Numbers 16 13

Numbers 16:13 kjv

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?

Numbers 16:13 nkjv

Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you should keep acting like a prince over us?

Numbers 16:13 niv

Isn't it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness? And now you also want to lord it over us!

Numbers 16:13 esv

Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself a prince over us?

Numbers 16:13 nlt

Isn't it enough that you brought us out of Egypt, a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us here in this wilderness, and that you now treat us like your subjects?

Numbers 16 verses

Numbers 16 13 Meaning

Numbers 16:13 captures the venomous and distorted accusation of Dathan and Abiram against Moses. They ironically redefine Egypt, the land of their slavery and oppression, as "a land flowing with milk and honey," inverting God's promise for Canaan. They falsely attribute malevolent intent to Moses, accusing him of bringing them into the wilderness to kill them. This culminates in their rejection of his divinely appointed leadership, accusing him of making himself an illegitimate prince over them. The verse encapsulates profound ingratitude, spiritual delusion, and a blatant challenge to God's chosen authority.

Numbers 16 13 Context

Numbers 16:13 is spoken by Dathan (and Abiram, who share his tent), two Reubenites, in direct response to Moses summoning them to appear before him to address their grievances. This verse is central to the extensive rebellion led by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram against Moses and Aaron's God-ordained leadership. Korah, a Levite, contested Aaron's priesthood, while Dathan and Abiram challenged Moses' political and spiritual authority over the entire congregation. Their accusation in this verse represents their refusal to submit and a radical reinterpretation of their deliverance from Egypt and their current wilderness journey. They assert that Egypt was a place of blessing and accuse Moses of a malicious plot to kill them and an illegitimate power grab, rather than acknowledging divine appointment. The broader context of Numbers reveals a pattern of grumbling, impatience, and rebellion among the Israelites during their forty years in the wilderness, often leading to divine judgment, but Dathan and Abiram's accusations reach an exceptional level of defiance and perversion of truth. Historically, their challenge was not just to human leaders, but to God Himself, who had instituted Moses and Aaron. Their audacious claim that Egypt was "a land flowing with milk and honey" is a polemic against God's character and covenant promises, dismissing His redemptive act as a trick leading to destruction and their past slavery as a comfortable existence.

Numbers 16 13 Word analysis

• "Is it a small thing" (Hebrew: הֲמַעַט, hăm-maʿaṭ): This is a rhetorical question, designed to convey the opposite meaning. It emphatically states that what Moses has supposedly done is a great or significant injustice. It sets a tone of incredulous outrage and hyperbole.
• "you have brought us up" (Hebrew: הֵעֱלִיתָנוּ, hēʿělîṯānū): This verb emphasizes an action of ascent or bringing out. It twists the narrative of Exodus, ironically portraying Moses, rather than God, as the sole actor responsible for their current plight, thereby absolving God and elevating Moses as the villain.
• "out of a land flowing with milk and honey" (Hebrew: מֵאֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ, mê’ereṣ zāḇaṯ ḥālāḇ ūḏəḇaš): This phrase is laden with bitter irony and profound spiritual blindness.
  • "a land flowing with milk and honey": This is God's exact descriptor for the promised land of Canaan (Exod 3:8, Num 13:27, Deut 6:3). Applying it to Egypt is a radical perversion of truth. Egypt was the land of slavery, hardship, and the taskmasters' whip (Exod 1:11-14). This redefinition showcases the depths of Dathan's ingratitude and his corrupted memory. He yearns for the supposed ease of Egyptian servitude over the difficult path of divine liberation and pilgrimage toward a true promised land. It implies a total rejection of God's redemptive work.
• "to kill us in the wilderness" (Hebrew: לְהָמִיתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר, ləhāmittēnū bammidbār): This is a false accusation attributing murderous intent to Moses. It reflects their profound distrust and fear, which often arises from unbelief in God's promises and provision. This paranoia was a recurring complaint among the murmuring Israelites, seeing their trials as evidence of God's, or Moses', malice, rather than disciplinary training or a test of faith.
• "and now you make yourself a prince over us as well?" (Hebrew: וְגַם הִשׂתָּרֵר תִּשׂתָּרֵר עָלֵינוּ, wəḡam hiśśārēr tiśśārēr ʿālênū):
  • "make yourself a prince": The verb śārēr implies ruling, dominating, or exercising authority. The doubling of the root verb (Hithpael infinitive absolute and imperfect) intensifies the action, meaning "you would truly lord it over us," or "you are constantly seeking to rule as a prince." This direct attack questions Moses' legitimacy and leadership, accusing him of being an autocratic usurper rather than a humble, divinely chosen shepherd. Their contention is that Moses' authority is self-proclaimed and tyrannical, whereas it was ordained by God himself (Exod 3:10, Num 12:7-8). This exposes their desire for self-rule and rejection of any higher authority, whether human or divine.
  • "over us as well?": The addition of "as well" ("also" in some translations) implies this "princely" behavior is an additional offense, on top of the perceived act of leading them to their death.

• "Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey..." This entire phrase exemplifies profound unthankfulness and a reversal of truth. It's a slanderous accusation against Moses and, by extension, against God. Their depiction of slavery in Egypt as paradise ("milk and honey") exposes the deep spiritual blindness and ingratitude that fueled their rebellion. They cherished their flesh pots of Egypt more than the freedom and divine guidance toward the actual promised land.
• "...to kill us in the wilderness, and now you make yourself a prince over us as well?" This further reveals the bitterness and accusation. They interpret the challenges of the wilderness journey—which were meant to refine and teach them—as a malevolent plot for their demise. This fear fuels their rejection of Moses' authority, viewing his leadership not as God-given guidance but as self-serving domination. Their desire to be free from "princely rule" actually masks their desire for rebellious autonomy from God's divine order.

Numbers 16 13 Bonus section

The ironic re-framing of Egypt as "a land flowing with milk and honey" by Dathan and Abiram is a potent symbol of spiritual amnesia and moral corruption. They chose to romanticize their former bondage rather than embrace the divine path to true freedom, despite God's mighty acts of deliverance. This highlights a universal spiritual principle: the human tendency to prefer familiar captivity over the uncomfortable demands of God's transformative journey. Their accusation also reflects a deep psychological projection; they accuse Moses of the very ambition and malicious intent that motivates their own rebellious actions. The Hithpael intensive form of "prince over us" conveys a vehement rejection, as if Moses' every action is seen as an oppressive grab for power, indicating a complete inability or refusal to recognize divine authority operating through him. This illustrates that spiritual rebellion is often characterized by a twisted perception of reality and an unrighteous judgment of God's chosen instruments.

Numbers 16 13 Commentary

Numbers 16:13 encapsulates the heart of Korah's rebellion: deep-seated ingratitude, spiritual delusion, and a blatant defiance of God-ordained authority. Dathan and Abiram launch a venomous attack, sarcastically painting Egypt, their land of bondage, as a "land flowing with milk and honey," a gross inversion of God's promise for Canaan. This perverse recollection of Egypt highlights their unregenerate hearts, longing for the superficial comforts of slavery over the challenges and true liberty of God's path. Their accusation that Moses intends "to kill us in the wilderness" exposes their pervasive fear and lack of faith, projecting malicious intent onto the one who tirelessly served them at God's command. Furthermore, they accuse Moses of illegitimate self-appointment as "prince over us," directly challenging the divine mandate for his leadership. This accusation reveals their true motivation: a lust for power and a desire to dismantle the existing order, believing themselves to be as holy and qualified as Moses and Aaron. The verse underscores the danger of bitterness, distorted perception, and spiritual pride, which lead to rebellion not just against human leaders, but against God Himself.