Numbers 16:2-4

16:2 and rebelled against Moses, along with some of the Israelites, 250 leaders ¹  of the community, chosen from the assembly, ²  famous men. ³  16:3 And they assembled against Moses and Aaron, saying to them, “You take too much upon yourselves, ⁴  seeing that the whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the community of the Lord?”

16:4 When Moses heard it he fell down with his face to the ground. ⁵ 

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¹ tn Heb “princes” (so KJV, ASV).

² tn These men must have been counselors or judges of some kind.

³ tn Heb “men of name,” or “men of renown.”

⁴ tn The meaning of רַב־לָכֶם (rab-lakhem) is something like “you have assumed far too much authority.” It simply means “much to you,” perhaps “you have gone to far,” or “you are overreaching yourselves” (M. Noth, Numbers [OTL], 123). He is objecting to the exclusiveness of the system that Moses has been introducing.

⁵ tn Heb “fell on his face.”