1 Now 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]:
2 And 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:
3 And 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?
4 And when Moses heard [it], he fell upon his face:
5 And 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.
6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
7 And 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.
8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:
9 [Seemeth 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?
10 And he hath brought thee near [to him], and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?
11 For which cause [both] thou and all thy company [are] gathered together against the LORD: and what [is] Aaron, that ye murmur against him?
12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:
13 [Is 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?
14 Moreover 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.
15 And 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.
16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:
17 And 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.
18 And 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.
19 And 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.
20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
22 And 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?
23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
26 And 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.
27 So 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.
28 And 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.
29 If 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.
30 But 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.
31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that [was] under them:
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that [appertained] unto Korah, and all [their] goods.
33 They, 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.
34 And all Israel that [were] round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up [also].
35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
36 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
37 Speak 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.
38 The 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.
39 And 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:
40 [To 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.
41 But 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.
42 And 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.
43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.
44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
46 And 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.
47 And 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.
48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.
Summary of Numbers Chapter 16
Numbers Chapter 16 narrates a significant rebellion against Moses and Aaron led by Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On. This chapter highlights themes of authority, divine judgment, and the consequences of rebellion against God’s chosen leaders.
Key Characters
- Korah: A Levite who instigates the rebellion against Moses and Aaron.
- Dathan and Abiram: Reubenites who join Korah in his challenge to Moses’ leadership.
- Moses: The leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to guide them out of Egypt.
- Aaron: Moses’ brother and the high priest, representing the priestly authority.
- God: The ultimate authority who intervenes in the rebellion.
Overview of Events
- The Rebellion: Korah, along with Dathan and Abiram, gathers 250 leaders of the community to confront Moses and Aaron, questioning their authority and claiming that all the congregation is holy.
- Moses’ Response: Moses falls on his face, showing humility and seeking God’s guidance. He proposes a test to determine whom God has chosen as holy.
- The Test of the Censers: Moses instructs Korah and his followers to take censers filled with fire and incense before the Lord. This test will reveal who is truly chosen by God.
- Divine Judgment: God commands Moses to separate from the rebels. The ground opens up and swallows Dathan and Abiram, while fire consumes the 250 men offering incense, demonstrating God’s judgment on their rebellion.
- Aftermath and Warning: The Israelites grumble against Moses and Aaron for the deaths, leading to a plague that God sends among the people. Moses instructs Aaron to make atonement, and the plague is halted.
Theological Themes
- Authority and Leadership: The chapter illustrates the importance of divinely appointed leadership and the consequences of challenging God’s chosen leaders.
- Holiness and Separation: The distinction between the holy and the common is emphasized, particularly in relation to the priesthood and worship practices.
- Divine Judgment: God’s swift and severe judgment on the rebels serves as a warning against rebellion and disobedience.
- Intercession and Atonement: Moses and Aaron’s roles as intercessors highlight the importance of mediation between God and the people.
Literary Structure
The chapter can be divided into several sections that contribute to its overall message:
- Verses 1-3: Introduction of the rebellion and the challengers.
- Verses 4-11: Moses’ response and the proposal of the test.
- Verses 12-14: Dathan and Abiram’s defiance against Moses.
- Verses 15-35: The test of the censers and the dramatic divine judgment.
- Verses 36-40: Instructions regarding the censers as a reminder of the rebellion.
- Verses 41-50: The aftermath of the rebellion and the plague, concluding with Aaron’s intercession.
Conclusion
Numbers Chapter 16 serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of rebellion against God’s appointed leaders. It emphasizes the importance of holiness, the seriousness of divine authority, and the role of intercession in the face of judgment. The chapter challenges readers to reflect on their own attitudes toward authority and obedience to God’s will.
