Numbers 16:11-21

11 Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the LORD: and Aharon, what is he who you murmur against him?

12 Moshe sent to call Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av; and they said, We won't come up:

13 is 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, but you must needs make yourself also a prince over us?

14 Moreover you haven't 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 won't come up.

15 Moshe was very angry, and said to the LORD, "Don't respect their offering: I have not taken one donkey from them, neither have I hurt one of them."

16 Moshe said to Korach, You and all your company go before the LORD, you, and they, and Aharon, tomorrow:

17 and take every man his censer, and put incense on them, and bring you before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred fifty censers; you also, and Aharon, each his censer.

18 They took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood at the door of the tent of meeting with Moshe and Aharon.

19 Korach assembled all the congregation against them to the door of the tent of meeting: and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.

20 The LORD spoke to Moshe and to Aharon, saying,

21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.

Numbers 16:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 16

This chapter gives an account of a sedition of Korah and others against Moses and Aaron, Nu 16:1-4, with whom Moses expostulates, and shows the unreasonableness of their clamour against Aaron, Nu 16:5-11; sends for Dathan and Abiram, who were in the confederacy, but refused to come, which greatly angered Moses, Nu 16:12-15; orders Korah and his company to appear before the Lord the next day, with Aaron, to have the controversy decided, Nu 16:16-18; when all the congregation gathered together would have been, consumed had it not been for the intercession of Moses and Aaron, Nu 16:19-22; and who, being separated from the rebels by the command of the Lord, some of the rebels were swallowed up in the earth, and others destroyed by fire from heaven, Nu 16:23-35; and their censers were made a covering for the altar, as a memorial of their sin, Nu 16:36-40; on which there was a new insurrection of the people, which brought a plague upon them, and destroyed 14,700 persons, and which was stopped at the intercession of Aaron, Nu 16:41-50.