Bible Strands
Numbers 16:24
“Tell the congregation to move away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The LORD commands Moses to instruct the Israelite congregation to withdraw from the immediate vicinity of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. This directive follows the divine warning in Numbers 16:23 and immediately precedes Moses's physical approach to the rebels in Numbers 16:25.
The words — The Hebrew imperative הֵֽעָלוּ (he.'a.Lu) literally means “take yourselves up” or “withdraw,” paired with לְ/מִשְׁכַּן (le./mish.kan-), denoting the “dwelling place” or tent of the accused. These terms specify a physical retreat from the rebels’ encampment rather than a ritual separation.
The thread — This command parallels the earlier divine instruction in Numbers 16:21 to “separate yourselves from this congregation,” establishing a consistent pattern of divine judgment requiring physical distance before intervention. The motif of withdrawal precedes the subsequent confrontation recorded in Numbers 16:25.
Why it lands — The text demands immediate physical compliance from the people to avoid collateral judgment. It requires readers to recognize that divine warnings precede action and that obedience to separation is a prerequisite for understanding the ensuing judgment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
Cross-references
- Numbers 16:21 “Separate yourselves from this congregation so that I may consume them in an instant.”