Numbers 16:12

Then Moses summoned ¹  Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up. ² 

Pr 29:9; Isa 3:5; 1Pe 2:13,14; Jude 1:8

¹ tn Heb “Moses sent to summon.” The verb קָרָא (qara’) followed by the lamed (ל) preposition does not mean “call to” but “summon.” This is a command performance; for them to appear would be to submit to Moses’ authority. This they will not do.

² tn The imperfect tense נַעֲלֶה (na’aleh) expresses their unwillingness to report: “we are not willing,” or “we will not.” The verb means “to go up.” It is used in the sense of appearing before an authority or a superior (see, e.g., Gen 46:31; Deut 25:7; Judg 4:5).