Numbers 16:1-50 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

Numbers 16. The Rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (JE and P). The narrative fuses together accounts of distinct revolts led by different individuals and inspired by different motives. The first (from JE) had for its instigators Dathan and Abiram, who are mentioned separately in Numbers 16:12; Numbers 16:25; Numbers 16:27; Deuteronomy 11:6, and who, as Reubenites (a tribe that once possessed the primacy, Genesis 49:3), disputed the civil authority of Moses (Numbers 16:13; Numbers 16:15), appeal being made for Yahweh's decision. The ringleaders and their belongings were swallowed up by an earthquake. The inclusion with these of On is probably due to a textual error: he is not named elsewhere. The second (from an early form of P) was headed by Korah (mentioned separately in Numbers 16:5 f. Numbers 16:16; Numbers 16:19; Numbers 27:3) with 250 adherents; and was a repudiation of the religious supremacy of Moses and Aaron (representing the tribe of Levi). In this version Korah could scarcely have been a Levite, and certainly some of his supporters came from other tribes (see Numbers 27:1-3). A challenge to him and his supporters to offer incense before Yahweh and so learn whether they were acceptable to Him resulted in their being consumed by fire, whilst a subsequent murmuring on the part of the people was punished by a plague. Another version of the second story (from a later form of P) represents Korah as a Levite disputing Aaron's exclusive right to the priesthood. The various stories may reflect real struggles against the predominance of tribes or individuals, and the accidental death of any of the actors in such struggles would readily be construed as a Divine judgment: but what proportion (if any) of the narratives is actual fact it is impossible to say.

Numbers 16:1 f. These verses combine Korah, Dathan, and Abiram into one body. The two stories must originally have begun something like this: (a) Now Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Peleth (in Numbers 26:8, Pallu), the son (LXX, cf. Deuteronomy 11:6) of Reuben rose up before Moses, and certain of the children of Israel; (b) Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, took an offering (see Numbers 16:15), and with him were two hundred and fifty princes of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown.

Numbers 16:3-7. These verses (from P) continue the story of Korah alone, whose contention is that the whole congregation are as holy as Moses and Aaron. Moses invites him and his supporters to submit (with Aaron) to the ordeal of approaching Yahweh with incense.

Numbers 16:3. Ye ... upon you: better, Enough of your claims.

Numbers 16:6. censers: or fire pans, for carrying glowing charcoal.

Numbers 16:7. ye sons of Levi: a mistaken addition, due to Numbers 16:8, where the words are in place.

Numbers 16:8-11. This section (from a secondary form of P) represents Korah and his supporters not as claiming the privilege of drawing near to God (as in Numbers 16:5), but as seeking to share the priesthood.

Numbers 16:12-15. (from JE). A return is here made to the revolt of the Reubenites, Dathan and Abiram, against Moses (not Aaron). They remain in their tents, and do not, like the adherents of Korah, attend at the Tabernacle (Numbers 16:7; Numbers 16:16; Numbers 16:18).

Numbers 16:14. put out the eyes of these men. i.e. throw dust in their eyes.

Numbers 16:15. their offering: this has no reference to the incense of Numbers 16:7, but must relate to something which the narrative no longer preserves.

Numbers 16:16-24. This section (from P) reverts to the revolt of Korah (the one man of Numbers 16:22); but there is some confusion between the claim of the Levites to equality with Aaron (Numbers 16:17) and the assertion of the rights of the whole congregation as against both Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16:19 f., Numbers 16:22). Yahweh first threatens to destroy the whole congregation, but at Moses-' intercession changes His purpose and directs the congregation to withdraw from Korah and his 250 companions. In Numbers 16:24, as in Numbers 16:1, the story of Korah has been united by the editor with that of Dathan and Abiram. Probably the command to the congregation was originally, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Yahweh (see Numbers 16:19; cf. Numbers 17:13) The Hebrew for tabernacle (in the sing.) is elsewhere used exclusively for the habitation of Yahweh, except in Isaiah 22:16.

Numbers 16:25-34. These verses (with the exception of the first half of Numbers 16:27 and the last half of Numbers 16:32) come from JE, and are the sequel of Numbers 16:12-15. As Dathan and Abiram refuse to go to Moses (Numbers 16:14), the latter, attended by the elders of Israel, goes to them; and on his leaving his prerogative to be determined according as his antagonists die a natural death or a violent death, his authority is vindicated by their destruction. Probably the first half of Numbers 16:27 in its original form was so they gat them up from the tabernacle of Yahweh on every side.

Numbers 16:28. not. of mine own mind: this was the distinction between the true and false prophet (Jeremiah 23:26 f., Ezekiel 13:3).

Numbers 16:30. the pit: better, Sheol (and so in Numbers 16:33), the nether world of departed spirits; cf. Isaiah 14:9-15 *.

Numbers 16:32. and all the men. goods: this is inconsistent with Numbers 16:35; Korah's supporters perished by fire, not by an earthquake. The clause must be due to an editor

Numbers 16:35. This verse (from P) is the sequel of Numbers 16:18-24 and Numbers 16:27 a (as corrected above).

Numbers 16:36-40. This section belongs to the second version of the Korah story (cf. Numbers 16:40 with Numbers 16:8-11). Since the censers of the 250 men destroyed by fire (Numbers 16:35) had been rendered holy through being offered before Yahweh, Eleazar, the son of Aaron, was bidden to convert them into plates to cover the altar, to the intent that they might be a reminder that none but the descendants of Aaron should draw near to Yahweh. The section is inconsistent with Exodus 27:2, where the altar of burnt offering is represented as covered with brass when constructed.

Numbers 16:37. for they are holy: these words should be connected (LXX) with Numbers 16:38, and rendered, for holy have become the censers of these sinners at the cost of their lives.

Numbers 16:41-50. This passage (from P) continues Numbers 16:35. The congregation, whose claims to equality with Moses and Aaron had been championed by Korah, regret his death and begin to murmur; but are smitten by a plague, which is stayed only when Aaron, at Moses-' command, makes atonement with incense. Aaron's offering, unlike that of Korah and his supporters, is accepted.

Related Commentaries of Numbers 16:1

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.