Discovery BoxNumbers 16:31-35 
Context16:31 When he had finished 1 speaking 2 all these words, the ground that was under them split open, 16:32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with their households, and all Korah’s men, and all their goods. 16:33 They and all that they had went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed over them. So they perished from among the community. 16:34 All the Israelites 3 who were around them fled at their cry, 4 for they said, “What if 5 the earth swallows us too?” 16:35 Then a fire 6 went out from the Lord and devoured the 250 men who offered incense.
1 tn The initial temporal clause is standard: It begins with the temporal indicator “and it was,” followed here by the Piel infinitive construct with the preposition and the subjective genitive suffix. “And it happened when he finished.”
2 tn The infinitive construct with the preposition lamed (ל) functions here as the direct object of the preceding infinitive. It tells what he finished.
3 tn Heb “all Israel.”
4 tn Heb “voice.”
5 tn Heb “lest.”
6 tn For a discussion of the fire of the
