The Meaning of Psalms 106:17 Explained

Psalms 106:17

KJV: The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.

YLT: Earth openeth, and swalloweth up Dathan, And covereth over the company of Abiram.

Darby: The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram;

ASV: The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, And covered the company of Abiram.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The earth  opened  and swallowed up  Dathan,  and covered  the company  of Abiram. 

What does Psalms 106:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 106:16-33 - Judgment Restrained By Intercession
The strife between the ungodly and the servants of God has characterized all the centuries. These verses record some of its phases. Moses is called God's chosen, Aaron his saint, while Phinehas is held in honor as one to whom his noble deed was counted for righteousness. But such men are always envied, refused, resisted. Men hate them, but God loves and vindicates them for their loyalty and uncompromising righteousness.
It is beautiful to notice how, so far from human hatred inducing such leaders to turn from their persecutors, it seems to drive them to more intense and ceaseless intercession for them. They stand in the breach, to turn away deserved wrath. From the days of Abraham, who prayed for Sodom, right down the stream of time, the people of God have been his remembrancers, giving Him no rest. Let us cultivate the great art of intercession; and if there is need, let us, like Phinehas, not hesitate to strike strongly in the interests of purity. But while thus standing before men, we must cultivate the grace of humility. We are only servants at the most and must not arrogate more to ourselves. Our authority is only delegated. This is where Moses failed, Numbers 20:2-13. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 106

1  The psalmist exhorts to praise God
4  He prays for pardon of sin, as God pardoned the fathers
7  The story of the people's rebellion, and God's mercy
47  He concludes with prayer and praise

What do the individual words in Psalms 106:17 mean?

Opened up the earth and swallowed Dathan and covered on the faction of Abiram
תִּפְתַּח־ אֶ֭רֶץ וַתִּבְלַ֣ע דָּתָ֑ן וַ֝תְּכַ֗ס עַל־ עֲדַ֥ת אֲבִירָֽם

תִּפְתַּח־  Opened  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: פָּתַח 
Sense: to open.
אֶ֭רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וַתִּבְלַ֣ע  and  swallowed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: בָּלַע 
Sense: to swallow down, swallow up, engulf, eat up.
דָּתָ֑ן  Dathan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּתָן  
Sense: a Reubenite chief, son of Eliab, who, with his brother, Abiram, joined Korah’s conspiracy against Moses’ authority.
וַ֝תְּכַ֗ס  and  covered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: כָּסָה  
Sense: to cover, conceal, hide.
עֲדַ֥ת  the  faction 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.
אֲבִירָֽם  of  Abiram 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִירָם  
Sense: a Reubenite, son of Eliab in exodus.

What are the major concepts related to Psalms 106:17?

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