Psalms 106:17The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~586 BC. The psalmist recounts Israel's wilderness rebellion near Kadesh-Barnesh, modern-day Israel/Palestine border...
The emotion here: sobered by reviewing Israel's pattern of rebellion against God's appointed leaders
The original word
bālaʿ (בלע) — to swallow completely, devour utterly
Why it matters
Korah, Dathan and Abiram were swallowed alive along with their tents, families, and possessions
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 106:17
This wasn't just punishment — it was a supernatural sign that God's chosen leadership structure matters
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about God being harsh, but it was actually merciful — stopping a rebellion that would have destroyed the entire nation's relationship with God.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 106:17
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 106:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 106:17 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to unknown. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine judgment, rebellion consequences, earth judgment. Notable phrases: earth opened and swallowed up; covered the company.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does Psalms 106:17 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "anxious"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.