Therefore, it is you and all your followers who have conspired against the LORD! As for Aaron, who is he that you should grumble against him?”
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore you and all your company have gathered together against Yahweh! What is Aaron that you murmur against him?”
- KJV For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?
- NKJV Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord. And what is Aaron that you complain against him?”
- NASB Therefore you and your whole group are the ones gathered together against the Lord; but as for Aaron, who is he, that you grumble against him?”
- NLT The Lord is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Moses tells them their gathering is ultimately against the LORD himself, not merely against Aaron. To reject God's appointed servant is to reject God.
Overview
Moses unmasks the true nature of the rebellion: by opposing the leaders God appointed, they are opposing God. Their murmuring against Aaron is murmuring against the LORD who chose him. This sobering truth carries into the gospel, where to reject Christ, God's appointed one, is to reject the Father who sent him (Luke 10:16).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Exod 16:7–8and in the morning you will see the LORD’s glory, because He has heard your grumbling against Him. For who are we that you should grumble against us?”
- Exod 17:2So the people contended with Moses, “Give us water to drink.” “Why do you contend with me?” Moses replied. “Why do you test the LORD?”
- Num 16:3They came together against Moses and Aaron and told them, “You have taken too much upon yourselves! For everyone in the entire congregation is holy, and the LORD is in their midst. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”
- 1 Cor 3:5What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role.
- Rom 13:2Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
- Acts 5:4Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!”
- Luke 10:16Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
- 1 Sam 8:7And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king.
- John 13:20Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”
- 1 Cor 10:10And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 16:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.