Numbers 16:4-14

4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face;

5 and he spoke unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Tomorrow the LORD will show who are his and who is holy and will cause the one who is holy to come near unto him; the one whom he has chosen he will cause to come near unto him.

6 Do this: Take censers, Korah, and all his company,

7 and put fire in them and put incense in them before the LORD tomorrow; and it shall be that the man whom the LORD chooses, he shall be holy; this shall be enough for you, ye sons of Levi.

8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:

9 Does it seem but a small thing unto you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to minister in the service of the tabernacle of the LORD and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?

10 And that he has brought thee near to him and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee, and ye seek the priesthood also?

11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD, for what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?

12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they replied, We will not come up.

13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that flowed with milk and honey to make us die in the wilderness, but thou must also make thyself lord to rule over us?

14 Moreover, thou hast not brought us into a land that flows 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.

Numbers 16:4-14 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.