Numbers 16:1-14 The Rebellion of Korah
Day 63. We made it to nine weeks of “please stay at home” advice, and in many cases, required compliance. That’s equivalent to a whole summer’s vacation for students. Got word yesterday that the U.S. and Canada are negotiating a further extension to the ban on non-essential cross-border travel. That means we can’t go see our family in the south. The two camps on the seriousness of the virus, the best way to get over it, and even on what caused it and who knew what when continue to fight each other in every way they can think of. Schools in Ontario were officially declared closed until the fall, so parents have another three and a half months to ‘enjoy’ their children at home, or not. We press on studying God’s Word and finding new gems every day, even in the otherwise unexciting book of Numbers. Read on.
The Passage
16 Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took action, 2 and they rose up before Moses, [a]together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, [b]chosen in the assembly, men of renown. 3 They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “[c]You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”
4 When Moses heard this, he fell on his face; 5 and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His, and who is holy, and will bring him near to Himself; even the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself. 6 Do this: take censers for yourselves, Korah and all [d]your company, 7 and put fire in them, and lay incense upon them in the presence of the Lord tomorrow; and the man whom the Lord chooses shall be the one who is holy. [e]You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!”
8 Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi, 9 is it [f]not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of 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 to them; 10 and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking for the priesthood also?11 Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord; but as for Aaron, [g]who is he that you grumble against him?”
12 Then Moses sent [h]a summons to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said, “We will not come up. 13 Is it [i]not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us? 14 Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you [j]put out the eyes of [k]these men? We will not come up!”
Footnotes
- Numbers 16:2 Lit and men from
- Numbers 16:2 Lit called ones of
- Numbers 16:3 Lit It is much for you
- Numbers 16:6 Lit his
- Numbers 16:7 Lit It is much for you
- Numbers 16:9 Or too little for you
- Numbers 16:11 Lit what
- Numbers 16:12 Lit to call
- Numbers 16:13 Lit a little thing
- Numbers 16:14 Lit bore out
- Numbers 16:14 Lit those
Thoughts on the Passage
We note that the rebellious group was not just Korah (from the tribe of the Levites), but he was joined by Dathan and Abiram (from the tribe of Reuben). But these three were able to incite 250 others, all ‘leaders’ of the people to rise up and assemble against Moses and Aaron. It is amazing how just one disgruntled person, can convince two others, and how three can convince 250 other men who were ‘renown’ amongst the people to act in opposition to leaders appointed by God. [By the way, Korah is also mentioned in the book of Jude, verse 11. David Guzik points out that Both Moses and Korah were descended from Kohath, but by different sons (Moses through Amram {Numbers 26:58-59}, and Korah through Izhar). Also as Matthew Henry points out, On is mentioned (verse 1) as one of the heads of the faction, but never after in the whole story, either because, as some think, he repented and left them, or because he did not make himself so remarkable as Dathan and Abiram did.]
Henry further notes that “the Kohathites encamped on the same side of the tabernacle that the Reubenites did, which perhaps gave Korah an opportunity of drawing them in, whence the Jews say, ‘Woe to the wicked man, and woe to his neighbor, who is in danger of being infected by him.’”
They told Moses and Aaron that they had over-extended their power and authority, and it appears their claim on being ‘holy’ and that “God was with them alone”. The rebels felt every single person in the congregation was holy and that God was with them too. So they weren’t pleased with the idea that Moses and Aaron were ‘exalting’ themselves above them. This accusation of pride and exclusionary leadership according to David Guzik was made in public, playing to the audience of 250 leaders. Rebels often play to an audience. In fact, we see it daily from our politicians, especially those in opposition to an elected administration. We note, like Guzik, that with these 250 leaders, Korah himself was, from a human perspective, successful. How often do we get duped by a humanly successful leader when in fact that leader may take us down the wrong path? Once again, the Jim Jones Jonestown, Guyana, massacre in 1978, comes to mind.
[The rebels also felt there was too much nepotism going on – you know, Moses getting the cushy job for Aaron his brother, and Miriam, his sister, having a special role with respect to the tabernacle. People grumble the same way today when they see a ‘family’ doing well. And I have no problem with that as long as appointed family members have the ability to do the job they need to do well.]
My guess is that when Moses fell on his face in verse 4, he prayed. He always prayed when faced with opposition or challenges like this one. We don’t know how long of a break there was between verse 4 and verse 5 when he replies to his accusers.
And now comes the predecessor of what I call the “fire from heaven Elijah test” as we read in I Kings 18. Moses tells Korah and his gang that “in the morning God will show who is His”. In the morning God would show whom He draws to Himself; whom He chooses. Robert Jamieson reminds us that “in the morning” is the usual time of meeting in the East for the settlement of public affairs.
Moses must have been very sure of himself to acclaim this future act of God’s. But then again we must remember that Moses had seen the power of God over and over again in Egypt and so far in the wilderness. We also know that God chose Moses to complete a very special assignment and He gave Moses the right to speak for Him, telling the Isralites long ago (in Exodus 3) that He Who calls Himself the “I AM WHO I AM” has sent him (Moses) to them. As I read these thoughts now, I am reminded of the fact that Moses was “sent by God” to the people to deliver them from Egypt and their slavery. So likewise, Jesus was sent by God to His people years later to deliver us from our sin and slavery to it. Moses was no ordinary man; he could be sure of God’s support.
And with that confidence he tells the rebels to take censers (a container, usually covered, in which incense is burned, especially during religious services), fill them with incense, and set them on fire before the Lord, and see what happens. And Moses ends his little speech with an admonition to Korah and company, especially since Korah was a Levite. They had, in the words of Moses, “gone too far”. Perhaps he was worried that he could no longer expect God to forgive them again. They had already cashed in their last chip. I have a relative who feels like that – they feel they have sinned so often and so badly, that there is no way God can forgive them. That must be a terrible feeling. Unfortunately, some who feel that way also use it as an excuse never to come to grips with the issue of their relationship with God. All the rest of us can do is continue to pray.
[As I was doing this study, my wife just informed me about how miraculously God worked in the lives a couple we were praying for. The expression used was the sincere attempt at a change came “out of the blue”. And God does indeed work out of the blue. Moses knew that. We believe it. Let’s keep looking for God to work “out of the blue” for us and for those we are praying for.]
Moses now more directly addresses Korah and those that were from the tribe of Reuben. How could these men not consider it sufficient that God Himself had separated them from the other tribes, had drawn them close to Him, to serve the Lord in the tabernacle, and to minister before the people? The Kohathites had, according to Guzik, the most exalted duty among the Levites; their charge was to carry the most holy things of the temple, after Aaron and his sons had covered them with the specially prepared coverings (Numbers 4:15). Moses tried to expose a possible desire of Korah himself and those close to him – the attainment of the office of ‘priests’ not just helpers in the Tent.
If that was the case, Moses indicates he could see why they are grumbling against the Lord, and perhaps even himself. But what did these people have to grumble against Aaron himself? There was no response that we know of. I love what Guzik says about Korah and how he would have led Israel as compared to Moses:
It is unbelievably easy for the Korahs of this world to sit back and say, "If I was leading the nation at Kadesh Barnea, I would have done thus and so." But Korah was not leading the nation, and men of his type rarely do. God rarely puts the Monday-morning quarterbacks, the backseat drivers, in positions of real leadership - except as a chastisement, to show them just how difficult leadership really is - and that perfect leadership, like perfect anything, is impossible.
Can we remember that as we watch rebels today? Can we remember that as we watch world politicians today? Can we apply that to our own leadership or rebellious thoughts, words, and actions today?
After that, Moses calls for the two leaders in the gang from Reuben’s tribe, Dathan and Abiram. But they refuse to go and see Moses, complaining further that not only had Moses taken them from “a land flowing with milk and honey” (boy, was Egypt ever glorified in their minds – remember, memory makes the mind murky, it colors the past), and now he was “lording it over them”. They felt cheated out of the promised land, the real land flowing with milk and honey and out of their inheritance of fields and vineyards. They accused Moses of wanting to “bore out” their eyes. So they refused to go and see him. Wow.
This was a total defiance of Moses’ authority and leadership. They would only follow and listen to God. What they missed was the very fact that Moses was God’s appointee. It would have been one thing if Moses had sinned. It is another thing to make up accusations against God’s anointed and appointed. In cases like this we must always check the hearts – both of the accusers and the accused. And then speak up – either in support of those who rightly judge or in defense of the one being falsely accused (as in this case). Our silence is not only a weakness, but it may be a sin.
In our next study, we will see how Moses and God both react. Hope you caught all the lesson gems that God gave us here through this rebellion.
It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.
