NUMBERS CHAPTER 16 Korah, Dathan, and Abiram raise sedition against Moses and Aaron, NUMBERS 16:1. Moses reproving them, NUMBERS 16:4, sends for Dathan and Abiram; their refusal and answer, NUMBERS 16:12. The manneer of their punishment, NUMBERS 16:15. Their perfuming censers are kept for a memorial... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY, i.e. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, last mentioned. ROSE UP, i.e. conspired together, and put their seditious design in execution. BEFORE MOSES; not privily and obscurely, but openly and boldly, not fearing nor regarding the presence of Moses, who was an eye-witness of their conspiracy. FAMOUS, fo... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY, i.e. either Korah, and the two hundred and fifty princes, which may seem probable by comparing this with NUMBERS 16:12,25,27, where we find Dathan and Abiram in another place, even in their tents, whither it is likely they were gone by consent to form and strengthen their party there, while Ko... [ Continue Reading ]
Humbly begging that God would direct him, and defend and vindicate him from this false and odious imputation. See NUMBERS 14:5. Accordingly God answers his prayers, and inspires him with this following answer to Korah, and strengthens him with new courage, and confidence of good success.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO-MORROW, Heb. _in the morning_, the time appointed by men for administering justice, PSALMS 101:8 JEREMIAH 21:12; and chosen by God for that work, PSALMS 73:14 ISAIAH 47:11 ZEPHANIAH 3:5. Some time is allowed, partly that Korah and his company might prepare themselves and their censers; and partly... [ Continue Reading ]
Since ye will be priests, take your censers, and act as priests, at your peril.... [ Continue Reading ]
DOTH CHOOSE, i.e. declare his choice and appointment of them for that work.... [ Continue Reading ]
Consider what I say before it be too late, and repent of your great wickedness.... [ Continue Reading ]
NEAR TO HIMSELF; nearer than the other tribes, though not so near as the priests. UNTO THEM, i.e. in their stead and for their good. So they were the servants both of God and of the church, which was a high dignity, though not sufficient for their ambitious minds.... [ Continue Reading ]
There being at this time but very few priests, and the profits and privileges belonging to them being many and great, they thought it but fit and reasonable that they, or some of the chief of them, should be admitted to share in their work and advantages.... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAINST THE LORD, whoso minister and chosen servant Aaron is. You strike at God through Aaron's sides. Compare 1 SAMUEL 8:7 LUKE 10:16 1 THESSALONIANS 13:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES SENT, to treat with them, and give them, as he had done Korah and his company, a timely admonition. Which said unto the messengers sent to them by Moses, WE WILL NOT COME UP, to Moses's tabernacle, whither the people used to go up for judgment. Men are said in Scripture phrase _to go up_ to pl... [ Continue Reading ]
i.e. Out of Egypt, a place indeed of great plenty, but to them a place of torment and intolerable slavery. They invidiously and scoffmgly use the same words wherewith God by Moses commended the land of Canaan.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THESE MEN, i.e. of those who are confederate with us, and of all the people who are of our mind. Wilt thou make them blind, or persuade them that they are blind, and that they do not see what is visible to all that have eyes, to wit, that thou hast deceived them, and broken thy faith and promise... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES WAS VERY WROTH, not so much for his own sake, for he had learnt to bear indignities, NUM 12, as for God's sake, who was highly dishonoured, blasphemed, and provoked by these speeches and carriages, in which case he ought to be angry, as Christ was, MARK 3:5. RESPECT NOT THOU THEIR OFFERING, i.... [ Continue Reading ]
Not in the tabernacle, which was not capable of so many persoms severally offering incense, but at the door of the tabernacle, NUMBERS 16:18, which place is oft said to be BEFORE THE LORD, as EXODUS 29:42 LEVITICUS 1:11, &c.; where they might now lawfully offer it by Moses's direction upon this extr... [ Continue Reading ]
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They could easily make censers in a slight manner, which would suffice for the present purpose. The FIRE was taken from the altar which stood in that place, LEVITICUS 1:3,5, for Aaron might not use other fire, LEVITICUS 10:1. And it is likely the remembrance of the death of Nadab and Abihu deterred... [ Continue Reading ]
KORAH GATHERED THE CONGREGATION, that they might be witnesses of the event, and, upon their success, which they doubted not of, might fall upon Moses and Aaron with popular rage, and destroy them. And it seems by this that the people were generally incensed against Moses, and inclined to Korah's sid... [ Continue Reading ]
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To wit, Korah and his two hundred and fifty men, and the people whom he gathered against Moses and Aaron, NUMBERS 16:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE SPIRITS, i.e. of souls, as the word spirit in Scripture is oft used, as PSALMS 31:5, PSALMS 77:3 PROVERBS 17:22 ECCLESIASTES 12:7 LUKE 23:46 ACTS 7:59. And this is no empty title here, but very emphatical and argmmentative, thus, Thou art the Maker of spirits, MALACHI 12:1, destroy not thy ow... [ Continue Reading ]
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SPEAK UNTO THE CONGREGATION, whom for your sakes I will spare upon the condition here following. KORAH, DATHAN, AND ABIRAM; and On too, who is mentioned NUMBERS 16:1, though some think he desisted and repented, and therefore is not now mentioned.... [ Continue Reading ]
Because they refused to come to him, he goes to them to their cost. THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL; the seventy rulers, whom he carried with him for the greater solemnity of the action, and for his own better vindication, because he lay under such calumnies, and to encourage them in their work, not-withstandi... [ Continue Reading ]
Show your dislike of them and their wicked ways by a speedy removal of your persons and tents from about them. TOUCH NOTHING OF THEIRS; because they and all that was theirs was under a curse, and therefore not to be touched. See DEUTERONOMY 13:16,17. IN ALL THEIR SINS; lest, being guilty of their si... [ Continue Reading ]
Their tents were not far asunder, being both on the south side of the tabernacle, as appears from NUMBERS 2:10, NUMBERS 3:29. STOOD IN THE DOOR OF THEIR TENTS; an argument of their foolish confidence, pride, and impudence, obstinacy, and impenitency, whereby they declared that they neither feared Go... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THESE WORKS, to wit, which I have done, and for which I am traduced by these and such like wicked men, as the bringing of the people out of Egypt; the conducting of them through, and the keeping of them so long in, the wilderness; the exercising of power and authority among and over them; giving... [ Continue Reading ]
i.e. IF THESE MEN DIE by a natural death, or by plague, or sword, or some usual judgment, I am content that you take me for an impostor, falsely pretending to be sent of God. This he might well say, because he was inspired by God to say this, and infallibly assured by God that this should be done.... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKE A NEW THING, i.e. do such a work as was never heard before. INTO THE PIT, i.e. into the grave which God thereby makes. The Hebrew word _scheol_ sometimes signifies _hell_, and sometimes the _grave_, as GENESIS 37:35 PSALMS 55:15. HAVE PROVOKED THE LORD by making his words and works to be nothin... [ Continue Reading ]
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i.e. All his family which were there, women, children, and servants; but his sons, who were spared NUMBERS 26:11,58 1 CHRONICLES 6:22,37 were absent, either upon some service of the tabernacle, or upon some other occasion; God so ordering it by his providence, either because they disliked their fath... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO THE PIT, i.e. into the earth, which first opened itself to receive them, and then shut itself to destroy them, and transmit them to further punishment.... [ Continue Reading ]
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FROM THE LORD; i.e. from the cloud, wherein the glory of the Lord appeared, NUMBERS 16:19, to give sentence in this cause.... [ Continue Reading ]
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UNTO ELEAZAR, rather than to Aaron, partly because the tronblesome part of the work was more proper for him, and partlly lest Aaron should be polluted by going amongst those dead carcasses; for it is probable this fire consumed them, as lightning somethnes doth others, by taking away their lives, an... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAINST THEIR OWN SOULS, i.e. their own lives; who were the authors of their own death and destruction. Compare 1 KINGS 2:23 PROVERBS 20:2. This he saith for the vindication of God's justice and his own ministry in this severe dispensation. THE ALTAR, to wit, of burnt-offerings, which was made of wo... [ Continue Reading ]
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AS KORAH, AND AS HIS COMPANY, i.e. that he do not imitate them in their sin, and therefore bring upon himself the same plague. TO HIM, i.e. to Eleazar. These words belong to NUMBERS 16:38; the meaning is, that Eleazar did as God bade him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Prodigious wickedness and madness, so soon to forget such a terrible instance of Divine vengeance! YE HAVE KILLED; you, who should have preserved them, and interceded for them, have pulled down God's wrath upon them, for the maintenance of your own authority and interest. THE PEOPLE OF THE LORD; so... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY LOOKED, i.e. Moses and Aaron, who in all their distresses made God their refuge.... [ Continue Reading ]
To hear what God, who now appeared, would say to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
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To beg pardon and mercy for the people, as they oft did; thus rendering good to them for evil, which the people requited with evil for their kindness.... [ Continue Reading ]
PUT ON INCENSE; which was a sign of intercession, PSALMS 141:2, and was to be accompanied with it, LUKE 1:9,10. GO QUICKLY UNTO THE CONGREGATION, with the incense, to stir up the people to repentance and prayer to prevent their utter ruin. This he might do upon this extraordinary occasion, having Go... [ Continue Reading ]
RAN INTO THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION; hazarding his own life to obey God, and to do this wicked people good.... [ Continue Reading ]
Whereby it may seem that this plague, like that fire, NUMBERS 11:1, began in the uttermost parts of the congregation, and proceeded, destroying one after another in an orderly manner, which gave Aaron occasion and direction so to place himself as a mediator to God on their behalf.... [ Continue Reading ]
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