Psalm 106:17 kjv
The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan and covered the company of Abiram.
Psalm 106:17 nkjv
The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan, And covered the faction of Abiram.
Psalm 106:17 niv
The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it buried the company of Abiram.
Psalm 106:17 esv
the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.
Psalm 106:17 nlt
Because of this, the earth opened up;
it swallowed Dathan
and buried Abiram and the other rebels.
Psalm 106 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 16:1-3 | Now Korah… Dathan and Abiram… rebelled against Moses. | Initiation of the rebellion |
| Num 16:12-14 | Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram… But they said, "We will not come up!" | Their defiance and refusal to obey |
| Num 16:30-34 | But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth… | The Earth swallowing Dathan and Abiram |
| Num 26:9-11 | Dathan and Abiram, the men of the congregation who contended… the earth swallowed them… | Reiteration of the judgment on Dathan & Abiram |
| Deut 11:6 | and what He did to Dathan and Abiram… the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them… | Moses recalling the event as a warning |
| Jude 1:11 | Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. | New Testament reference to Korah's rebellion |
| Isa 3:5 | The people will be oppressed, each by another… when the noble acts contemptuously against the elder, and the base against the honorable. | Warns of social chaos and disrespect for authority |
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | Connection to the pride of rebels |
| 1 Sam 15:23 | For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. | The severe nature of rebellion in God's eyes |
| Heb 12:29 | for our God is a consuming fire. | God's divine judgment against sin |
| Exod 15:12 | You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them. | God's power causing the earth to respond |
| Rev 12:16 | But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had poured… | Earth acts according to God's will |
| Psa 74:15 | You split open springs and torrents… | God's control over creation |
| Psa 78:56-58 | Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God… | Broader context of Israel's rebellions |
| Psa 99:6 | Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name… | God's appointed leadership |
| 1 Pet 2:13-17 | Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution… | Submission to established authority |
| Rom 13:1-2 | Let every person be subject to the governing authorities… Whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed… | Rebellion against authority is rebellion against God |
| Titus 3:1 | Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities… | Exhortation to submit to authority |
| Matt 12:25 | Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. | The destructive nature of internal division |
| 1 Cor 10:6 | These things happened as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. | Old Testament events as warnings for believers |
| Eph 5:6 | Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. | Wrath against disobedience |
| Prov 1:32 | For the turning away of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; | Consequences of stubbornness and defiance |
Psalm 106 verses
Psalm 106 17 Meaning
Psalm 106:17 recounts a specific moment of divine judgment during Israel's wilderness wanderings. It vividly describes how the ground miraculously opened up to swallow Dathan and the rebellious company associated with Abiram. This act demonstrated God's direct wrath against those who challenged the authority He had established through Moses and Aaron, consuming them alive and removing them from among the congregation.
Psalm 106 17 Context
Psalm 106 is a confessional and historical psalm that recounts the numerous instances of Israel's rebellion and ingratitude towards God from the time of their deliverance from Egypt through the wilderness wanderings, their settlement in Canaan, and even into the period of the judges. It serves as a lament and confession of national sin, acknowledging God's enduring mercy despite their persistent unfaithfulness. Verse 17 specifically refers to the well-documented rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram described in Numbers chapter 16. This event took place early in the Israelites' forty years in the wilderness and was a critical moment for establishing Moses' and Aaron's divine authority against challenges from within the community.
Psalm 106 17 Word analysis
- The earth: Not merely passive ground, but an active instrument of divine judgment. In Hebrew, "eretz" (אֶרֶץ) implies the very physical ground upon which they stood, dramatically transforming into an instrument of God's wrath. This signifies God's absolute sovereignty over creation.
- opened: The Hebrew word "patzach" (פָּצְתָה) means to burst forth, gape open, or cleave. It denotes a violent, sudden, and supernatural rupture, emphasizing the extraordinary nature of God's intervention rather than a natural geological event.
- and swallowed up: The Hebrew verb "bala'" (בָּלַע) means to swallow, gulp down, or consume entirely. It signifies a complete and inescapable absorption, suggesting utter obliteration from the visible world, removing the rebels from the face of the living.
- Dathan: A son of Eliab from the tribe of Reuben, a co-conspirator with Korah and Abiram. He openly defied Moses' leadership, refusing to appear before him and questioning his authority (Num 16:12-14).
- And covered: The Hebrew "kasah" (כָּסָה) means to cover, conceal, or overwhelm. This implies a thorough, irreversible burying, completing the act of judgment and ensuring that their physical presence was entirely removed and hidden.
- the company: The Hebrew "a'dat" (עֲדַת) refers to an assembly, congregation, or community. In this context, it highlights the collective nature of their rebellion and implies that the judgment extended beyond the principal figures to those who actively aligned with them in their defiance.
- of Abiram: Another son of Eliab and Dathan's brother, also a leader in the rebellion (Num 16:12). While Korah and his followers were consumed by fire (Num 16:35), Dathan and Abiram and their households faced the unique judgment of being swallowed by the earth, as distinctly mentioned here.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan": This phrase dramatically portrays a direct and public divine execution. The earth acts as God's agent, rendering a swift and unmistakable judgment against defiance. It highlights the futility of rebelling against divinely established authority, as even the creation itself responds to God's command to enact judgment.
- "And covered the company of Abiram": This part emphasizes the scope of the judgment, extending beyond just the named leaders to their followers and associated families (as per Numbers 16:32). The act of being "covered" implies permanent removal and utter finality, serving as a powerful warning against aligning oneself with those who challenge God's appointed leaders or His revealed will. It differentiates between Korah's faction (consumed by fire) and Dathan and Abiram's (swallowed by the earth), focusing on the specific mode of judgment relevant to Psalm 106:17.
Psalm 106 17 Bonus section
The specific manner of death—being swallowed alive by the earth—for Dathan and Abiram was highly unusual and underscored the severity of their particular sin: a direct challenge to the fundamental order of leadership God had established. Unlike typical deaths, or even other judgments by plague or fire, this unique punishment made a clear statement about divine abhorrence for anarchy and the sanctity of God-ordained spiritual and political structures. This event stands as an enduring testament that God is sovereign, not only over humanity but over creation itself, bending nature to His will to fulfill His righteous judgments. It sets a stark precedent, showing that internal rebellion within God's people can sometimes invite even more dramatic judgment than external opposition.
Psalm 106 17 Commentary
Psalm 106:17 is a concise, yet profound, historical snapshot illustrating God's uncompromising justice against rebellion, specifically that of Dathan and Abiram, documented in Numbers 16. This event served as a definitive vindication of Moses' and Aaron's divinely appointed authority, as God executed judgment in an unprecedented, visible manner, using the earth itself as an instrument of His wrath. The swallowing was not a natural disaster, but a specific, targeted act of God that instantly separated the rebellious from the faithful. This served as a profound object lesson for Israel, underscoring that defying God's ordained leadership is tantamount to defying God Himself. The verse’s inclusion in Psalm 106 highlights Israel's recurring sin of challenging God and His servants, providing a historical warning against the grave consequences of pride, insubordination, and division within the covenant community.