Numbers 16:5
in Numbers 16Then he said to Korah and all his followers, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will reveal who belongs to Him and who is holy, and He will bring that person near to Himself. The one He chooses, He will bring near to Himself.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, In the morning Jehovah will show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he shall choose will he cause to come near unto him.
KJV
And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the Lord will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
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This verse in Numbers 16
Commentary
6 notes on this verseWe say therefore with confidence that according to the Scriptures God does not know [in the sense of acknowledge] all people. God does not know sin, and God does not know sinners. He is ignorant, so to speak, of those alienated from himself. Hear the Scripture saying "The Lord knows those who are his" and "Let everyone depart from iniquity who calls on the name of the Lord."
This site's exposition
When Moses heard this
on Numbers 16:4-5
Moses answers a public argument by falling facedown, as he does at verses 4, 22 and 45. His reply sets the question as who belongs to Him and who is holy, which moves the case from qualification to choice.
This site's exposition
Tomorrow morning the LORD will reveal who belongs to Him
Adam Clarke holds that Paul quotes this verse at 2 Timothy 2:19, and finds the Greek there a literal rendering of the Hebrew. Origen reads the knowing as God acknowledging those who are his, and says God does not know those alienated from himself. Those he chooses, he brings near.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And he spake unto Korah, and unto all his company,....
Let Korah and his partisans bring their censers, and offer incense before the Lord, and, if he testify his acceptance of them, well and good; Moses is now as willing that all the Lord's people should be priests, if God so pleased, as before that they should all be prophets, ch. xi.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The Lord will show who are his - It is supposed that St. Paul refers to this place, 2Ti 2:19: The foundation of God - the whole sacrificial system, referring to Christ Jesus, the foundation of the salvation of men; standeth sure, notwithstanding the rebellions, intrusions, and false doctrines of men; having this seal - this stamp of its Divine authenticity, The Lord knoweth them that are his; εγνω Κυριος τους οντας αυτου, a literal translation of וידע יהוה את אשר לו veyoda Yehovah eth asher lo; and both signifying, The Lord approveth of his own; or, will own that which is of his own appointment.
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר | vaydaber | and he spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| קֹ֜רַח | korach | Korah | H7141 → | 26 times |
| וְאֶֽל־ | veel- | and to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| עֲדָתוֹ֮ | adato | company his | H5712 → | 149 times |
| לֵאמֹר֒ | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| בֹּ֠קֶר | boker | morning | H1242 → | 214 times |
| וְיֹדַ֨ע | veyoda' | and he will make known | H3045 → | 945 times |
| יְהוָ֧ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [the one] who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| ל֛וֹ | lo | [belongs] to <the> him | ||
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַקָּד֖וֹשׁ | hakadoosh | the holy [person] | H6918 → | 116 times |
| וְהִקְרִ֣יב | vehikriv | and he will bring [him] near | H7126 → | 280 times |
| אֵלָ֑יו | ʾelav | to himself | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וְאֵ֛ת | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | [the one] whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יִבְחַר־ | yivchar- | he will choose | H977 → | 171 times |
| בּ֖וֹ | bo | <in> <the> him | ||
| יַקְרִ֥יב | yakriv | he will bring near | H7126 → | 280 times |
| אֵלָֽיו׃ | ʾelav | to himself | H413 → | 5510 times |
וַיְדַבֵּ֨רand he spoke
vaydaberH1696 →1141 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
קֹ֜רַחKorah
korachH7141 →26 times
וְאֶֽל־and to
veel-H413 →5510 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
עֲדָתוֹ֮company his
adatoH5712 →149 times
לֵאמֹר֒<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
בֹּ֠קֶרmorning
bokerH1242 →214 times
וְיֹדַ֨עand he will make known
veyoda'H3045 →945 times
יְהוָ֧הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲשֶׁר־[the one] who
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
ל֛וֹ[belongs] to <the> him
lo
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הַקָּד֖וֹשׁthe holy [person]
hakadooshH6918 →116 times
וְהִקְרִ֣יבand he will bring [him] near
vehikrivH7126 →280 times
אֵלָ֑יוto himself
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
וְאֵ֛תand <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
אֲשֶׁ֥ר[the one] whom
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יִבְחַר־he will choose
yivchar-H977 →171 times
בּ֖וֹ<in> <the> him
bo
יַקְרִ֥יבhe will bring near
yakrivH7126 →280 times
אֵלָֽיו׃to himself
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Timothy 2:19Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”
it leads to
- John 10:14
I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me,
- 1 Corinthians 8:3
But the one who loves God is known by God.
- Nahum 1:7
The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of distress; He cares for those who trust in Him.
- 1 John 3:7–10
Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.
- John 10:27–30
My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.
- John 10:14
Through
Leviticus 10:3Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: ‘To those who come near Me I will show My holiness, and in the sight of all the people I…
it leads to
- Exodus 19:22
Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.”
- Exodus 19:22
Through
Psalms 65:4Blessed is the one You choose and bring near to dwell in Your courts! We are filled with the goodness of Your house, the holiness of Your temple.
it leads to
- Ephesians 1:4
For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love
- Psalms 106:4–5
Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor to Your people; visit me with Your salvation,
- Ephesians 1:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies6
On this verse
On this chapter
About Numbers
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 4:6.