Moses Prays that Yahweh Will Refute Them (Numbers 16:15)
‘And Moses was very angry, and said to Yahweh, “Do not you respect their offering. I have not taken one ass from them, nor have I hurt one of them.” '
Moses was very angry at their reply and the position that they were taking up, and he cried to Yahweh not to accept anything that they brought as an offering to Him. He was calling on Yahweh to reject them and not recognise them as people of the covenant. For he pointed out that they had rebelled against his authority and that it was not because of anything that he had done. He had not even taken one ass from them. He had not hurt a single one of them. The implication was that this was all happening because of what Yahweh had commanded him.
“I have not taken one ass from them.” Kings rode on asses when they rode in triumph (compare 1 Kings 1:33; Zechariah 9:9), which their subjects would often be called on to provide. Perhaps Moses was indicating that he had never tried to lord it over them.