The Meaning of Numbers 16:21 Explained

Numbers 16:21

KJV: Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.

YLT: 'Be ye separated from the midst of this company, and I consume them in a moment;'

Darby: Separate yourselves from the midst of this assembly, and I will consume them in a moment.

ASV: Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Separate  yourselves from among  this congregation,  that I may consume  them in a moment. 

What does Numbers 16:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 16:20-35 - Divine Judgment Upon The Rebels
It was wise of Moses not to attempt to vindicate himself, but to leave God to maintain His cause. He is not slow to undertake the vindication of those who entrust their reputation with Him. To take the sword is to perish by the sword. "Wait on the Lord and keep His way, and He will exalt thee to inherit the land."
The doom of Korah and his fellow-conspirators was very terrible; but if they had been spared, the whole camp would have been infected, and God's purposes frustrated. Those who suffer from the bubonic plague must be instantly separated from their fellows, for the sake of society! Remember, as Jude says, that the pit still devours, Judges 1:11. In these last days of the present age, and in view of the terrible records of this chapter, we may well ponder the summons of Revelation 18:4. The congregation was spared, because of the divine compassion of which Moses had a true conception. His prayer only reflected the divine thought, Numbers 16:22. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 16

1  The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram
23  Moses separates the people from the rebels' tents
31  The earth swallows up Korah, and a fire consumes others
36  The censers are reserved to holy use
41  14,700 are slain by a plague, for murmuring against Moses and Aaron
46  Aaron by incense stays the plague

What do the individual words in Numbers 16:21 mean?

Separate yourselves from among congregation this that I may consume them in a moment
הִבָּ֣דְל֔וּ מִתּ֖וֹךְ הָעֵדָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את וַאַכַלֶּ֥ה‪‬ אֹתָ֖ם כְּרָֽגַע

הִבָּ֣דְל֔וּ  Separate  yourselves 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: בָּדַל  
Sense: to divide, separate.
מִתּ֖וֹךְ  from  among 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
הָעֵדָ֣ה  congregation 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.
הַזֹּ֑את  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
וַאַכַלֶּ֥ה‪‬  that  I  may  consume 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual, first person common singular
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.
כְּרָֽגַע  in  a  moment 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֶגַע  
Sense: a moment adv.