Numbers 16:1-50
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:
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:
3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
5 And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:
9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath 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 unto them?
10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?
11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?
12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:
13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth 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.
15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:
17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.
18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.
20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?
23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
27 So they gat 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.
28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
30 But if the LORD makea a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
36 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
37 Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.
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 unto the children of Israel.
39 And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:
40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.
41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.
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.
43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.
44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.
47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.
Numbers 16:1. Korah. One of the firstborn, a very old man, and grandson of Levi by his father Jahar. Dathan and Abiram were descendants of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel; these according to the patriarchal customs had a right to officiate at the altar.
Numbers 16:5. To-morrow; the time when justice was administered, as appears from many texts. Jeremiah 21:12; Psalms 101:8. This night of indulgence seems to have allowed them a little time for reflection and repentance.
Numbers 16:7. Put fire therein. The test had a striking resemblance to that of Elijah on mount Carmel: the fire decided between JEHOVAH and Baal.
Numbers 16:15. Moses said unto the Lord, respect not thou their offering. Woe be to him against whom the church of God shall pray. Lord, said David, confound the counsel of Ahitophel, and he did so.
Numbers 16:21. Separate yourselvesfrom all men of a wicked, dissatisfied and seditious spirit, against ministers or magistrates.
Numbers 16:22. God of the spirits of all flesh. The LXX read, God of the spirits, and of all flesh.
Numbers 16:29. The common death of all men. These men, being descendants of princes, seem to have had larger tents and more wealth than many others. When the earth swallowed up the tents and families of Dathan and Abiram, with Korah and On, who were with them, it is remarkable that the children of Korah should escape; they being, no doubt, at some distance from the scene of convulsion: Numbers 26:11.
Numbers 16:33. Alive into the pit. Many read here, alive into hell, that is, into the grave; and they further mean that their souls went into a place of torment, as in Matthew 11:23; Luke 16:23.
Numbers 16:34. All Israel fled at the cry of them. They were not even in that age, wholly ignorant of the nature of earthquakes: but this earthquake was local, special, and divine. Numbers 16:35. A fire from the Lord consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. These men had seen the fire at the consecration of Aaron; they had seen the death of Nadab and Abihu, there could therefore be no excuse for their sin. God would not suffer the hallowed types and figures of our redemption to be gaited and marred by the revolts of men.
REFLECTIONS.
Carnal men do but ill support the judgments of the Lord. The enmity of their hearts is ever ready to revolt against the word, and against the servants of the Lord; and yet they always cover their designs with some popular plea. They are either seeking truth, or endeavouring to reform abuses, and befriend the people. Here, embracing a crisis of discontent, they pleaded that Moses and Aaron had deprived the firstborn of their ancient and unquestionable right of attending the altar; and they were ready, at the same time, to punish them with death for the offence. They who had not believed in the possibility of conquering Canaan, now affect to disbelieve that God had substituted the Levites for the firstborn: and expressly with a view to presignify the Messiah and his church, and to relieve them of the painful toils of being detained from their farms and families by attendance on the altar. To the patriarchs, these occasional services were easy; but the constant devotion of the nation required the regular attendance of the Lord's anointed. And let all christians be cautious how they speak and act against faithful ministers regularly appointed by those whose right it is, and by the prayers and good wishes of the people.
Korah and his faction, instead of seeking to resume their supposed rights by counsel and prayer, endeavoured to resist Moses and Aaron by open force, and in language which indicated a wish for their destruction. Surely that was not a spirit becoming the priesthood. Language and tempers so inimical, would soon have made the sanctuary of God a desolation. The Lord's work must always be done in the Lord's spirit.
We learn, that the Lord will not forsake his servants when surrounded by wicked and unreasonable men. Moses, acting for God and trusting in him alone, had not surrounded his person with guards; for what has a patriarch to fear when surrounded by a nation of children, if Israel had been worthy of so faithful a father. However, he and Aaron fled to the sanctuary for refuge, and it proved to them an alsufficient refuge in the day of trouble. Dathan and Abiram, with their families who despised the Lord and his servant, sunk to rise no more. Had they obeyed, and come to the door of the tabernacle, their families would not have perished. Korah and his distinguished company, while burning incense in violation of the precept, were burnt of the Lord. Who then would not fear his judgments! Let sinners of every description tremble to violate the commands of God: for soon or late their day of visitation will surely come.
From the conspiracy of Korah, religious characters are particularly cautioned against occasioning faction and schism in the house of God. It is not necessary here to arraign the ancient schisms, because in general our information is partial. The Catharians, and the Novatians seem to have had a good cause. But it sometimes happens that one man, disappointed of preferment, or anxious to obtain some controul over his brethren, will constantly be inveighing against some Moses or Aaron. When any disorder or difference of opinion happens, which in all societies of mortal men must often be the case, instead of healing and composing the evil, he takes advantage of it to strengthen his party. The long-fostered spirit of revolt at length comes to a crisis; and finding himself then strong for battle, he openly declares all his opponents hypocrites and demons, calling aloud for their excommunication. The weak of the flock, appalled, dispersed, destroyed; a minister, and his tender family ruined, are no arguments at all with him. But whether he obtain his object, or be defeated in his design, the tempest will gradually subside; the dark clouds will clear up; the mischiefs occasioned will be appreciated; his partisans, as well as his opposers, will then fully trace his designs; and all good men will sigh at the mention of his name. Hence let ministers and members be wary and wise. Let them compose differences, and put away evils as they arise, neither fearing man, nor knowing relative or friend. And let them fear, more than death, to destroy the house of God for the accomplishment of any private object.
We are next awfully taught, that God will not only destroy the factions of the wicked and the proud, but also the roots of factions where fear does not sanctify. Scarcely had this people, accustomed to miracles, slept a single night; scarcely had the sun arose, before they were assembled in open revolt, and charging Moses and Aaron with having martyred the Lord's people. Therefore the plague broke out, and fourteen thousand were consumed under the high displeasure of heaven. Let us never murmur at God's judgments, as those men who were destroyed of the destroyer. 1 Corinthians 10:10. Alas, alas, will nothing humble some proud and haughty men but a consumption, an asthma, a burning. Will nothing cure them of bringing God and his word on all occasions to their bar, but the being brought to the gates of the grave. Let the faithful, forgetful of wrongs, run like Aaron to save them, when fallen vanquished at the Lord's feet. Let them run with a censer of tears and glowing piety, if peradventure the Lord will heal them, or at least, save the soul in the day of visitation.