Dathan
Exodus & Wilderness
Tribe of Reuben
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H1885
Dathan, a Reubenite, joined Korah's rebellion against Moses and Aaron and was punished by God.
Dathan was a Reubenite, son of Eliab, who joined Korah's rebellion against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, challenging their authority and demanding equal access to priestly roles (Numbers 16:1–35). Along with his brother Abiram and Korah, Dathan led 250 community leaders in a seditious confrontation that God ended dramatically: the earth opened and swallowed Dathan, Abiram, and their households, while fire consumed Korah's 250 followers. The rebellion of Dathan and Abiram became a paradigmatic warning cited repeatedly in subsequent Scripture (Deuteronomy 11:6; Psalm 106:17).