Numbers 16:24

_SPEAK UNTO THE CONGREGATION, SAYING, GET YOU UP FROM ABOUT THE TABERNACLE OF KORAH, DATHAN, AND ABIRAM._ Speak unto the congregation ... Get you up from about the tabernacle. Moses was attended in the execution of this mission by the elders - i:e., in all probability, the council of seventy (see the note at Numbers 11:16), whose influence was exercised by moral persuasion only; because their appointment did not supersede nor interfere with the power vested in the national representatives of the people-to which latter order Korah and his associates belonged. The united and urgent entrearies of so many dignified personages produced the desired effect of convincing the people of their crime, and of withdrawing them from the company of men who were doomed to destruction, lest, being partakers of their sins, they should perish along with them....

24._Speak unto the congregation, saying. _It is evident, from this answer, that Moses was heard as regarded the general preservation of the people, on condition, however, that they should give proof of their repentance, by deserting the authors of the wicked rebellion; for, when God commands them to retire from amongst them, He indirectly implies, that, if they remain mixed up with them, they shall share in the same destruction. Yet it is probable that the elders who “followed” Moses, held to his side, and continued firm in the performance of their duty. And, indeed, it is not at all consistent that Caleb and Joshua, and such like, were ever drawn away into so great a sin. We must not, therefore, take what is said of the whole congregation without exception. When Moses, in his delivery of God’s command, does not address Korah, Dathan, and Abiram by their names, but calls them “these wick...

23-34 The seventy elders of Israel attend Moses. It is our duty to do what we can to countenance and support lawful authority when it is opposed. And those who would not perish with sinners, must come out from among them, and be separate. It was in answer to the prayer of Moses, that God stirred up the hearts of the congregation to remove for their own safety. Grace to separate from evil-doers is one of the things that accompany salvation. God, in justice, left the rebels to the obstinacy and hardness of their own hearts. Moses, by Divine direction, when all Israel were waiting the event, declares that if the rebels die a common death, he will be content to be called and counted an imposter. As soon as Moses had spoken the word, God caused the earth to open and swallow them all up. The children perished with their parents; in which, though we cannot tell how bad they might be to deserve...

The tent, “the tabernacle” of Korah, as a Kohathite, stood on the south side of the tabernacle of the Lord; and those of Dathan and Abiram, as Reubenites, in the outer line of encampment on the same side. Yet though the tents of these three were thus contiguous, they did not share the same fate. Korah and his company who dared to intrude themselves on the priestly office were destroyed by fire from the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the Lord Numbers 16:35; the Reubenites, who had reviled Moses for the failure of the promises about the pleasant land, were suddenly engulfed while standing at their own tent-doors in the barren wilderness Numbers 16:31....

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

SPEAK UNTO THE CONGREGATION,.... Not to Korah's company, but to the people of Israel, of the several tribes that were assembled together: SAYING, GET YE UP FROM ABOUT THE TABERNACLE OF KORAH, AND DATHAN, AND ABIRAM; which was either the same with their tents, as in Numbers 16:26; though, as they were of different tribes, Korah of the tribe of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram of the tribe of Reuben, their tents must be in distinct and different places, though both encamped on the same side of the tabernacle, and pretty near to each other; the camp of Levi was nearest the tabernacle, and the camp of Reuben next to it. It may be, there was a single tabernacle erected on this occasion, for all these men to meet at when they judged it necessary. Aben Ezra is of opinion, Korah had a tent for his men and substance, at a distance from the camp of the Levites, and to his

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

TABERNACLE. Hebrew. _mishkan,_ habitation in sing. here. the habitation of each, separately; in Numbers 16:26 plural, "tents"....

Jehovah threatens to destroy the whole congregation; but at Moses" intercession He relents, and commands them to depart from the Tabernacle, leaving Korah and his company to be destroyed....