Numbers16
New King James Version
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 rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown.
3They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”
4So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face;
5and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him.
6Do this: Take censers, Korah and all your company;
7put fire in them and put incense in them before the Lord tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom the Lord chooses is the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!”
8Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi:
9Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to serve them;
10and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also?
11Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord. And what is Aaron that you complain against him?”
12And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up!
13Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you should keep acting like a prince over us?
14Moreover you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!”
15Then Moses was very angry, and said to the Lord, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, nor have I hurt one of them.”
16And Moses said to Korah, “Tomorrow, you and all your company be present before the Lord—you and they, as well as Aaron.
17Let each take his censer and put incense in it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, two hundred and fifty censers; both you and Aaron, each with his censer.”
18So every man took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and stood at the door of the tabernacle of meeting with Moses and Aaron.
19And Korah gathered all the congregation against them at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.
20And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
21“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”
22Then they fell on their faces, and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?”
23So the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
24“Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ ”
25Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.
26And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.”
27So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children.
28And Moses said: “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will.
29If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.
30But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord.”
31Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them,
32and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods.
33So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly.
34Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also!”
35And a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.
36Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
37“Tell Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, to pick up the censers out of the blaze, for they are holy, and scatter the fire some distance away.
38The censers of these men who sinned against their own souls, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar. Because they presented them before the Lord, therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.”
39So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned up had presented, and they were hammered out as a covering on the altar,
40to be a memorial to the children of Israel that no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the Lord, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, just as the Lord had said to him through Moses.
41On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.”
42Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.
43Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting.
44And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
45“Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces.
46So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take 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 as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people.
48And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped.
49Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident.
50So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle 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.