Translations
F.O.G.MPrimary
F.O.G MessageWoe to them! For they have traveled the way of Cain, and for profit have abandoned themselves to Balaam's error, and perished in Korah's rebellion.
F.O.GSecondary
The F.O.GWoe to them! For they have gone the way of Kayin, and for gain have poured themselves headlong into the error of Bila'am, and perished in Korach's rebellion.
KJV
King James VersionWoe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
BSB
Berean Standard BibleWoe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed for profit into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
Footnotes
Three archetypal transgressors anchor this prophetic woe: Kayin/Cain — murderous hatred of the righteous (Gen 4); Bila'am/Balaam — leveraging religious influence for financial gain (Num 22–24; 31:16); Korach/Korah — presumptuous rebellion against divinely appointed leadership (Num 16). ἐξεχύθησαν ("poured themselves out/rushed headlong") is arrestingly vivid — they have been entirely emptied into Balaam's error like liquid poured out, an image of irreversible self-expenditure. The prophetic aorists speak of future doom as already accomplished, in the tradition of Hebrew prophetic speech.
