The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 10:5 Explained

1 Corinthians 10:5

KJV: But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

YLT: but in the most of them God was not well pleased, for they were strewn in the wilderness,

Darby: yet God was not pleased with the most of them, for they were strewed in the desert.

ASV: Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  with  many  of them  God  was  not  well pleased:  for  they were overthrown  in  the wilderness. 

What does 1 Corinthians 10:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

In spite of these blessings, similar to those that Christians enjoy, God was not happy with His people Israel. He permitted none of the adult generation of military age, 20 years old and older, to enter the Promised Land, except Caleb and Joshua , not even Moses ( Numbers 20:12). All but those two individuals from that generation died in the wilderness. How the majority displeased God and lost their privileges follows.

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 10:1-10 - Learn From Bible History
Twice over we are told that the story of the Exodus was intended for our instruction, 1 Corinthians 10:6; 1 Corinthians 10:11. It becomes us, therefore, to study the account with the honest intention to obtain all the warning and suggestion that it is capable of yielding. The great lesson is human failure under the most promising circumstances. Here were people who had been brought out of the most terrible hardships and perils, who were under the greatest obligations to God, but who, in the hour of temptation, absolutely failed Him.
Consider the privileges of the Chosen People. The cloud of divine guidance led them. The Red Sea, like a grave, lay between them and the land of bondage. They ate daily of the heavenly manna and drank of the water that gushed from the rock. But all these are types of spiritual blessings which await us in Christ. His grave lies between us and the world; His guidance is ours; we daily feed on His life and help. Let us take heed that we do not, like Israel, allow Moab to cast the witchery of sensual indulgence over us, lest we excite God's displeasure. Let us not tempt the Lord by murmuring or distrust. Let us ever live worthily of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 10

1  The sacraments of the Jews are types of ours;
7  and their punishments,
11  examples for us
13  We must flee from idolatry
21  We must not make the Lord's table the table of demons;
24  and in all things we must have regard for our brothers

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 10:5

With most of them [εν τοις πλειοσιν αυτων]
“A mournful understatement,” for only two (Caleb and Joshua) actually reached the Promised Land (Numbers 14:30-32). All the rest were rejected or αδοκιμοι — adokimoi (1 Corinthians 9:27). [source]
Were overthrown [κατεστρωτησαν]
First aorist passive indicative of καταστρωννυμι — katastrōnnumi old compound verb, to stretch or spread down as of a couch, to lay low (Euripides), as if by a hurricane. Powerful picture of the desolation wrought by the years of disobedience and wanderings in the desert by this verb quoted from Numbers 14:16. [source]
Many [τοῖς πλείοσιν]
The A.V. misses the force of the article, the many. Hence Rev., correctly, most of them. All perished save Caleb and Joshua. [source]
Overthrown [κατεστρώθησαν]
Only here in the New Testament. Lit., were strewn down along (the ground). The word belongs mostly to later Greek, though found in Herodotos in the general sense of slaying. So Euripides: “He laid low his wife and child with one dart” (“Hercules Furens,” 1000). It is used of spreading a couch. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 10:5

1 Corinthians 10:1 All []
Strongly emphasized in contrast with most of them (A.V., many ) in 1 Corinthians 10:5. All enjoyed the privileges, but few improved them. The word is repeated five times. [source]
Colossians 1:19 For it was the good pleasure of the Father [οτι ευδοκησεν]
No word in the Greek for “the Father,” though the verb calls for either ο τεος — ho theos or ο πατηρ — ho patēr as the subject. This verb ευδοκεω — eudokeō is common in the N.T. for God‘s will and pleasure (Matthew 3:17; 1 Corinthians 10:5). [source]
Hebrews 3:17 Carcasses [τὰ κῶλα]
N.T.olxx for פֶּֽגֶר, a corpse. Κῶλον properly a limb. The idea of dismemberment underlies the use of the word. Comp. Numbers 14:29(lxx), and 1 Corinthians 10:5, of the rebellious Israelites, who κατεστρώθησαν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ werestrewn down along in the wilderness. [source]
Hebrews 2:2 A just recompense of reward [ἔνδικον μισθατοδοσίαν]
Ἔνδικος justonly here and Romans 3:8. olxx, quite frequent in Class., but mainly in poetry. The meaning is substantially the same as δίκαιος as it appears in the familiar phrase δίκαιός εἰμι with the infinitive: thus, δίκαιός εἰμι κολάζειν Iam right to punish, that is, I have a right, etc., right or justice being regarded as working within a definite circle. Μισθαποδοσία recompenseonly in Hebrews. Comp. Hebrews 10:35; Hebrews 11:26. olxx, oClass., where the word is, μισθοδοσία . From μισθός wagesand ἀποδιδόναι topay off or discharge. The reference is, primarily, to the punishments suffered by the Israelites in the wilderness. Comp. Hebrews 3:16; Hebrews 10:28; 1 Corinthians 10:5, 1 Corinthians 10:6. [source]
Jude 1:5 Though ye know all things once for all [ειδοτας απαχ παντα]
Concessive perfect (sense of present) active participle as in 2 Peter 1:12, but without καιπερ — kaiper Lord Some MSS. add Ιησους — Iēsous The use of κυριος — kurios here is usually understood to mean the Lord Jesus Christ, as Clement of Alex. (Adumbr. p. 133) explains, Exodus 23:20, by ο μυστικος εκεινος αγγελος Ιησους — ho mustikos ekeinos aggelos Iēsous (that mystical angel Jesus). For the mystic reference to Christ see 1 Corinthians 10:4, 1 Corinthians 10:9; Hebrews 11:26. Some MSS. here add τεος — theos instead of Ιησους — Iēsous Adverbial accusative, “the second time.” After having saved the people out of Egypt.Destroyed (απωλεσεν — apōlesen). First aorist active indicative of απολλυμι — apollumi old verb, to destroy.Them that believed not First aorist active articular participle of πιστευω — pisteuō The reference is to Numbers 14:27-37, when all the people rescued from Egypt perished except Caleb and Joshua. This first example by Jude is not in 2 Peter, but is discussed in 1 Corinthians 10:5-11; Heb 3:18-4:2. [source]
Jude 1:5 Them that believed not [τους μη πιστευσαντας]
First aorist active articular participle of πιστευω — pisteuō The reference is to Numbers 14:27-37, when all the people rescued from Egypt perished except Caleb and Joshua. This first example by Jude is not in 2 Peter, but is discussed in 1 Corinthians 10:5-11; Heb 3:18-4:2. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 10:5 mean?

Nevertheless not with - most of them was well pleased - God they were strewn for in the wilderness
ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐν τοῖς πλείοσιν αὐτῶν εὐδόκησεν Θεός κατεστρώθησαν γὰρ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ

ἀλλ’  Nevertheless 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἀλλά  
Sense: but.
τοῖς  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πλείοσιν  most 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Plural, Comparative
Root: πολύς  
Sense: greater in quantity.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
εὐδόκησεν  was  well  pleased 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εὐδοκέω  
Sense: it seems good to one, is one’s good pleasure.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεός  God 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
κατεστρώθησαν  they  were  strewn 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: καταστρώννυμι  
Sense: to strew over (the ground).
ἐρήμῳ  wilderness 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἔρημος  
Sense: solitary, lonely, desolate, uninhabited.