What Does Numbers 26:9 Mean in the King James?
And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD:
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The word KJV renders “famous” means “called ones”: public recognition and resistance to the LORD occupy the same sentence.
THE MEANING
A recognized place within a community can coexist with resistance that reaches beyond its human targets to the LORD. The verse places public standing and the direction of opposition side by side, so reputation alone cannot tell you what that opposition serves.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Being publicly recognized within a community proves that a person’s opposition is aligned with God.
THE ROOT
קְרוּאֵי
qeruʾei
GROWS FROM
קרא
Call, summon, or name.
“famous” in this verse is qeruʾei. The Hebrew calls them members of the assembly, rather than merely describing their reputation. The same root connects being called into public standing with the act of calling or naming.
ALSO GROWS
qārāʾ: Call, summon, or name.
קָרָא
The verse’s “called ones” carries this root’s sense of being summoned or designated.
miqrāʾ: Convocation or reading.
מִקְרָא
A convocation is a gathering called together, echoing the assembly named in this verse.
מֹשֶׁה
Mōšeh
GROWS FROM
משׁה
Draw out, especially from water.
Moses’ name carries the nature of one drawn out of water. The verse’s conflict with him gains another shade: the one standing before them bears a name tied to being drawn out.
ALSO GROWS
māšâ: Draw out.
מָשָׁה
This verb supplies the meaning carried by Moses’ name.
vāʾemšēhû: I drew him out.
וָאֶמְשֵׁהוּ
This is the form used in Exodus 2:10 as Moses’ name is explained.
THE PATTERN
Resistance directed at human representatives can reach beyond them to God.
And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.But if it be of God, ye can not overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.THE THREAD
These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.The same Hebrew word, קְרוּאֵי (qeruʾei), describes the “renowned” leaders of the congregation here. That shared root shows public standing as a designation; the present verse places that standing beside the direction of their resistance.
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