Numbers16
King James Version · Public Domain
1Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and 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 certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
3And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?
4And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
5And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the Lord will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
6This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
7And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the Lord to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the Lord doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
8And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:
9Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?
10And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?
11For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?
12And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:
13Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
14Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
15And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
16And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:
17And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the Lord every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.
18And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
19And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation.
20And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
21Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
22And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?
23And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
24Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
25And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
26And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
27So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
28And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
29If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me.
30But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.
31And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
32And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
33They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
34And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
35And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
36And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
37Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.
38The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
39And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:
40To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the Lord; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the Lord said to him by the hand of Moses.
41But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord.
42And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.
43And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.
44And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
45Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
46And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun.
47And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
48And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
49Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
50And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.
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.