Numbers16
New Living Translation
1One day Korah son of Izhar, a descendant of Kohath son of Levi, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben.
2They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders of the community, all prominent members of the assembly.
3They united against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the Lord’s people?”
4When Moses heard what they were saying, he fell face down on the ground.
5Then he said to Korah and his followers, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show us who belongs to him and who is holy. The Lord will allow only those whom he selects to enter his own presence.
6Korah, you and all your followers must prepare your incense burners.
7Light fires in them tomorrow, and burn incense before the Lord. Then we will see whom the Lord chooses as his holy one. You Levites are the ones who have gone too far!”
8Then Moses spoke again to Korah: “Now listen, you Levites!
9Does it seem insignificant to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the community of Israel to be near him so you can serve in the Lord’s Tabernacle and stand before the people to minister to them?
10Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well?
11The Lord is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?”
12Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they replied, “We refuse to come before you!
13Isn’t it enough that you brought us out of Egypt, a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us here in this wilderness, and that you now treat us like your subjects?
14What’s more, you haven’t brought us into another land flowing with milk and honey. You haven’t given us a new homeland with fields and vineyards. Are you trying to fool these men? We will not come.”
15Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “Do not accept their grain offerings! I have not taken so much as a donkey from them, and I have never hurt a single one of them.”
16And Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers must come here tomorrow and present yourselves before the Lord. Aaron will also be here.
17You and each of your 250 followers must prepare an incense burner and put incense on it, so you can all present them before the Lord. Aaron will also bring his incense burner.”
18So each of these men prepared an incense burner, lit the fire, and placed incense on it. Then they all stood at the entrance of the Tabernacle with Moses and Aaron.
19Meanwhile, Korah had stirred up the entire community against Moses and Aaron, and they all gathered at the Tabernacle entrance. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to the whole community,
20and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
21“Get away from all these people so that I may instantly destroy them!”
22But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. “O God,” they pleaded, “you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Must you be angry with all the people when only one man sins?”
23And the Lord said to Moses,
24“Then tell all the people to get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”
25So Moses got up and rushed over to the tents of Dathan and Abiram, followed by the elders of Israel.
26“Quick!” he told the people. “Get away from the tents of these wicked men, and don’t touch anything that belongs to them. If you do, you will be destroyed for their sins.”
27So all the people stood back from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Then Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrances of their tents, together with their wives and children and little ones.
28And Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things that I have done—for I have not done them on my own.
29If these men die a natural death, or if nothing unusual happens, then the Lord has not sent me.
30But if the Lord does something entirely new and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and all their belongings, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have shown contempt for the Lord.”
31He had hardly finished speaking the words when the ground suddenly split open beneath them.
32The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned.
33So they went down alive into the grave, along with all their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished from among the people of Israel.
34All the people around them fled when they heard their screams. “The earth will swallow us, too!” they cried.
35Then fire blazed forth from the Lord and burned up the 250 men who were offering incense.
36And the Lord said to Moses,
37“Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to pull all the incense burners from the fire, for they are holy. Also tell him to scatter the burning coals.
38Take the incense burners of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, and hammer the metal into a thin sheet to overlay the altar. Since these burners were used in the Lord’s presence, they have become holy. Let them serve as a warning to the people of Israel.”
39So Eleazar the priest collected the 250 bronze incense burners that had been used by the men who died in the fire, and the bronze was hammered into a thin sheet to overlay the altar.
40This would warn the Israelites that no unauthorized person—no one who was not a descendant of Aaron—should ever enter the Lord’s presence to burn incense. If anyone did, the same thing would happen to him as happened to Korah and his followers. So the Lord’s instructions to Moses were carried out.
41But the very next morning the whole community of Israel began muttering again against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the Lord’s people!”
42As the community gathered to protest against Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the Tabernacle and saw that the cloud had covered it, and the glorious presence of the Lord appeared.
43Moses and Aaron came and stood in front of the Tabernacle,
44and the Lord said to Moses,
45“Get away from all these people so that I can instantly destroy them!” But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground.
46And Moses said to Aaron, “Quick, take an incense burner and place burning coals on it from the altar. Lay incense on it, and carry it out among the people to purify them and make them right with the Lord. The Lord’s anger is blazing against them—the plague has already begun.”
47Aaron did as Moses told him and ran out among the people. The plague had already begun to strike down the people, but Aaron burned the incense and purified the people.
48He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague stopped.
49But 14,700 people died in that plague, in addition to those who had died in the affair involving Korah.
50Then because the plague had stopped, Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
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.