Numbers 16 50

Numbers 16:50 kjv

And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

Numbers 16:50 nkjv

So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, for the plague had stopped.

Numbers 16:50 niv

Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.

Numbers 16:50 esv

And Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, when the plague was stopped.

Numbers 16:50 nlt

Then because the plague had stopped, Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

Numbers 16 verses

Numbers 16 50 Meaning

Numbers 16:50 concludes the narrative of the plague sent upon the Israelites following the rebellion of Korah. It states that Aaron, having interceded with the censer, returned to Moses at the entrance of the Tabernacle, signifying the successful cessation of the divine judgment. This verse confirms the immediate and powerful efficacy of atonement performed through the divinely appointed High Priest, halting the widespread death among the people.

Numbers 16 50 Context

Numbers chapter 16 describes a major rebellion against Moses' and Aaron's leadership led by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, along with 250 prominent men of the congregation. Their challenge asserted that the whole congregation was holy and questioned why Moses and Aaron exalted themselves above the assembly. In response, God demonstrated His sovereign choice by opening the earth to swallow Dathan and Abiram's households, and fire consuming Korah and his 250 associates. Despite this clear judgment, the very next day, the entire congregation complained against Moses and Aaron, accusing them of killing the Lord's people. This further act of rebellion triggered an immediate plague from the Lord. Moses, seeing the plague begin to spread rapidly, instructed Aaron to take a censer, put fire and incense in it, and quickly go among the people to make atonement. Aaron obeyed, placing himself between the dead and the living. Numbers 16:50 directly follows Aaron's act of intercession, confirming that his intervention was successful in immediately arresting the spread of the divine plague, thus saving the remaining lives. This event reinforced the unique and essential role of the Aaronic priesthood in mediating between a holy God and a sinful people, especially in averting divine judgment.

Numbers 16 50 Word analysis

• So Aaron (וַיָּ֤שָׁב אַהֲרֹן֙, vayyashav Aharon):
  • Aaron (אַהֲרֹן, Aharon): The High Priest, divinely appointed by God, brother of Moses. His specific role as intercessor during the plague highlights the exclusive function of the priesthood to mediate atonement. He embodies God's chosen means for reconciliation and protection against divine wrath.
• returned (וַיָּשָׁב, vayyashav):
  • This verb literally means "he turned back" or "he returned." It implies the completion of a mission or task. Aaron had gone out with haste (Num 16:46-47) into the midst of the congregation where the plague was raging. His return signifies the successful conclusion of his life-saving, divinely commanded intercession.
• to Moses (אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה, el-Mosheh):
  • Moses (מֹשֶׁה, Mosheh): The primary leader and prophet through whom God communicated His will and commandments. Aaron reported back to Moses, underscoring the hierarchy and authority structure established by God, where Aaron acted under Moses' instruction, which came from God Himself.
• at the entrance of the tent of meeting (אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד, el-petakh Ohel Mo'ed):
  • Tent of Meeting (אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד, Ohel Mo'ed): Also known as the Tabernacle, this was the central place of worship, where God met with Israel. It represented God's tangible presence among His people. Its "entrance" (פֶּתַח, petakh) was the primary public access point, often associated with sacrifices, legal judgments, and public gatherings. Aaron’s return to this significant place underlines the official, religious, and divinely authorized nature of his action. It's the place of divine encounter where instruction (Num 16:46) and reporting happen.
• for the plague (וְהַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה, v'hammagephah):
  • for (וְ, ve-): A conjunctive meaning "and," but here serving as an explanatory "for" or "because," indicating the reason for Aaron's return: the success of his mission.
  • plague (מַגֵּפָה, maggephah): A striking, blow, or slaughter, often specifically referring to a pestilence or epidemic sent by God as a direct judgment for sin. Its rapid, devastating nature (14,700 died in a short time) highlights the severity of God's wrath and the urgency of Aaron's intercession.
• was stayed (נֶעֶצָֽרָה, ne'etsarah):
  • was stayed (נֶעֶצָֽרָה, ne'etsarah): From the verb עָצַר ('atsar), meaning "to restrain," "hold back," "detain," or "stop." The Niphal (passive) form emphasizes that the plague was halted, rather than it just ceasing naturally. It strongly suggests a divine, active intervention in response to Aaron's atonement, directly confirming that God himself arrested the judgment. It did not merely subside but was supernaturally arrested.

Numbers 16 50 Bonus section

• The rapid progression from rebellion to complaint, immediate judgment, and equally immediate intercession followed by cessation, highlights God's swift justice but also His swift mercy when His appointed means are employed.
• The context preceding this verse (Num 16:49) states that "those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred," apart from those who died in Korah's direct rebellion. This staggering number underscores the scale of God's wrath and, conversely, the profound salvation accomplished by Aaron's singular act.
• The fact that Aaron went out among the people with the censer, and that he "stood between the dead and the living" (Num 16:48), demonstrates his willingness to physically put himself in the path of God's judgment, identifying with the perishing people, which further strengthens the typological connection to Christ's self-sacrificial intercession.

Numbers 16 50 Commentary

Numbers 16:50 is a terse yet profound summary statement that underscores the efficacy of divinely ordained intercession in averting God's righteous judgment. Following the unprecedented rebellion against priestly authority, God's wrath erupted in a swift and devastating plague. Moses' urgent command to Aaron to make atonement, and Aaron's immediate, courageous, and faithful obedience, was the pivotal point. This verse declares the outcome: the plague "was stayed," not because it naturally ran its course, but because God himself responded to the act of atonement through the High Priest.

Aaron's actions prefigure the ultimate intercession of Jesus Christ, who, as our Great High Priest (Heb 4:14), entered the presence of God not with animal blood or incense, but with His own blood, once for all, to secure eternal redemption (Heb 9:11-12). Just as Aaron stood between the dead and the living (Num 16:48), Christ put Himself between God's holy wrath and sinful humanity, becoming the propitiation for our sins (1 Jn 2:2). This verse serves as a powerful biblical witness to the concept of mediated salvation and the necessity of atonement for the forgiveness of sins and the cessation of divine wrath. It is a reminder that in the face of judgment, God provides a way of escape through His chosen mediator.

This historical account encourages believers in the power of intercessory prayer (though distinct from priestly atonement) and the secure hope found in Christ's completed work on the cross. His one perfect act forever "stayed" the ultimate spiritual plague of sin and eternal death for all who trust in Him.