Numbers16
New American Standard
1Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men,
2and they stood before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, 250 leaders of the congregation chosen in the assembly, men of renown.
3They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone far enough! For all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”
4When Moses heard this, he fell on his face;
5and he spoke to Korah and all his group, saying, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will make known who is His, and who is holy, and will bring that one near to Himself; indeed, the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself.
6Do this: take censers for yourselves, Korah and your whole group,
7and put fire in them, and place incense upon them in the presence of the Lord tomorrow; and the man whom the Lord chooses shall be the one who is holy. You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!”
8Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi:
9Is it too small an honor for you that the God of Israel has singled you out from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to perform the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them;
10and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? But are you seeking the priesthood as well?
11Therefore you and your whole group are the ones gathered together against the Lord; but as for Aaron, who is he, that you grumble against him?”
12Then Moses sent a summons to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said, “We will not come up.
13Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also appoint yourself as master over us?
14Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you gouge out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!”
15Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “Pay no attention to their offering! I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them.”
16Moses said to Korah, “You and all your group be present before the Lord tomorrow, you and they along with Aaron.
17And each of you take his censer and put incense on it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, 250 censers; also you and Aaron shall each bring his censer.”
18So they took, each one his own censer, and put fire on it, and placed incense on it; and they stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting, with Moses and Aaron.
19So Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.
20Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
21“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, so that I may consume them instantly.”
22But they fell on their faces and said, “God, the God of the spirits of humanity, when one person sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?”
23Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
24“Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the areas around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’”
25Then Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, with the elders of Israel following him,
26and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Get away now from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin!”
27So they moved away from the areas around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrances of their tents, along with their wives, their sons, and their little ones.
28Then Moses said, “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these deeds; for it is not my doing.
29If these men die the death of all mankind, or if they suffer the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me.
30But if the Lord brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them with everything that is theirs, and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have been disrespectful to the Lord.”
31And as he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open;
32and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, and all the people who belonged to Korah with all their possessions.
33So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.
34Then all Israel who were around them fled at their outcry, for they said, “The earth might swallow us!”
35Fire also came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.
36Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
37“Tell Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he shall pick up the censers from the midst of the burned area, because they are holy; and you are to scatter the burning coals farther away.
38As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their own lives, have them made into hammered sheets as plating for the altar, since they did present them before the Lord and they are holy; and they shall serve as a sign to the sons of Israel.”
39So the priest Eleazar took the bronze censers which the men who were burned had offered, and they hammered them out as plating for the altar,
40as a reminder to the sons of Israel so that no layman, anyone who was not of the descendants of Aaron, would approach to burn incense before the Lord; then he would not become like Korah and his group—just as the Lord had spoken to him through Moses.
41But on the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You are the ones who have caused the death of the Lord’s people!”
42It came about, however, when the congregation had assembled against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tent of meeting, and behold, the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared.
43Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting,
44and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
45“Get away from among this congregation so that I may consume them instantly.” Then they fell on their faces.
46And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put fire in it from the altar, and place incense on it; then bring it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the Lord, the plague has begun!”
47Then Aaron took it just as Moses had spoken, and he ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague had begun among the people. So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people.
48And he took his stand between the dead and the living, so that the plague was brought to a halt.
49But those who died by the plague were 14,700 in number, besides those who died on account of Korah.
50Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, for the plague had been brought to a halt.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 16.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram Korah contends for the priesthood. (1–11). Disobedience of Dathan and Abiram. (12–15). The glory of the Lord appears, The intercession of Moses and Aaron. (16–22). The earth swallows up Dathan and Abiram. (23–34). The company of Korah consumed. (35–40). The people murmur A plague sent. (41–50).
vv1-11
Pride and ambition occasion a great deal of mischief both in churches and states. The rebels quarrel with the settlement of the priesthood upon Aaron and his family. Small reason they had to boast of the people's purity, or of God's favour, as the people had been so often and so lately polluted with sin, and were now under the marks of God's displeasure. They unjustly charge Moses and Aaron with taking honour to themselves; whereas they were called of God to it. See here, 1. What spirit levellers are of; those who resist the powers God has set over them. 2. What usage they have been serviceable. Moses sought instruction from God. The heart of the wise studies to answer, and asks counsel of God. Moses shows their privileges as Levites, and convicts them of the sin of undervaluing these privileges. It will help to keep us from envying those above us, duly to consider how many there are below us.
vv12-15
Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram to bring their complaints; but they would not obey. They bring very false charges against Moses. Those often fall under the heaviest censures, who in truth deserve the highest praise. Moses, though the meekest man, yet, finding God reproached in him, was very wroth; he could not bear to see the people ruining themselves. He appeals to God as to his own integrity. He bade them appear with Aaron next morning, at the time of offering the morning incense. Korah undertook thus to appear. Proud ambitious men, while projecting their own advancement, often hurry on their own shameful fall.
vv16-22
The same glory of the Lord that appeared to place Aaron in his office at first, Le 9:23, now appeared to confirm him in it; and to confound those who set up against him. Nothing is more terrible to those who are conscious of guilt, than the appearance of the Divine glory. See how dangerous it is to have fellowship with sinners, and to partake with them. Though the people had treacherously deserted them, yet Moses and Aaron approved themselves faithful shepherds of Israel. If others fail in their duty to us, that does not take away the obligations we are under to seek their welfare. Their prayer was a pleading prayer, and it proved a prevailing one.
Key Words
קֹרַח: Korach, the name of two Edomites and three Israelites
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִצְהָר: Jitshar, an Israelite
קְהָת: Kehath, an Israelite
לֵוִי: Levi, a son of Jacob
דָּתָן: Dathan, an Israelite
אֲבִירָם: Abiram, the name of two Israelites
אֱלִיאָב: Eliab, the name of six Israelites
אוֹן: On, an Israelite
פֶּלֶת: Peleth, the name of two Israelites
Cross References
Numbers 16New Testament warning against 'the rebellion of Korah' (Greek: Core) as a pattern of rebellion.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Sought-after historical summary: 'They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the Lord.'
Moses recalls the judgment when the earth opened and swallowed Dathan and Abiram.
Supported by JFB
Direct poetic recount of the earth opening to swallow Dathan and covering the company of Abiram.
Direct poetic recount of the fire that was kindled in their company and burned up the wicked.
Genealogy specifically notes Dathan and Abiram as those who strove against Moses and Aaron.
Supported by JFB
The rebels distort God's promise that Israel would be 'a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
No man takes this honor of the priesthood to himself, but he who is called by God.
Paul's phrasing 'The Lord knoweth them that are his' echoes Moses' test in Septuagint wording.
Confirms the earth swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died.
Aaron standing between the living and the dead typifies Christ's ultimate, plague-stopping intercession.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Zelophehad's daughters clarify their father died in his own sin, not in Korah's rebellion.
Incense offered with unauthorized fire brings death, recalling Nadab and Abihu's judgment.
Samuel's protestation of personal integrity ('whose ox have I taken?') closely mirrors Moses' words.
Paul echoes Moses' integrity: 'I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.'
The title 'God of the spirits of all flesh' is echoed in 'Father of spirits.'
The fire from the Lord consuming the 250 mirrors the fire that consumed Nadab and Abihu.
The brazen plates and Aaron's rod both served as a 'sign' against rebels.
Uzziah's judgment for trying to burn incense illustrative of the 'memorial' warning.
Previous rebellion by Miriam and Aaron challenging Moses' exclusive prophetic status.
Supported by JFB
Moses' repeated, humble posture of falling on his face during times of national rebellion.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Murmuring against God's appointed human leaders is fundamentally a rejection of God Himself.
Lot warning his family to flee Sodom's destruction, similar to departing Korah's tents.
The call to 'Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins.'
Supported by Matthew Henry
Reinforces that any outsider (stranger) who comes near to offer incense shall be put to death.