If these men die the common death of all men, or if they experience what all men experience, then Yahweh hasn’t sent me.
Parallel translations
- KJV If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
- BSB If these men die a natural death, or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me.
- NKJV If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.
- NASB If these men die the death of all mankind, or if they suffer the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me.
- NLT If these men die a natural death, or if nothing unusual happens, then the Lord has not sent me.
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 declared that if these men died ordinary deaths, then the LORD had not sent him. He let God's judgment be the test of his calling.
Overview
Moses sets a clear criterion: a natural death for the rebels would disprove his commission. By framing the test this way, he places his authority entirely under God's verdict. This bold confidence rests on his trust that God will publicly defend the truth of his calling.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Lam 4:22The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, daughter of Zion; he will no more carry you away into captivity: He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom; he will uncover your sins.
- 1 Kgs 22:28Micaiah said, “If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me.” He said, “Listen, all you people!”
- Jer 5:9Shouldn’t I punish them for these things?” says Yahweh; “and shouldn’t my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
- Isa 10:3What will you do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth?
- Eccl 3:19For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals: for all is vanity.
- Job 35:15But now, because he has not visited in his anger, neither does he greatly regard arrogance.
- 2 Chr 18:27Micaiah said, “If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me.” He said, “Listen, you people, all of you!”
- Exod 32:34Now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.”
- Exod 20:5you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,
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 16:29 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.