Deuteronomy 11:6

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

And what He did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, son of Reuben, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, tents, and everything that followed them, in the midst of all Israel.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֜ה לְדָתָ֣ן וְלַאֲבִירָ֗ם בְּנֵ֣י אֱלִיאָב֮ בֶּן־רְאוּבֵן֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר פָּצְתָ֤ה הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֶת־פִּ֔יהָ וַתִּבְלָעֵ֥ם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּיהֶ֖ם וְאֶת־אָהֳלֵיהֶ֑ם וְאֵ֤ת כָּל־הַיְקוּם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם בְּקֶ֖רֶב כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Transliteration

And which ʿāśāh to-dātān and to-ʾăbîrām bənê ʾĕlîʾāb ben-rəʾûbēn which pāṣətāh hāʾāreṣ ʾet-pîhā and tibləʿāʾēm and ʾet-bāttêhem and ʾet-ʾohŏlêhem and ʾēt all-hayəqûm which in-raglêhem in-qereb all-yiśrāʾēl.

Grammar Details

• *wa-*: conjunction - and
• *ʾăšer*: relative pronoun - which/that
• *ʿāśāh*: perfect verb, 3rd person masculine singular - he did/made
• *lə-*: preposition - to/for
• *dātān*: proper noun - Dathan
• *wə-*: conjunction - and
• *la-*: preposition - to/for
• *ʾăbîrām*: proper noun - Abiram
• *bənê*: noun masculine plural construct - sons of
• *ʾĕlîʾāb*: proper noun - Eliab
• *ben*: noun masculine singular construct - son of
• *rəʾûbēn*: proper noun - Reuben
• *pāṣətāh*: qal perfect verb, 3rd person feminine singular - opened
• *hāʾāreṣ*: noun feminine singular with definite article - the earth/land
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *pîhā*: noun masculine singular construct with 3rd person feminine singular suffix - her mouth
• *tibləʿāʾēm*: qal imperfect verb, 3rd person feminine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - she swallowed them
• *bāttêhem*: noun masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - their houses
• *ʾohŏlêhem*: noun masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - their tents
• *hayəqûm*: noun masculine singular with definite article - the substance/existence
• *raglêhem*: noun feminine dual construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - their feet
• *qereb*: noun masculine singular construct - midst
• *yiśrāʾēl*: proper noun - Israel

Word Meanings

• *ʿāśāh*: did/made/performed/accomplished
• *pāṣətāh*: opened/split open/gaped
• *hāʾāreṣ*: the earth/land/ground
• *pîhā*: her mouth/opening
• *tibləʿāʾēm*: swallowed them/engulfed them
• *hayəqûm*: the substance/possessions/living things
• *bə-raglêhem*: at their feet/that followed them/that belonged to them
• *qereb*: midst/among/within

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel:

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And what He did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, their households, their tents, and all the possessions that were among them, in the midst of all Israel:

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel:

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  and what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; how the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel:

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel:

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  ad what he dyd vnto Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab the sonne of Ruben, how the erth opened hir mouth ad swalowed the with their housholdes and their tentes, ad all their substace that was in their possessio, in the myddes of Israel.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  what he dyd vnto Dathan and Abiram the children of Eliab the sonne of Ruben, how the earth opened hir mouth and swalowed them with their housholdes & tetes all their good that they had in the myddes amonge all Israel.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And what he did vnto Dathan & Abiram the sonnes of Eliab ye sonne of Reuben, when the earth opened her mouth, & swallowed them with their housholds and their tents, and all their substance that they had in the middes of al Israel.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And what he dyd vnto Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab the sonne of Ruben: howe the earth opened her mouth and swalowed them, with their housholdes & their tentes, and all their substaunce that was in their possession, in the middes of Israel.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that [was] in their possession, in the midst of all Israel:

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; how the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel:

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and that which He hath done to Dathan, and to Abiram, sons of Eliab, sons of Reuben, when the earth hath opened her mouth and swalloweth them, and their houses, and their tents, and all that liveth, which is at their feet, in the midst of all Israel:

• American Standard Version (1901)

  and what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; how the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel:

• American Standard Version (1901)

  and what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; how the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel:

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; when they went down into the open mouth of the earth, with their families and their tents and every living thing which was theirs, before the eyes of all Israel:

• World English Bible (2000)

  and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; how the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel:

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  or what he did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth in the middle of the Israelite camp and swallowed them, their families, their tents, and all the property they brought with them.

Referenced Verses

• Ps 106:17 : 17 The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it covered the company of Abiram.
• Num 26:9-9 : 9 The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These were the same Dathan and Abiram, community leaders who opposed Moses and Aaron as part of Korah’s assembly, inciting rebellion against the Lord. 10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with Korah, when that assembly died, as the fire consumed 250 men, serving as a warning sign.
• Num 27:3 : 3 Our father died in the wilderness. He was not part of the group that rebelled against the LORD during Korah’s assembly, but he died because of his own sin. He had no sons.
• Num 16:1-9 : 1 Korah, son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, along with Dathan, Abiram (sons of Eliab), and On, son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben, took action. 2 They rose up against Moses, accompanied by 250 leaders of Israel, men of reputation who had been chosen to represent the assembly. 3 They gathered against Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have taken too much upon yourselves! The whole community is holy, each one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you set yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?" 4 When Moses heard this, he fell face down. 5 Then he spoke to Korah and all his followers, saying, "In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to Him, who is holy, and whom He permits to approach Him. The one He chooses, He will bring near to Himself. 6 "Do this: Take censers for yourselves, Korah and all your followers. 7 Put fire in them and place incense on them in the presence of the Lord tomorrow. The man the Lord chooses will be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!" 8 Moses also said to Korah, "Listen now, you sons of Levi! 9 Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has set you apart from the rest of the Israelite community to bring you near to Himself to do the work of the Lord's tabernacle and to stand before the assembly to minister to them? 10 He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near to Him, but now you are demanding the priesthood as well! 11 Therefore, it is against the Lord that you and all your followers have gathered. Who is Aaron that you should grumble against him?" 12 Then Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, "We will not come! 13 Isn't it enough that you brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness? Must you also lord it over us? 14 What's more, you haven't brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Do you intend to gouge out the eyes of these men? We will not come!" 15 Moses was very angry and said to the Lord, "Do not accept their offering. I have not taken even a single donkey from them, nor have I wronged any one of them." 16 Moses said to Korah, "You and all your followers are to appear before the Lord tomorrow—you, they, and Aaron. 17 Each man is to take his censer, put incense in it, and present it before the Lord—250 censers in all. You and Aaron are also to do the same, each with his censer. 18 So each of them took his censer, put fire and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 19 When Korah had assembled the entire community against them at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole assembly. 20 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 21 "Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once." 22 But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and cried out, "O God, the God who gives breath to all living things, will you be angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins?" 23 Then the Lord said to Moses, 24 "Say to the assembly, 'Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.'" 25 Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 He warned the assembly, "Move away from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything that belongs to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins." 27 So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children, and little ones at the entrances to their tents. 28 Then Moses said, "This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my own idea: 29 If these men die a natural death and experience only what usually happens to men, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord brings about something unprecedented and the ground opens its mouth to swallow them and everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt. 31 As soon as he finished speaking all these words, the ground beneath them split apart. 32 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, along with all of Korah's men and all their possessions. 33 They went down alive into the grave, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished from the community. 34 All the Israelites around them ran away at their cries, saying, 'The earth might swallow us too!' 35 Then fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering incense.