Numbers Chapter 16

At a Glance

  • Historical & Literary Context.
  • This passage is quintessentially Priestly in its concern with order, ritual, and sanctity.
  • - Divine appointment and human authority: God’s chosen leaders are not self-appointed but divinely designated.
  • - Holiness and boundaries: Access to the tabernacle is tightly regulated; rebellion disrupts divine order and invites judgment.
  • - The danger of popular piety divorced from divine sanction: “All are holy” becomes a critique when used to undermine ordained leadership.

NUMBERS CHAPTER 16

Chapter Overview

Numbers 16 records one of the most dramatic leadership crises in the wilderness: Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and 250 principled men challenge Moses and Aaron, accusing them of exalting themselves above the assembly. The rebels insist that “all the congregation are holy,” implying that leadership has overstepped its rightful authority. Moses responds with humility and a ritual test: take censers and offer incense before the Lord, letting the Lord reveal whom He has chosen. The Levites—especially Korah’s company—are reminded of their special calling and separation to service. When the following day arrives, the ground opens and swallows the rebels, while fire consumes the 250 men who offered unauthorized incense. The catastrophe serves as a severe warning: rebellion against God’s appointed leadership is effectively rebellion against the Lord Himself. The incident sets in motion further fallout, prompting the assembly to cry out for priests to be restored and for boundaries to be reaffirmed around who may approach the tabernacle. The chapter ends with a persistent tension: the community’s desire for security and order requires clear boundaries around holy space and the Lord’s choosing of leaders, even when that leadership is imperfect.

Historical & Literary Context

This passage is quintessentially Priestly in its concern with order, ritual, and sanctity. It sits at a crossroad in Numbers where leadership questions threaten national cohesion and divine appointment. The Korah affair highlights the book’s ongoing tension: how to balance popular perception of holiness with the reality of God’s chosen mediators and the unique role of the Levitical line. The narrative uses dramatic catastrophe to illustrate divine justice and mercy. It also deepens the covenantal theme that God inhabits a carefully governed space, and leadership is part of that space’s order. As a literary unit, it reinforces the pattern of divine judgment followed by calls to repentance and reaffirmation of sacred boundaries.

Key Themes

- Divine appointment and human authority: God’s chosen leaders are not self-appointed but divinely designated.

- Holiness and boundaries: Access to the tabernacle is tightly regulated; rebellion disrupts divine order and invites judgment.

- The danger of popular piety divorced from divine sanction: “All are holy” becomes a critique when used to undermine ordained leadership.

- Accountability and consequences: The ground itself becomes a symbol of divine verdict on sin and rebellion.

- Mediation and intercession: Moses’ leadership is tested, and his intercession remains central to the unfolding drama.

Modern Application

- Humility in leadership: Leaders today can learn from Moses’ measured response and insistence on divine appointment.

- Boundaries for church life: Clear spiritual boundaries help prevent chaos and protect sacred space in communities.

- Accountability structures: Healthy communities require accountable leadership and mechanisms to address dissent without chaos.

- The danger of crowd-sourced spirituality: Emphasizing popular holiness without acknowledging divine ordination can be spiritually dangerous.

Cross-References: 3-5 related passages

- Numbers 12 (Miriam and Aaron oppose Moses; leadership critique)

- Deuteronomy 1:9-18 (delegation of leadership)

- 2 Peter 2 (warning against false teachers and corrupted leadership)

- Hebrews 3-4 (Christ-like leadership and warning against unbelief)

Recommended Personas

- Moses (intercessory leadership under pressure)

- Aaron (priestly mediators)

- Korah (foil for leadership rebellion)

- Jesus (fulfillment of the true and gracious obedience of God’s people)

Chapter Text

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 make 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.

Discuss This Chapter with Biblical Personas

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