Numbers 16:13

[Is it] a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?

Is it a small thing {H4592} that {H3588} thou hast brought us up {H5927} out of a land {H776} that floweth {H2100} with milk {H2461} and honey {H1706}, to kill {H4191} us in the wilderness {H4057}, except thou make {H8323} thyself altogether {H8323} a prince {H8323} over us?

Is it such a mere trifle, bringing us up from a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert, that now you arrogate to yourself the role of dictator over us?

Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness? Must you also appoint yourself as ruler over us?

is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, but thou must needs make thyself also a prince over us?

Commentary

Commentary on Numbers 16:13 (KJV)

Numbers 16:13 captures the bitter and rebellious words of Dathan and Abiram, part of Korah's rebellion against Moses and Aaron. This verse highlights their profound discontent and distorted perception of God's deliverance and Moses' leadership.

Context

This verse is spoken during a significant challenge to Moses' God-appointed authority. Korah, a Levite, along with Dathan and Abiram from the tribe of Reuben, gathers 250 prominent men of Israel to accuse Moses and Aaron of exalting themselves above the congregation of the Lord (Numbers 16:3). In this specific verse, Dathan and Abiram refuse to come to Moses when summoned, instead sending back this defiant message. They twist the narrative of the Exodus, painting Egypt (a land of slavery) as a desirable "land that floweth with milk and honey" and accusing Moses of bringing them into the wilderness to die, while simultaneously aspiring to absolute rule over them.

Key Themes

  • Rebellion Against Divine Authority: The core of this verse is a direct challenge to Moses' leadership, which was established by God himself. Their defiance is not merely against Moses but against the Lord who chose him.
  • Ingratitude and Distorted Perception: Dathan and Abiram display extreme ingratitude for their liberation from Egyptian bondage. They ironically refer to Egypt, their place of slavery, as a "land that floweth with milk and honey," a phrase typically reserved for the Promised Land of Canaan. This reveals a deep spiritual blindness and a longing for the perceived comforts of their past captivity over the freedom and future God promised.
  • False Accusation and Slander: They accuse Moses of malicious intent ("to kill us in the wilderness") and selfish ambition ("except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us"). This is a baseless charge, given Moses' humble nature (Numbers 12:3) and his consistent obedience to God's commands.
  • Discontent and Murmuring: This incident is another example of the Israelites' recurring pattern of murmuring and complaining against God and His appointed leaders, a theme prevalent throughout the book of Numbers (Numbers 14:2).

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "land that floweth with milk and honey" (Hebrew: eretz zavat chalav u'devash) is a powerful descriptor of abundance and blessing, consistently used throughout the Old Testament to refer to the Promised Land. Dathan and Abiram's application of this phrase to Egypt is a profound irony, showcasing their spiritual confusion and bitter delusion. They perceive the wilderness journey, a path to freedom and inheritance, as a path to death, while romanticizing their former slavery.

Practical Application

Numbers 16:13 serves as a sobering reminder for believers today:

  • Guard Against Discontent: Beware of murmuring and complaining, especially when facing difficulties. A spirit of ingratitude can lead to distorted perceptions of God's work in our lives.
  • Respect God-Ordained Authority: While not all authority is perfect, challenging spiritual leadership without just cause, particularly when it is clearly God-appointed, can have severe consequences.
  • Discern True Motives: Be cautious of accusations and slander, especially those born of jealousy, bitterness, or a desire for power.
  • Value God's Deliverance: Always remember and appreciate the true deliverance God has provided, even when the journey through the "wilderness" of life is challenging. Our perspective should align with God's truth, not our temporary discomforts.
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

  • Acts 7:35

    This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send [to be] a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.

  • Exodus 16:3

    And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, [and] when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

  • Exodus 2:14

    And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.

  • Numbers 11:5

    We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:

  • Acts 7:25

    For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.

  • Acts 7:27

    But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

  • Exodus 2:23

    ¶ And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
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