45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
45 "Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once." And they fell facedown.
45 "Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment." And they fell on their faces.
45 "Back away from this congregation so that I can do away with them this very minute." They threw themselves facedown on the ground.
45 "Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment." And they fell on their faces.
45 "Get away from all these people so that I can instantly destroy them!" But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 16:45
Commentary on Numbers 16:41-50
(Read Numbers 16:41-50)
The gaping earth was scarcely closed, before the same sins are again committed, and all these warnings slighted. They called the rebels the people of the Lord; and find fault with Divine justice. The obstinacy of Israel notwithstanding the terrors of God's law, as given on mount Sinai, and the terrors of his judgments, shows how necessary the grace of God is to change men's hearts and lives. Love will do what fear cannot. Moses and Aaron interceded with God for mercy, knowing how great the provocation was. Aaron went, and burned incense between the living and the dead, not to purify the air, but to pacify an offended God. As one tender of the life of every Israelite, Aaron made all possible speed. We must render good for evil. Observe especially, that Aaron was a type of Christ. There is an infection of sin in the world, which only the cross and intercession of Jesus Christ can stay and remove. He enters the defiled and dying camp. He stands between the dead and the living; between the eternal Judge and the souls under condemnation. We must have redemption through His blood, even the remission of sins. We admire the ready devotion of Aaron: shall we not bless and praise the unspeakable grace and love which filled the Saviour's heart, when he placed himself in our stead, and bought us with his life? Greatly indeed hath God commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, Romans 5:8.