Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(Numbers 16:1) Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi; and
Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; and On, the son of Peleth, sons of
Reuben, took men.
In the last chapter of Numbers, God had reiterated His laws of sacrifice and offerings, demonstrating He had been reconciled to His people since the time He sentenced them to die in the wilderness. He also told the people what was to be done to a person who willfully sinned against God. Here in Numbers 16, we have the record of a historical incident.
In the sixth chapter of Exodus we learned that Korah was the son of Izhar, who was the son of Kohath, the son of Levi. Izhar's brother was Amram, the father of Aaron and Moses; therefore Korah was a first cousin to Moses and Aaron. Dathan and Abiram were the sons of Eliab. In the first chapter of Numbers we learned that Eliab was the son of Helon, of the tribe of Zebulun. On was the son of Peleth, and they were descendants of Reuben. On this occasion, Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On, gathered men with them.
(2) And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel,
two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the
congregation, men of renown.
Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On gathered 250 prominent leaders of the congregation, and they rose up against Moses. It is really incredible that so soon after God had demonstrated what was to be done with those who presumptuously sinned with a "high hand", that these men would do this, but here we are.
(3) And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them; therefore, why do you lift up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?"
Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On, together with the 250 leaders of the congregation they had gathered, came against Moses and Aaron. They declared to them that they took too much upon themselves, elevated themselves too much above the rest of the congregation. I imagine they saw Moses elevating himself to be ruler over all of them and taking it upon himself to designate Aaron as high priest. Referring to what the Lord had told them in Exodus 19:6, they declared that they were all holy, because they were to the Lord "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation". Why was it then that Moses and Aaron elevated themselves above the rest of the congregation?
(4) And when Moses heard it, he fell on his face.
When Moses heard what the men said, he fell on his face, surely in prayer to the Lord. He certainly understood they sinned in opposing the instructions of God, and feared and revered the Lord's sovereignty in this matter. Moses, being a very humble man, may have also prayed that his heart be searched and that he not be found to be puffed up and elevating himself.
(5) And he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will show who is His and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him; that one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him."
Surely received in answer to his prayer, Moses told Korah he would let the Lord publicly show the next morning whom He considered His and whom were holy. He would bring His holy ones to Himself, demonstrating to all the ones He personally chose.
(6) “Do this: take censers, Korah and all your company."
Moses instructed Korah and all the men with him to take censers that were to put incense in to offer.
(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 shall be holy; you take too much on yourselves, you sons of Levi.”
Moses instructed them to put fire and incense in their censers before the Lord the next day. He pronounced that it would be that the man the Lord chose would be the holy one. Moses then threw their own words back at them, declaring they had elevated themselves too much. By adding "you sons of Levi" indicates most of the men must have been from the tribe of Levi, although we were told specifically in verse 1 above that On was a descendant of Reuben. I assumed that Dathan and Abiram were the sons of the same Eliab who was in the first chapter of Numbers said to be the son of Helon, of the tribe of Zebulun. I suppose it's possible it was another Eliab, since verse 1 didn't specifically say this Eliab was from the tribe of Zebulun. Regardless, it does seem reasonable to assume the majority of the men were Levites, or at least in agreement it should be other Levites who should be considered holy and able to do what they perceived Aaron was chosen by Moses to do.
(8) And Moses said to Korah, “Hear, I pray you, you sons of Levi."
Moses spoke directly to Korah, who seems to be the ringleader of this group, and besought him to hear his words.
(9) "Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them?"
Moses pointed out to Korah the privilege he had as a Levite, that he had been chosen by the God of Israel to do the service of His own tabernacle and to minister to His people. He asked Korah if that was an insignificant thing; did Korah find that honor beneath his dignity?
(10) "And He has brought you near to Himself, and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? Do you seek the priesthood also?"
Moses continued his question to Korah. Was it an insignificant thing that the God of Israel had brought him near to Him, he and all his brothers, the sons of Levi, to do His service and minister to His people? Was that not enough; did he seek the priesthood also?
(11) "For which cause you and all your company are gathered together against the LORD; and what is Aaron, that you murmur against him?"
Moses continued questioning Korah. Was it because he felt the role that God had given him was too insignificant and that he wanted the priesthood, also, that he and his company had gathered together against the Lord? Furthermore, what was his problem with Aaron? What had Aaron done to warrant their complaints and murmuring against him? After all, it was God who had called him to the priesthood; he had not taken it upon himself to raise himself up to such a high office.
(12) And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up!"
Moses called Dathan and Abiram to come up before him, but they refused. I don't quite understand why Dathan and Abiram, from the tribe of Zebulun, were in this rebellious company of Levites, unless as discussed before they were a different Dathan and Abiram. As has also been discussed before, when one starts sowing discord, others often join in. It has been suggested by some Biblical scholars that perhaps the Reubenites were angry that the tribe of Judah had the first post of honor in the camp; both the Reubenites and Kohathite Levites were to march on the south
side of the tabernacle, and maybe their proximity to each other led to
their murmuring with each other. That might explain On's concerns, but he is not mentioned here.
(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, except that you make yourself altogether a prince over us?"
Dathan and Abiram refused to go before Moses, but did convey their contempt for him in a manner that he heard. They threw his words for them back at him; was it a small thing that he had brought them out of a land flowing with milk and honey, a blasphemous contempt for God's promise, using God's words for His promised land to describe Egypt, where they had lived in captivity. Was it a small thing Moses had brought them out of that great Egypt to kill them in the wilderness, only to make himself ruler over them?
(14) “Moreover you have not 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 will not come up!”
Dathan and Abiram continued with their rant against Moses. They accused him of not bringing them into a land flowing with milk and honey, as promised, and he had not given them an inherited land of fields and vineyards. Would Moses put out the eyes of those men with them? I believe the meaning is would he so blind them and persuade them that they did not actually see what was before them. Again they declared they would not go before Moses.
(15) And Moses was very angry, and said to the LORD, “Do not respect their offering; I have not taken one donkey from them, nor have I hurt one of them.”
Moses was very angry and prayed to the Lord that He not accept their offering of incense the next day (v. 7 above). Moses further declared his innocence from their accusations, saying he had never taken so much as a donkey from them, nor had he ever done any injury to any one of them.
(16) And Moses said to Korah, "You and all your company be before the LORD, you, and they, and Aaron, tomorrow."
Moses told Korah to be before the Lord the next day, with all his company of 250 rebels. Aaron would be there, as well.
(17) "And let every man take his censer and put incense in it, and each of you bring his censer before the LORD, two hundred and fifty censers; both you and Aaron, each with his censer.”
Moses continued instructing Korah; when they came before the Lord the next day, each man was to bring his censer, meaning 250 censers before the Lord. Aaron was also to bring his censer.
(18) And every man took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
I assume this was the next morning. Every man of the 250 rebels took his censer, put fire and incense in it, and stood at the door of the tabernacle with Moses and Aaron.
(19) And Korah gathered all the congregation against them at the door of the tabernacle of meeting; and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.
Korah gathered all the congregation against Moses and Aaron at the door of the tabernacle. Perhaps this was a reiteration of the fact that Korah had gathered all his company of 250 rebels, but perhaps it meant that he continued sowing discord and inciting as many of the congregation as he could against Moses and Aaron. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to the congregation.
(20) And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, (21) “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”
The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and told them to separate themselves from the congregation at the door of the tabernacle, so that He might consume them in an instant.
(22) And they fell on their faces, and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will You be angry with all the congregation?”
Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in prayer before the Lord. It does indeed seem as if Korah had gathered more of the congregation with him than just the 250 initial rebels. Moses and Aaron pleaded with the Lord that He not be angry with all of the congregation because of what one man started.
(23) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (24) “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get up from around the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’”
In an apparent answer to their prayers, the Lord told Moses to tell the congregation to get away from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. It seems that these rebels had raised their own tabernacle. Either that, or they had returned to their tents. Perhaps it was the section of the tabernacle where they had congregated. Whatever tabernacle was meant, the main point is that the other congregation was to get away from those three. On was never again mentioned after verse 1. Perhaps he had repented and left the others, or maybe he just never made himself as remarkable as did Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and just fell in among the group of 250 rebels.
(25) And Moses rose up and went to Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
Moses rose up, probably from the ground where he had fallen on his face in prayer before the Lord, and went to Dathan and Abiram, presumably because they still refused to come to him. The elders of Israel followed Moses. These were probably the seventy elders who had been chosen to assist Moses in chapter 11 of Numbers.
(26) And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.”
Moses spoke to the congregation who were around Dathan and Abiram and pleaded with them to get away from the tents of the wicked men, Dathan and Abiram, and to touch nothing of theirs so they would not be consumed with them in their sins. Departing from them represented their deserting the cause of Dathan and Abiram, a turning away of their sins.
(27) So they got up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the door of their tents,
and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
The congregation got away from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, from all around them. Once again there is reference to a tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. It seems they must have had their own tabernacle of sorts where they all gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the door of their tents, with all members of their families, probably in a defiant manner, not at all daunted by Moses's threats that they would be consumed in their sins.
(28) And Moses said, “By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own mind."
Moses spoke to the people, surely to Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, but probably to all the people within hearing (because they had moved away). By what was to come next they would know with certainty that it was the Lord who had sent Moses to do all the works, "these" probably referencing the ones they objected to, like appointing Aaron high priest, and even the bringing of the people out of Egypt out of that "land flowing with milk and honey" (v. 13). Moses said he had not devised them himself and done them in an arbitrary way, without the will of God or any authority from Him, as these men had insinuated.
(29) “If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me."
Moses declared that if these men died of natural causes, or by some common cause such as famine or pestilence or if killed by man or beast, then it meant the Lord had not sent him to do the things he had done.
(30) “But if the LORD makes a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that pertains to them, and they go down quick into the pit; then you shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD."
However, if the Lord did something that had never been done before, as opposed to the common or natural causes mentioned in verse 29, and Moses went on to name the specific new thing: if the earth opened up and swallowed up the men and they went alive into the pit the earth's opening made for them, then the people would understand that these men had provoked the Lord. The word "quick" used here doesn't mean "quickly" but rather "living" as in "the quick and the dead". This verse indicates that Moses certainly spoke to others of the congregation as well as these rebels; otherwise how would there be anyone left to understand if the earth swallowed up all the ones to whom Moses spoke.
(31) And it came to pass, as he had finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them.
As soon as Moses had finished saying the words, the ground indeed split apart under them.
(32) And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men with Korah, with all their goods.
The earth opened up and literally swallowed them up, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with their houses and all their goods.
(33) Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, they, and all that pertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the congregation.
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and all the people and things pertaining to them, went down into the pit, and the earth closed in over them; thus they perished from among the congregation.
(34) And all Israel that were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also.”
The congregation that were still around them, probably at some distance, since verse 27 suggests they all moved away from Dathan and Abiram, fled at this point, upon hearing the cries of the men swallowed up by the earth, for fear that the earth would swallow them, as well.
(35) And there came a fire out from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who offered incense.
At that point a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, had gathered, the ones who had offered incense in their censers (v. 17).
(36) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (37) "Speak to Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter the fire yonder; for they are hallowed."
The Lord spoke to Moses and told him to tell Eleazar, the son of Aaron, to take up the censers out of the fire that burned and consumed the 250 rebels because the censers were holy. He was to tell him to scatter the fire, either from the incense burners, or ashes from the burned out area, away from the altar and sanctuary, in an unclean place where the ashes were to be cast.
(38) "The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar, for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel."
The censers of the sinful rebels who by offering the incense caused their deaths, were holy because they had been offered before the Lord. Therefore the Lord wanted them to be beaten into broad plates for a covering for the altar. In that way they would be an everlasting ever visible sign to remind the people of this incident.
(39) And Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar.
Eleazar did as he was instructed and took the censers that had been gathered out of the fire that had consumed the 250 rebels, and they were indeed made into broad plates for a covering for the altar.
(40) To be a memorial to the children of Israel that no outsider, who is not of the seed of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the LORD, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.
Eleazar did this to be an ever visible reminder to the children of Israel that no one who was not a descendant of Aaron was to come near to offer incense before the Lord, lest he become like Korah and his rebels. Just as the Lord had commanded through Moses he do, so he did.
(41) But on the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the LORD.”
Incredibly, after witnessing what could only have been the action of the Almighty, sovereign, and all-knowing Lord, the next day the people began complaining against Moses and Aaron, saying that they had killed the people of the Lord. It would seem they meant they caused their killing by bringing the Lord into the matter. How absurd to think the Lord would not see, or that He would punish only on the word of Moses and Aaron without knowing the facts! Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, gave the people the benefit of the doubt, and suggested that the people must have persuaded themselves that Moses and Aaron had used some cunning tricks to make the earthquake and fire, "else, had they discerned the hand of God in this punishment, could they have dared the anger of the Lord in the very face of justice?" Mr. Clarke found it completely unbelievable that the people could have done this had they realized it was the action of their Lord. Personally, I don't see how they couldn't know it was the work of the Lord, but here they are accusing Moses and Aaron.
(42) And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses
and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the
congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the
LORD appeared.
While the people were gathered against Moses and Aaron and accusing them of killing the people of the Lord, they looked toward the tabernacle and saw in the cloud that covered it some visible and obvious manifestation of the Lord. While we have been told in other places that no one could actually see God and live, we know that this must have been a clear sign to the people that this was indeed God in the cloud.
(43) And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.
Moses and Aaron went before the tabernacle to the presence of the Lord.
(44) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (45) “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces.
The Lord told Moses to get away from the people so that He could instantly destroy them. Once again, Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in prayer and intercession for the people. It occurs to me that they were a type of Christ in this, a constant intercessor for the people. The continual sinning of the people, even after they had seen such awesome and unmistakable works of their Lord, is an illustration of our constant need for our Savior.
(46) And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put on incense, and go quickly to the congregation, and make an atonement for them, for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun."
Moses told Aaron to take his censer, put fire in it from the altar of burnt offering, from which fire only was to be taken for burning incense, put on the incense, and go quickly to the congregation to make atonement for them. He told Aaron to move quickly to atone for the people for a plague had already gone out from the Lord that was destroying them.
(47) And Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation, and, behold, the plague had begun among the people; and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
Aaron took his censer as Moses had commanded he do, and he ran into the midst of the congregation. Indeed the plague had begun. Aaron put incense in his censer and made an atonement for the people. The incense offering that had brought the death of those who offered it unlawfully with unauthorized hands, was now being offered by the true priest, the only one who could atone for the sins of the people. Once again, this is a picture of the coming Christ, who alone could save the people. By no other means can a person be saved but by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
(48) And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
We are not told what kind of plague this was, but it apparently started at one end and was moving across the congregation, as Aaron was able stand between the dead and the living. When Aaron offered the incense to atone for the people, the plague was stopped. It is noteworthy that Aaron ran into the midst of the plague that was moving rapidly to kill the people, especially considering the Lord had told Moses to move away from the people so that He could instantly consume them. It would seem Aaron risked his own life to save the lives of others, others who did not deserve it, others who could have been seen as his enemies in that they had come against him. Once again, this is a beautiful illustration of the Christ to come, the One who gave His life to save sinners deserving death, the One killed by His enemies, but He interceded and asked that they be forgiven, because they didn't know what they were doing (Luke 23:34). Aaron was a type of Christ, the Christ who came into the world to make an atonement for sin and to turn away the wrath of God, the One who stands between the living and the dead, to save His people from eternal death in hell.
(49) Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the matter of Korah.
14,700 died in that rapidly moving plague! That did not include the 250 who died with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. It occurs to me that this is part of prophecy being fulfilled when the Lord said in Numbers 14:29 that their carcasses would fall in the wilderness.
(50) And Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; and the plague was stayed.
Aaron returned to the door of the tabernacle to Moses, and the plague was stopped. Perhaps the meaning is that it continued to be stopped even after Aaron was removed from the midst of the congregation. I can't help but think of Jesus Christ who offered His life for atonement of sins and returned to the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 10:12). By His sacrifice, we are completely and permanently saved from the sins we will undoubtedly commit, if we only accept His sacrifice.
