Numbers 16:5

5 And he spake to Korah, and to all the multitude; he said, Early the Lord shall make known which men pertain to him, and he shall apply, or draw, to him holy men; and they which he hath chosen, shall nigh to him. (And he spoke to Korah, and to all the multitude, and said, Early tomorrow the Lord shall make known which man pertaineth to him, for he shall draw to himself the man who is holy; and he whom he hath chosen, shall be near to him.)

Numbers 16:5 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 16:5

And he spake unto Korah, and unto all his company
The two hundred fifty princes that were with him; what follows was said to them apart from Dathan and Abiram, who seem not to be present at this time; and this was after Moses had finished his prayer to God, and had received instructions from him, by an impulse on his mind, what he should say unto them, and was now risen up from the earth he fell upon:

saying, even tomorrow the Lord will show who [are] his;
his priests, whom he had chosen, and put into that office; this he would make known so clearly and plainly, that there would be no room left to doubt of it, and which was revealed to Moses while upon his face in prayer to God:

and [who is] holy;
or whom he has separated to such an holy office and service:

and will cause [him] to come near unto him;
and do his work as a priest, without fear of danger, and without any hurt, which is suggested would befall others; and they may expect it, who intrude themselves into such an office, and engage their hearts in a bold audacious manner, to draw nigh to God in it:

even [him] whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him:
meaning Aaron with his sons, whom the Lord would make to appear that he had chosen, and put into the office of priesthood, and that it was not what Moses did of himself.

Numbers 16:5 In-Context

3 And when these stood against Moses and Aaron, they said, Suffice it to you, for all the multitude is of holy men, and the Lord is in them; why be ye raised up presumptuously on the people of the Lord? (And when they stood against Moses and Aaron, they said, Suffice it to you, for all the multitude be holy men, and the Lord is with them; why be ye so presumptuously raised up over the Lord's people?)
4 And when Moses had heard this, he fell down low upon his face (he fell down on the ground).
5 And he spake to Korah, and to all the multitude; he said, Early the Lord shall make known which men pertain to him, and he shall apply, or draw, to him holy men; and they which he hath chosen, shall nigh to him. (And he spoke to Korah, and to all the multitude, and said, Early tomorrow the Lord shall make known which man pertaineth to him, for he shall draw to himself the man who is holy; and he whom he hath chosen, shall be near to him.)
6 Therefore do ye this thing; each man take his censer, thou Korah, and all thy counsel; (And so do ye this thing; each man take his censer, thou Korah, and all thy company, or all thy people;)
7 and tomorrow when fire is taken up, put ye incense above before the Lord (and tomorrow put fire in them, and put ye incense on it before the Lord), and whomever the Lord chooseth, he shall be holy. Ye sons of Levi be much raised (up).
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.