The Meaning of Numbers 16:26 Explained

Numbers 16:26

KJV: And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

YLT: and he speaketh unto the company, saying, 'Turn aside, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and come not against anything that they have, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.'

Darby: And he spoke to the assembly, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye perish in all their sins.

ASV: And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he spake  unto the congregation,  saying,  Depart,  I pray you, from the tents  of these wicked  men,  and touch  nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed  in all their sins. 

What does Numbers 16:26 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 16:20-35 - Divine Judgment Upon The Rebels
It was wise of Moses not to attempt to vindicate himself, but to leave God to maintain His cause. He is not slow to undertake the vindication of those who entrust their reputation with Him. To take the sword is to perish by the sword. "Wait on the Lord and keep His way, and He will exalt thee to inherit the land."
The doom of Korah and his fellow-conspirators was very terrible; but if they had been spared, the whole camp would have been infected, and God's purposes frustrated. Those who suffer from the bubonic plague must be instantly separated from their fellows, for the sake of society! Remember, as Jude says, that the pit still devours, Judges 1:11. In these last days of the present age, and in view of the terrible records of this chapter, we may well ponder the summons of Revelation 18:4. The congregation was spared, because of the divine compassion of which Moses had a true conception. His prayer only reflected the divine thought, Numbers 16:22. [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 16:26 mean?

And he spoke to the congregation saying Depart now from the tents of men wicked these and not touch anything which theirs lest you be consumed in all their sins
וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר אֶל־ הָעֵדָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר ס֣וּרוּ נָ֡א מֵעַל֩ אָהֳלֵ֨י הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָֽרְשָׁעִים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְאַֽל־ תִּגְּע֖וּ בְּכָל־ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם פֶּן־ תִּסָּפ֖וּ בְּכָל־ חַטֹּאתָֽם

וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר  And  he  spoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
הָעֵדָ֜ה  the  congregation 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.
לֵאמֹ֗ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
ס֣וּרוּ  Depart 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
נָ֡א  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
אָהֳלֵ֨י  the  tents 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים  of  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הָֽרְשָׁעִים֙  wicked 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
הָאֵ֔לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
וְאַֽל־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
תִּגְּע֖וּ  touch 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: נָגַע  
Sense: to touch, reach, strike.
בְּכָל־  anything 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
לָהֶ֑ם  theirs 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
פֶּן־  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
תִּסָּפ֖וּ  you  be  consumed 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: סָפָה  
Sense: to sweep or snatch away, catch up, destroy, consume.
בְּכָל־  in  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
חַטֹּאתָֽם  their  sins 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חַטָּאָה 
Sense: sin, sinful.