The Meaning of Numbers 16:28 Explained

Numbers 16:28

KJV: And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.

YLT: And Moses saith, 'By this ye do know that Jehovah hath sent me to do all these works, that they are not from my own heart;

Darby: And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that Jehovah has sent me to do all these deeds, for they are not out of my own heart:

ASV: And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that Jehovah hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Moses  said,  Hereby ye shall know  that the LORD  hath sent  me to do  all these works;  for [I have] not [done them] of mine own mind. 

What does Numbers 16:28 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 16:28 mean?

And said Moses by this you shall know that Yahweh has sent me to do - all works these for not [I have done them] of my own will
וַיֹּאמֶר֮ מֹשֶׁה֒ בְּזֹאת֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּן כִּֽי־ יְהוָ֣ה שְׁלָחַ֔נִי לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת אֵ֥ת כָּל־ הַֽמַּעֲשִׂ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה כִּי־ לֹ֖א מִלִּבִּֽי

וַיֹּאמֶר֮  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מֹשֶׁה֒  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
בְּזֹאת֙  by  this 
Parse: Preposition-b, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
תֵּֽדְע֔וּן  you  shall  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
שְׁלָחַ֔נִי  has  sent  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת  to  do 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אֵ֥ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַֽמַּעֲשִׂ֖ים  works 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
הָאֵ֑לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
מִלִּבִּֽי  [I  have  done  them]  of  my  own  will 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.