Numbers 16:2

_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:_ Now Korah, the son of Izhar. Izhar, brother of Amram (Exodus 6:18), was the second son of Kohath, and for some reason unrecorded he had been supplanted by a descendant of the fourth son of Kohath, who was appointed prince or chief of the Kohathites (Numbers 3:30). Discontent with the preferment over him of a younger relative was probably the originating cause of this seditious movement on the part of Korah. DATHAN ... ABIRAM ... AND ON. These were confederate leaders in the rebellion; but On seems to have afterward withdrawn from the conspiracy. TOOK MEN. The latter-mentioned individuals, being all sons of R

1-11 Pride and ambition occasion a great deal of mischief both in churches and states. The rebels quarrel with the settlement of the priesthood upon Aaron and his family. Small reason they had to boast of the people's purity, or of God's favour, as the people had been so often and so lately polluted with sin, and were now under the marks of God's displeasure. They unjustly charge Moses and Aaron with taking honour to themselves; whereas they were called of God to it. See here, 1. What spirit levellers are of; those who resist the powers God has set over them. 2. What usage they have been serviceable. Moses sought instruction from God. The heart of the wise studies to answer, and asks counsel of God. Moses shows their privileges as Levites, and convicts them of the sin of undervaluing these privileges. It will help to keep us from envying those above us, duly to consider how many there ar...

The “princes” appear to have belonged to the other tribes (compare Numbers 27:3)....

VINDICATION OF THE AARONIC PRIESTHOOD. EXPOSITION THE GAINSAYING OF KORAH (Numbers 16:1). NUMBERS 16:1 NOW KORAH … TOOK MEN. וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח. The word "took" stands alone at the head of the sentence in the singular number. This does not by itself confine its reference to Korah, because it may be taken as repeated after each of the other names; at the same time, the construction suggests that in its original form Korah alone was mentioned, and that the other names were afterwards added in order to include them in the same statement. The ellipsis after "took" (if it be one) may be filled up by

AND THEY ROSE UP BEFORE MOSES,.... To his face, openly and publicly, in a bold and audacious manner; with impudence, as the Targum of Jonathan: WITH CERTAIN OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL; some out of the several tribes, but perhaps chiefly of the tribe of Reuben, as Jarchi: TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY PRINCES OF THE ASSEMBLY; or "congregation" i, who were princes in the several tribes to which they belonged, heads of houses and families of their fathers, rulers of thousands, hundreds, c. FAMOUS IN THE CONGREGATION or "called" k to the tabernacle of the congregation; who, when the great men among the people were gathered together to consult about any affair, were called, as Ben Melech observes: MEN OF RENOWN, or "of name" l; in high esteem among the people for their birth and rank, their wealth and riches, wisdom and prudence; and were so before they came out of Egypt, as Aben Ezra remarks; so...

6. THE REBELLION OF KORAH CHAPTER 16 _ 1. The rebellion of Korah (Numbers 16:1)_ 2. The punishment (Numbers 16:20) 3. Eleazar and his work (Numbers 16:36) 4. The murmuring of the whole congregation (Numbers 16:41) 5. The staying of the plague (Numbers 16:44) The history is now resumed and we have the worst episode of Israel's history in the wilderness before us. We have seen and followed the steps downward and toward this fearful rebellion and the terrible punishment which followed. It s

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 (Numb

CHILDREN. sons. ASSEMBLY. appointed assembly. CONGREGATION. assembly. Hebrew. _'edah._...

_called to the assembly_ Selected from the congregation to meet in assembly. LXX. σύνκλητοι βουλῆς explains that they met to give counsel....

D. REVOLT AND PUNISHMENT OF KORAH, DATHAN AND ABIRAM (NUMBERS 16:1-40) TEXT Numbers 16:1. Now Korah, the son if 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, sayi