Numbers16
New International Version
1Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent
2and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.
3They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”
4When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.
5Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him. The man he chooses he will cause to come near him.
6You, Korah, and all your followers are to do this: Take censers
7and tomorrow put burning coals and incense in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses will be the one who is holy. You Levites have gone too far!”
8Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites!
9Isn’t it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them?
10He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too.
11It is against the Lord that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble against him?”
12Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab. But they said, “We will not come!
13Isn’t it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness? And now you also want to lord it over us!
14Moreover, you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Do you want to treat these men like slaves? No, we will not come!”
15Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey from them, nor have I wronged any of them.”
16Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before the Lord tomorrow—you and they and Aaron.
17Each man is to take his censer and put incense in it—250 censers in all—and present it before the Lord. You and Aaron are to present your censers also.”
18So each of them took his censer, put burning coals and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
19When Korah had gathered all his followers in opposition to them at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of the Lord appeared to the entire assembly.
20The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
21“Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.”
22But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and cried out, “O God, the God who gives breath to all living things, will you be angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins?”
23Then the Lord said to Moses,
24“Say to the assembly, ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’”
25Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.
26He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.”
27So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children and little ones at the entrances to their tents.
28Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea:
29If these men die a natural death and suffer the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me.
30But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.”
31As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart
32and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions.
33They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community.
34At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”
35And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.
36The Lord said to Moses,
37“Tell Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, to remove the censers from the charred remains and scatter the coals some distance away, for the censers are holy—
38the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives. Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar, for they were presented before the Lord and have become holy. Let them be a sign to the Israelites.”
39So Eleazar the priest collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned to death, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar,
40as the Lord directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the Lord, or he would become like Korah and his followers.
41The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. “You have killed the Lord’s people,” they said.
42But when the assembly gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the tent of meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared.
43Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting,
44and the Lord said to Moses,
45“Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.” And they fell facedown.
46Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord; the plague has started.”
47So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them.
48He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.
49But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah.
50Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.
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.