abiram, but not Korah, who was also part of the rebellion?
The Psalmist’s specific mention of Dathan and Abiram, while omitting Korah, isn't an accident. It reflects a nuanced understanding of the historical event and the different roles or fates within the rebellion.
Different Sins, Different Fates
Scripture tells us that while Dathan and Abiram, and their families, were swallowed by the earth, Korah and his followers faced a different kind of destruction – consumed by fire. The omission of Korah here, and in Deuteronomy, likely points to this distinction, emphasizing the specific nature of the judgment described in this verse.
This selectivity isn't about God forgetting; it's about highlighting a particular aspect of His judgment and the precise way He deals with sin.
This event wasn't just a historical footnote; it was a defining moment that the Psalmist uses to remind future generations about the consequences of challenging God's chosen leaders.
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.
esh · Hebrew Noun
An agent of divine judgment or presence, often signifying the holiness of God that consumes impurity or rebellion; it serves as a sign of God's active disapproval.
rasha' · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
Those who violate God's law or standard, characterizing people who are morally crooked, guilty, and actively opposed to God's ways.
This verse recalls a severe instance of divine judgment during Israel's wilderness wanderings. The rebellion of Dathan and Abiram against Moses and Aaron serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of challenging God's appointed leadership and the perilous nature of disobedience, even after miraculous deliverance.
c. 1440 BC
Israelites Enslaved in Egypt
For centuries, the Israelites endured harsh slavery in Egypt, a period marked by suffering and a longing for freedom.
c. 1446 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
Led by Moses, the Israelites were miraculously delivered from Egyptian bondage, crossing the Red Sea in a display of God's power.
c. 1440-1400 BC
Wandering in the Wilderness
After their liberation, the Israelites journeyed through the Sinai desert for forty years, facing numerous challenges and rebelling against God and Moses.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Rebellion of Dathan and Abiram
Dathan and Abiram, along with others, challenged the authority of Moses and Aaron, questioning God's chosen leaders.
This passage is the primary historical account of the event referenced in Psalms, detailing the earth opening up and swallowing Dathan and Abiram along with their followers.
Deuteronomy 11:6This verse also recounts the fate of Dathan and Abiram, highlighting God's judgment against rebellion and emphasizing that the earth opened its mouth to swallow them.
Psalms 105:26-28This psalm describes God sending plagues and darkness upon Egypt in response to Pharaoh's defiance, paralleling the severe judgment meted out to those who rebelled against God's chosen leaders.
Jude 1:11This New Testament passage directly alludes to the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram as an example of a destructive path, warning believers against following their rebellious example.
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 .)
The verse specifically mentions Dathan being swallowed and Abiram's company being covered, subtly distinguishing their fates. This detail highlights how even within a single act of divine judgment, there can be varied outcomes, and it emphasizes the thoroughness of the punishment.
This verse recalls a dramatic rebellion against Moses and Aaron's leadership in the wilderness, specifically the uprising led by Dathan and Abiram. The passage is part of a larger lament in Psalm 106, recounting Israel's repeated unfaithfulness and God's subsequent judgments, contrasting with His persistent mercy. The immediate context highlights how the people, despite witnessing God's powerful acts, still harbored envy and discontent, leading to this earth-shattering divine punishment.
This verse recalls a dramatic rebellion against Moses and Aaron's leadership in the wilderness, specifically the uprising led by Dathan and Abiram. The passage is part of a larger lament in Psalm 106, recounting Israel's repeated unfaithfulness and God's subsequent judgments, contrasting with His persistent mercy. The immediate context highlights how the people, despite witnessing God's powerful acts, still harbored envy and discontent, leading to this earth-shattering divine punishment.
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Psalm 106 recounts Israel's history of faithlessness, and this verse serves as a stark reminder of the severe consequences of rebellion against God's appointed authority.
A Warning Through History
By calling to mind the earth swallowing Dathan and Abiram, the Psalmist aims to instill awe and caution. It’s a lesson that questioning and defying those God has placed in authority—whether in the church, family, or civil sphere—is akin to challenging God Himself.
This isn't about blind obedience, but about respecting the God-ordained structures and leaders through whom God often works. The earth's violent reaction underscores the gravity of despising God's established order.
c. 1400 BC
Divine Judgment on Rebels
The earth dramatically opened up and swallowed Dathan and Abiram, while fire consumed their followers, demonstrating God's severe judgment on their rebellion.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Following the wilderness years, the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, began the conquest of the Promised Land.
"the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. Fire also broke out in their company; the flame burned up the wicked." — The verse specifically mentions Dathan being swallowed and Abiram's company being covered, subtly distinguishing their fates. This detail highlights how even within a single act of divine judgment, t…
