Numbers 16:18-19

All Carry Out the Challenge of the Censers and Burn Incense in Them (Numbers 16:18).

Numbers 16:18

‘And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense on them, and stood at the door of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron.'

And next morning they did exactly that. They all came, every man with his censer, and stood with Moses and Aaron, and put fire in their censers and laid incense on them. And in such gross disobedience to Yahweh they stood at the door of the Tent of meeting.

Numbers 16:19

‘And Korah assembled all the congregation against them to the door of the tent of meeting, and the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the congregation.'

But they were not there alone. Surrounding the Dwellingplace were the whole congregation of Israel, apart from the rebels. Korah had called for them all to come, and they had responded. It demonstrated that their hearts were at least partly with him. They too were sore at being sentenced to die in the wilderness.

Then the glory of Yahweh appeared in the Sanctuary, seen by all the congregation. At first the Levites, aware that they were still alive and that in spite of the fact that Yahweh had come, probably saw it as a triumph. Yahweh had not struck them down! The congregation might well have felt the same. Nothing spectacular was seemingly to happen here.