Numbers 16:32 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

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 father's act, or upon Moses's intercession for them, or for some other reason. This expression may seem to intimate that Korah himself was not here, but that he continued with his two hundred and fifty men before the Lord Numbers 16:18,19, where they were waiting for God's decision of the controversy; nor is it probable that their chief captain would desert them, and leave them standing there without a head, especially when Aaron, his great adversary, abode there still, and did not go with Moses to Dathan, &c., Numbers 16:25. And Korah may seem to have been consumed with those two hundred and fifty, Numbers 16:35, though he be not mentioned there, but is easily understood by comparing that verse with Numbers 16:16-18, and from the nature of the thing itself, there being no cause of doubt but that destruction which befell the accessaries did much more involve the principal. And so much is intimated Numbers 16:40, that no stranger come near to offer incense before the Lord, that he be not as Korah, and as his company, i.e. destroyed, as they were, by fire from the Lord. And when the psalmist relates this history, Psa 106, the earth's swallowing them up is confined to Dathan and Abiram, Numbers 16:17; and for all the rest of that conspiracy, it is added, Numbers 16:18, and a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burnt up the wicked. As for Numbers 26:10, which seems to oppose this opinion, we shall see more on that place, if God permit.