^16:30But if the Lord does something entirely new,³⁹ and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up⁴⁰ along with all that they have, and they⁴¹ go down alive to the grave,⁴² then you will know that these men have despised the Lord!”

^16:31When he had finished⁴³ speaking⁴⁴ all these words, the ground that was under them split open, ^16:32and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with their households, and all Korah’s men, and all their goods. ^16:33They and all that they had went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed over them. So they perished from among the community. ^16:34All the Israelites⁴⁵ who were around them fled at their cry,⁴⁶ for they said, “What if⁴⁷ the earth swallows us too?” ^16:35Then a fire⁴⁸ went out from the Lord and devoured the 250 men who offered incense.

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Footnotes

39 The verb בָּרָא (bara’) is normally translated “create” in the Bible. More specifically it means to fashion or make or do something new and fresh. Here the verb is joined with its cognate accusative to underscore that this will be so different everyone will know it is of God.
40 The figures are personifications. But they vividly describe the catastrophe to follow—which was very much like a mouth swallowing them.
41 The word is “life” or “lifetime”; it certainly means their lives—they themselves. But the presence of this word suggest more. It is an accusative specifying the state of the subject—they will go down alive to Sheol.
42 The word “Sheol” in the Bible can be used four different ways: the grave, the realm of the departed [wicked] spirits or Hell, death in general, or a place of extreme danger (one that will lead to the grave if God does not intervene). The usage here is certainly the first, and very likely the second as well. A translation of “pit” would not be inappropriate. Since they will go down there alive, it is likely that they will sense the deprivation and the separation from the land above. See H. W. Robinson, Inspiration and Revelation in the Old Testament; N. J. Tromp, Primitive Conceptions of Death and the Netherworld in the Old Testament ( 21), 21–23; and A. Heidel, The Gilgamesh Epic, especially ch. 3.
43 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.”
44 The infinitive construct with the preposition lamed (ל) functions here as the direct object of the preceding infinitive. It tells what he finished.
45 Heb “all Israel.”
46 Heb “voice.”
47 Heb “lest.”
48 For a discussion of the fire of the Lord, see J. C. H. Laughlin, “The Strange Fire of Nadab and Abihu,” 95 (1976): 559–65.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

But if the Lord creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord.”

And as soon as he had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart. And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. And all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!” And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men offering the incense.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.”

As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”

And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

But if the Lord brings about something unprecedented, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them along with all that belongs to them so that they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have despised the Lord.”

Just as he finished speaking all these words, the ground beneath them split open. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, all Korah’s people, and all their possessions. They went down alive into Sheol with all that belonged to them. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly. At their cries, all the people of Israel who were around them fled because they thought, “The earth may swallow us too!” Fire also came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were presenting the incense.

NLTNew Living Translation

But if the Lord does something entirely new and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and all their belongings, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have shown contempt for the Lord.”

He had hardly finished speaking the words when the ground suddenly split open beneath them. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned. So they went down alive into the grave, along with all their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished from among the people of Israel. All the people around them fled when they heard their screams. “The earth will swallow us, too!” they cried. Then fire blazed forth from the Lord and burned up the 250 men who were offering incense.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

But if Yahweh creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up and all that belongs to them, and they go down alive to Sheol, and you will know that these men have despised Yahweh.”

And it happened, as soon as he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open. The land opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their houses and every person that belonged to Korah and all the property. They went down alive to Sheol, they and all that belonged to them, and the land covered over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. All Israel who were around them fled at their cry, because they said, “Lest the land swallow us up!” And fire went out from Yahweh, and it consumed the two hundred and fifty men presenting the incense.

KJV 1900King James Version

But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord. And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

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