Numbers 16:2-4
Context16:2 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
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.”