Numbers Chapter 16 verse 31 Holy Bible

ASV Numbers 16:31

And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them;
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BBE Numbers 16:31

And while these words were on his lips, the earth under them was parted in two;
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DARBY Numbers 16:31

And it came to pass when he had ended speaking all these words, that the ground clave apart that was under them.
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KJV Numbers 16:31

And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
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WBT Numbers 16:31

And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground cleaved asunder that was under them:
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WEB Numbers 16:31

It happened, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground split apart that was under them;
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YLT Numbers 16:31

And it cometh to pass at his finishing speaking all these words, that the ground which `is' under them cleaveth,
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Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 31. - The ground clave asunder that was under them. As it sometimes does during an earthquake. In this case, however, the event was predicted, and wholly supernatural. The sequence of the narrative would lead us to suppose that the earth opened beneath the tents of Dathan and Abiram in the camp of Reuben. It is difficult to think of the gulf as extending so far as to involve the tent of Korah in the Kohathite lines in the same destruction, while there is nothing to suggest the idea that the earth opened in more than one place. It is true that the camps of the Reubenites and of the Kohathites were more or less contiguous; but when it is remembered that there were 46,500 adult males in the former, and 8600 males in the latter, and that a broad space must have been left between the two lines of encampment, it is obviously improbable that Korah's tent was in a practical sense "near" to those of Dathan and Abiram, unless indeed he had purposely removed it in order to be under the protection of his Reubenite partisans. It is very observable that not a word is said here as to the fate of Korah himself. It is implied in verse 40 that he had perished, and it is apparently asserted in Numbers 26:10 that he was swallowed up with Dathan and Abiram (see the note there). On the other hand, Deuteronomy 11:6; Psalm 106:17 speak of the engulfing of the other two without any mention of Korah himself sharing their fate; and while "all the men that appertained unto Korah" perished, his own sons did not (Numbers 26:11). On these grounds it is held by most commentators that Korah died by fire among those who offered incense (verse 35). This, however, is untenable, because "the two hundred and fifty men who offered incense" are distinctly mentioned as having been his partisans (verse 2), and are always counted exclusive of Korah himself. On the whole, while it is certain that the narrative is very obscure, and the question very doubtful, it seems most agreeable to all the testimonies of Holy Scripture to conclude - 1. That Korah had left his own place, and had some sort of dwelling (mischan) either in common with Dathan and Abiram, or hard by their tents. 2. That the earth opened and swallowed up the mishcan, of Korah, and the tents of Dathan and Abiram. 3. That Korah's men (see next verse) and their property were swallowed up with his mishcan, and (as far as we can tell) Korah himself also. If this be correct, then the much disputed heading of the chapter in the A.V. will be right after all.

Ellicott's Commentary