The Meaning of Numbers 16:3 Explained

Numbers 16:3

KJV: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

YLT: and they are assembled against Moses and against Aaron, and say unto them, 'Enough of you! for all the company -- all of them are holy, and in their midst is Jehovah; and wherefore do ye lift yourselves up above the assembly of Jehovah?'

Darby: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, It is enough; for all the assembly, all of them are holy, and Jehovah is among them; and why do ye lift up yourselves above the congregation of Jehovah?

ASV: and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and Jehovah is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the assembly of Jehovah?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they gathered themselves together  against Moses  and against Aaron,  and said  unto them, [Ye take] too much  upon you, seeing all the congregation  [are] holy,  every one of them, and the LORD  [is] among  them: wherefore then lift ye up  yourselves above the congregation  of the LORD? 

What does Numbers 16:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 16:1-19 - The Rebellion Of Koran
This was a very serious revolt, because so many princes associated themselves with the Levites. Jealousy was at the root of the entire movement. "All the congregation are holy," they said. "Wherefore lift ye up yourselves?" There is no root of bitterness that needs such careful watching as jealousy! If it is in your heart you must, like Samuel of old and General Gordon in our own times, "hew Agag in pieces before the Lord."
The record of Moses' meekness precedes this story of his testing. Whatever is strongest and best in us will be searched as by fire. Even Moses was ruffled by these gross charges. See Numbers 16:15. The best of men are but men at the best. Only Jesus was without a flaw.
What a beautiful thought is expressed in Numbers 16:5; Numbers 16:7; Numbers 16:9. There are holy and blessed souls who have an especial right of access into God's presence-chamber. See Zechariah 3:7. [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 16:3 mean?

And they gathered together against Moses and Aaron and said to them [You take] too much upon yourselves for all the congregation every one of them [is] holy and among them Yahweh [is] then why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of Yahweh
וַיִּֽקָּהֲל֞וּ עַל־ מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְעַֽל־ אַהֲרֹ֗ן וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵהֶם֮ רַב־ לָכֶם֒ כִּ֤י כָל־ הָֽעֵדָה֙ כֻּלָּ֣ם קְדֹשִׁ֔ים וּבְתוֹכָ֖ם יְהוָ֑ה וּמַדּ֥וּעַ תִּֽתְנַשְּׂא֖וּ עַל־ קְהַ֥ל ؟ יְהוָֽה

וַיִּֽקָּהֲל֞וּ  And  they  gathered  together 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָהַל  
Sense: to assemble, gather.
עַל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
מֹשֶׁ֣ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
אַהֲרֹ֗ן  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵהֶם֮  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
רַב־  [You  take]  too  much 
Parse: Adverb
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
לָכֶם֒  upon  yourselves 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
הָֽעֵדָה֙  the  congregation 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.
כֻּלָּ֣ם  every  one  of  them 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
קְדֹשִׁ֔ים  [is]  holy 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: קָדֹושׁ  
Sense: sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart.
וּבְתוֹכָ֖ם  and  among  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh  [is] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וּמַדּ֥וּעַ  then  why 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: מַדּוּעַ  
Sense: why?, on what account?, wherefore?.
תִּֽתְנַשְּׂא֖וּ  do  you  exalt  yourselves 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
עַל־  above 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
קְהַ֥ל  the  assembly 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קָהָל  
Sense: assembly, company, congregation, convocation.
؟ יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.