Numbers 16:3-13

3 They rose up against Moses and Aaron, and said, Let it be enough for you that all the congregation holy, and the Lord among them; and why do ye set up yourselves against the congregation of the Lord?

4 And when Moses heard it, he fell on his face.

5 And he spoke to Core and all his assembly, saying, God has visited and known those that are his and who are holy, and has brought them to himself; and whom he has chosen for himself, he has brought to himself.

6 This do ye: take to yourselves censers, Core and all his company;

7 and put fire on them, and put incense on them before the Lord to-morrow; and it shall come to pass that the man whom the Lord has chosen, he shall be holy: let it be enough for you, ye sons of Levi.

8 And Moses said to Core, Hearken to me, ye sons of Levi.

9 Is it a little thing for you, that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, and brought you near to himself to minister in the services of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the tabernacle to minister for them?

10 And he has brought thee near and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee, and do ye seek to be priests also?

11 Thus thee and all thy congregation which is gathered together against God: and who is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?

12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiron sons of Eliab; and they said, We will not go up.

13 Is it a little thing that thou hast brought us up to a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that thou altogether rulest over us?

Numbers 16:3-13 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. do not.
• [b]. Some read, out of.