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Dathan

Dathan is a figure in the Hebrew Bible, described as a member of the tribe of Reuben and the son of Eliab. He is best known for his role in Korah’s rebellion against Moses and Aaron during the Exodus.

According to the narrative in Numbers 16, Dathan and Abiram, along with Korah and 250 leaders from

The episode served as a dramatic demonstration of divine judgment against the rebellion and reinforced Moses’

In modern usage, the name Dathan (also transliterated Datan) is occasionally used as a given name. The

See also: Korah, Abiram, Reuben.

the
Israelite
community,
opposed
Moses’
leadership
and
accused
him
of
taking
too
much
authority.
Moses
confronted
the
rebels
and
proposed
a
test
to
determine
who
was
holy
before
the
Lord.
When
the
rebels
refused
to
come
to
the
assembly,
the
Lord
intervened:
the
earth
opened
and
swallowed
Dathan,
Abiram,
and
their
households,
and
fire
from
the
Lord
consumed
the
250
men
who
had
opposed
Moses.
authority
in
the
eyes
of
the
community.
In
biblical
literature,
Dathan’s
name
is
primarily
remembered
as
part
of
this
episode
rather
than
as
a
figure
with
an
individual
narrative
beyond
the
rebellion.
character
is
sometimes
cited
in
discussions
of
leadership,
dissent,
and
divine
judgment
within
biblical
and
literary
contexts.