The Meaning of Numbers 16:35 Explained

Numbers 16:35

KJV: And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

YLT: and fire hath come out from Jehovah, and consumeth the two hundred and fifty men bringing near the perfume.

Darby: And there came out a fire from Jehovah, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that had presented incense.

ASV: And fire came forth from Jehovah, and devoured the two hundred and fifty men that offered the incense.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And there came out  a fire  from the LORD,  and consumed  the two hundred  and fifty  men  that offered  incense. 

What does Numbers 16:35 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 16:35 mean?

And a fire came out from Yahweh and consumed the fifty and two hundred men who were offering incense -
וְאֵ֥שׁ יָצְאָ֖ה מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וַתֹּ֗אכַל אֵ֣ת הַחֲמִשִּׁ֤ים וּמָאתַ֙יִם֙ אִ֔ישׁ מַקְרִיבֵ֖י הַקְּטֹֽרֶת פ

וְאֵ֥שׁ  And  a  fire 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
יָצְאָ֖ה  came  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַתֹּ֗אכַל  and  consumed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
הַחֲמִשִּׁ֤ים  fifty 
Parse: Article, Number, common plural
Root: חֲמִשִּׁים 
Sense: fifty.
וּמָאתַ֙יִם֙  and  two  hundred 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, fd
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
אִ֔ישׁ  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מַקְרִיבֵ֖י  who  were  offering 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: קָרַב  
Sense: to come near, approach, enter into, draw near.
הַקְּטֹֽרֶת  incense 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: קְטֹרֶת  
Sense: incense, smoke, odour of (burning) sacrifice.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation