Numbers 16:1-7

1 Now Korach, the son of Yitzhar, the son of Kehat, the son of Levi, with Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av, and On, the son of Pelet, sons of Re'uven, took [men]:

2 and they rose up before Moshe, with certain of the children of Yisra'el, two hundred fifty princes of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown;

3 and they assembled themselves together against Moshe and against Aharon, and said to them, You take too much on you, seeing all the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and the LORD is among them: why then lift yourselves up above the assembly of the LORD?

4 When Moshe heard it, he fell on his face:

5 and he spoke to Korach and to all his company, saying, In the morning the LORD will show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to him: even him whom he shall choose will he cause to come near to him.

6 This do: take you censers, Korach, and all his company;

7 and put fire in them, and put incense on them before the LORD tomorrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD does choose, he [shall be] holy: you take too much on you, you sons of Levi.

Numbers 16:1-7 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.