Numbers 16:9
in Numbers 16Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel and brought you near to Himself to perform the work at the LORD’s tabernacle, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of Jehovah, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them;
KJV
Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?
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This verse in Numbers 16
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
you sons of Levi
on Numbers 16:8-10
Moses names what the speech had left unnamed. The complaint used the language of equality, and the thing wanted was the office: you are seeking the priesthood as well.
This site's exposition
Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you
Moses counts four gifts the Levites already held: set apart, brought near, given the work of the tabernacle, and made ministers to the people. Numbers 4:4 had given the Kohathites the care of the most holy things. Korah's own family stood closest to the sanctuary.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Seemeth it but a small thing unto you,....
Note, It will help to keep us from envying those that are above us duly to consider how many there are below us. Instead of fretting that any are preferred before us in honour, power, estate, or interest, in gifts, graces, or usefulness, we have reason to bless God if we, who are less than the least, are not put among the very last.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
“Seemeth” is not in the original. Render it as: Is it too little for you, i. e. “is it less than your dignity demands?”
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
ויקרב אתך AND HE HATH BROUGHT THEE NEAR to that service from which He has excluded the rest of the congregation of Israel.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַמְעַ֣ט | hamat | ¿ [is it too] small | H4592 → | 101 times |
| מִכֶּ֗ם | mikem | for you | ||
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הִבְדִּיל֩ | hivdil | he has set apart | H914 → | 42 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֨י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אֶתְכֶם֙ | ʾetkhem | <obj.> you | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מֵעֲדַ֣ת | meadat | from [the] congregation of | H5712 → | 149 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| לְהַקְרִ֥יב | lehakriv | to bring near | H7126 → | 280 times |
| אֶתְכֶ֖ם | ʾetkhem | <obj.> you | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֵלָ֑יו | ʾelav | to himself | H413 → | 5510 times |
| לַעֲבֹ֗ד | laavod | to serve | H5647 → | 288 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עֲבֹדַת֙ | ʾavodat | [the] service of | H5656 → | 145 times |
| מִשְׁכַּ֣ן | mishkan | [the] tabernacle of | H4908 → | 139 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְלַעֲמֹ֛ד | velaamod | and to stand | H5975 → | 521 times |
| לִפְנֵ֥י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הָעֵדָ֖ה | haedah | the congregation | H5712 → | 149 times |
| לְשָׁרְתָֽם׃ | lesharetam | to serve them | H8334 → | 97 times |
הַמְעַ֣ט¿ [is it too] small
hamatH4592 →101 times
מִכֶּ֗םfor you
mikem
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
הִבְדִּיל֩he has set apart
hivdilH914 →42 times
אֱלֹהֵ֨י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֤לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
אֶתְכֶם֙<obj.> you
ʾetkhemH853 →10935 times
מֵעֲדַ֣תfrom [the] congregation of
meadatH5712 →149 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
לְהַקְרִ֥יבto bring near
lehakrivH7126 →280 times
אֶתְכֶ֖ם<obj.> you
ʾetkhemH853 →10935 times
אֵלָ֑יוto himself
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
לַעֲבֹ֗דto serve
laavodH5647 →288 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עֲבֹדַת֙[the] service of
ʾavodatH5656 →145 times
מִשְׁכַּ֣ן[the] tabernacle of
mishkanH4908 →139 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְלַעֲמֹ֛דand to stand
velaamodH5975 →521 times
לִפְנֵ֥י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
הָעֵדָ֖הthe congregation
haedahH5712 →149 times
לְשָׁרְתָֽם׃to serve them
lesharetamH8334 →97 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
Isaiah 7:13Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God as well?
it leads to
- Isaiah 43:24
You have not bought Me sweet cane with your silver, nor satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened Me with your sins; you have wearied Me with your iniquities.
- Malachi 2:17
You have wearied the LORD with your words; yet you ask, “How have we wearied Him?” By saying, “All who do evil are good in the sight of the LORD, and in them He…
- Isaiah 43:24
Through
Deuteronomy 10:8At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 21:5
And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to serve Him and pronounce blessings in His name and to give a ruling in every…
- Deuteronomy 18:5
For the LORD your God has chosen Levi and his sons out of all your tribes to stand and minister in His name for all time.
- Numbers 3:6
“Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.
- Numbers 4:15
When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they…
- Numbers 6:23–26
“Tell Aaron and his sons: This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
- Deuteronomy 21:5
Through
Numbers 1:53But the Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the congregation of Israel. So the Levites are responsible for the…
it leads to
- Numbers 16:46
Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, place fire from the altar in it, and add incense. Go quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, because wrath has come out from the…
- Numbers 16:46
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies6
On this verse
On this chapter
About Numbers
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.