Dathan
“Belonging to a fountain”
Summary
A Reubenite leader who joined Korah's rebellion against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and was swallowed up by the earth as divine judgment.
☩The Rebellion
Dathan, son of Eliab, with his brother Abiram joined Korah the Levite in challenging the authority of Moses and Aaron. While Korah's complaint concerned priestly prerogatives, Dathan and Abiram charged Moses with bringing them out of Egypt to kill them in the wilderness and with making himself a prince over them. They defiantly refused Moses' summons, asking sarcastically if he intended to 'put out the eyes' of the men—that is, to deceive them utterly.
☩Divine Judgment
Moses called upon God to vindicate His servants. The people were commanded to separate from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Then the earth opened and swallowed Dathan and Abiram with their families and all their possessions—they went down alive into Sheol. This spectacular judgment demonstrated that Moses and Aaron were indeed God's appointed leaders. The event became a warning commemorated throughout Israel's history.
Related Verses8 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Dathan," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. II (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Dathan," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. II (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Dathan," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).