Deuteronomy 11:6

And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that [was] in their possession, in the midst of all Israel:

And what he did {H6213} unto Dathan {H1885} and Abiram {H48}, the sons {H1121} of Eliab {H446}, the son {H1121} of Reuben {H7205}: how the earth {H776} opened {H6475} her mouth {H6310}, and swallowed them up {H1104}, and their households {H1004}, and their tents {H168}, and all the substance {H3351} that was in their possession {H7272}, in the midst {H7130} of all Israel {H3478}:

or what he did to Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av the descendant of Re'uven -how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households, tents and every living thing in their company, there in front of all Isra'el.

and what He did in the midst of all the Israelites to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing that belonged to them.

and what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; how the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel:

Commentary

Deuteronomy 11:6 serves as a powerful reminder of God's swift and decisive judgment against rebellion, recounted by Moses to the new generation of Israelites poised to enter the Promised Land. This verse specifically references the dramatic fate of Dathan and Abiram, along with their households and possessions.

Context

Moses is delivering his final addresses to Israel, urging them to remember God's mighty acts and the lessons learned during their forty years in the wilderness. He emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's commandments as the key to success and blessing in the land they are about to inherit. To underscore this, he recalls specific instances of divine judgment, such as the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, a pivotal event detailed in the book of Numbers.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Justice: The verse vividly portrays God's immediate and severe punishment for those who directly defied His authority and His chosen leaders, Moses and Aaron. It highlights that God does not tolerate blatant rebellion within His covenant community.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: The fate of Dathan and Abiram serves as a stark warning. Their rebellion led not only to their own destruction but also to the complete eradication of their families and all their "substance" (possessions), demonstrating the far-reaching and devastating effects of challenging God.
  • God's Sovereignty and Power: The miraculous opening of the earth to "swallow them up" underscores God's absolute power and His ability to intervene directly in the natural world to execute His will and enforce His justice. This was a visible sign of God's presence and authority "in the midst of all Israel."

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "the earth opened her mouth" is a striking anthropomorphism, giving the earth a human-like action to emphasize the supernatural and terrifying nature of the event. The term "substance" here refers to all their wealth, belongings, and everything they possessed, highlighting the totality of the judgment – nothing of their rebellion was left behind. This was an undeniable act of God's power, witnessed by the entire congregation of Israel.

Practical Application

Deuteronomy 11:6 holds enduring lessons for believers today. It reminds us of:

  • The seriousness of rebellion against God's established order and His divine authority.
  • The importance of respecting spiritual leadership, recognizing that challenging them can sometimes be a challenge to God Himself.
  • God's unwavering justice, which, though often patient, will ultimately address disobedience and sin. This historical account encourages us to live in humble obedience and faith, understanding that God's ways are just and His warnings are for our good and His glory. The New Testament also speaks to submission to governing authorities, echoing principles of order and respect.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Numbers 26:9

    And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This [is that] Dathan and Abiram, [which were] famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD:

  • Numbers 26:10

    And the earth opened her 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.

  • Psalms 106:17

    The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.

  • Numbers 16:1

    ¶ Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took [men]:

  • Numbers 16:35

    ¶ And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

  • Numbers 27:3

    Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons.
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