1 Corinthians 10 · Verse 10

1 Corinthians 10:10

Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
1 Corinthians 10:10, King James Version

1 Corinthians 10:10 in other translations

BSBAnd do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel.
WEBDon’t grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer.
ASVNeither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer.
YLTneither murmur ye, as also some of them did murmur, and did perish by the destroyer.
DARBYNeither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer.
BBEAnd do not say evil things against the Lord, as some of them did, and destruction overtook them.
WebsterNeither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

What does 1 Corinthians 10:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
10. some of them ... murmured--upon the death of Korah and his company, who themselves were murmurers (Nu 16:41, 49). Their murmurs against Moses and Aaron were virtually murmurs against God (compare Ex 16:8, 10). Paul herein glances at the Corinthian murmurs against himself, the apostle of Christ. destroyed--fourteen thousand seven hundred perished. the destroyer--THE same destroying angel sent by God as in Ex 12:23, and 2Sa 24:16.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 10. Neither murmur ye. Do not repine at the allotments of Providence, or complain of his dealings.

As some of them also murmured. Nu 14:2. The ground of their murmuring was, that they had been disappointed; that they had been brought out of a land of plenty into a wilderness of want; and that instead of being conducted at once to the land of promise, they were left to perish in the desert. They therefore complained of their leaders, and proposed to return again into Egypt.

And were destroyed of the destroyer. That is, they were doomed to die in the wilderness without seeing the land of Canaan, Nu 14:29. The "destroyer" here is understood by many to mean the angel of death, so often referred to in the Old Testament, and usually called by the Jews Sammael. The work of death, however, is attributed to an angel in Ex 12:23. Compare Heb 11:28. It was customary for the Hebrews to regard most human events as under the direction of angels. In Heb 2:14, he is described as he "that had the power of death." Comp. the Book of Wisdom, xviii. 22, 25. The simple idea here however is, that they died for their sin, and were not permitted to enter the promised land.

(a) "murmured" Nu 14:2,29 (b) "destroyer" 2Sam 24:16

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 Neither murmur ye - How the Israelites murmured because of the manna, which their souls despised as a light bread - something incapable of affording them nourishment, etc., and because they had been brought out of Egypt into the wilderness, and pretended that the promises of God had failed; and how they were destroyed by serpents, and by the destroyer or plague; may be seen at large in the texts referred to in the margin on this and the preceding verses. It appears from what the apostle says here, that the Corinthians were murmuring against God and his apostle for prohibiting them from partaking of the idolatrous feasts, just as the Israelites did in the wilderness in reference to a similar subject. See the history of Phineas, with Zimri and Cosbi, and the rebellion of Corah and his company, etc., etc. Destroyed of the destroyer - The Jews suppose that God employed destroying angels to punish those rebellious Israelites; they were five in number, and one of them they call משחית Meshachith, the destroyer; which appears to be another name for Samael, the angel of death, to whose influence they attribute all deaths which are not uncommon or violent. Those who die violent deaths, or deaths that are not in the common manner of men, are considered as perishing by immediate judgments from God.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 10:6-14

Carnal desires gain strength by indulgence, therefore should be checked in their first rise. Let us fear the sins of Israel, if we would shun their plagues. And it is but just to fear, that such as tempt Christ, will be left by him in the power of the old serpent. Murmuring against God's disposals and commands, greatly provokes him. Nothing in Scripture is written in vain; and it is our wisdom and duty to learn from…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 10:6-14 →

1 Corinthians 10:10 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

μηδὲmēdeNeitherG3366
γογγύζετεgonguzetedo grumbleG1111
καθάπερkathaperjust asG2509
τινὲςtinessomeG5100
αὐτῶνautōnof themG846
ἐγόγγυσαν,egongusangrumbled,G1111
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀπώλοντοapōlontoperishedG622
ὑπὸhupobyG5259
τοῦtoutheG3588
ὀλοθρευτοῦ.olothreutouDestroyer.G3644

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 10:10

  • Numbers 14:2

    And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!

  • Numbers 16:41

    But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord.

  • Numbers 14:37

    Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord.

  • Philippians 2:14

    Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

  • 1 Chronicles 21:15

    And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the Lord beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

  • 2 Samuel 24:16

    And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

  • Psalms 106:25

    But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.

  • Jude 1:16

    These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

  • Exodus 12:23

    For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

  • Exodus 15:24

    And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

  • Exodus 17:2-3

    Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord? And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

  • Exodus 16:2-9

    And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
murmur.
Ex 15:24; 16:2-9; 17:2,3; Nu 14:2,27-30; 16:41; Ps 106:25; Php 2:14
Jude 1:16
were.
Nu 14:37; 16:46-49
destroyer.
Ex 12:23; 2Sa 24:16; 1Ch 21:15; 2Ch 32:21; Mt 13:39-42; Ac 12:23
2Th 1:7,8; Heb 11:28; Re 16:1

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Corinthians 10:9

    Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:10

    Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:11

    Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 10

1 Corinthians 10:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Ni murmuréis, como algunos de ellos murmuraron, y perecieron por el destructor.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ne murmurez pas non plus, comme quelques-uns d’eux ont murmuré et ont péri par le destructeur.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Murret auch nicht, gleichwie etliche von ihnen murrten und von dem Verderber umgebracht wurden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Neque murmuraveritis, sicut quidam eorum murmuraverunt, et perierunt ab exterminatore.