SEARCH THE 1611 KJV (Advanced)
Viewing the original 1611 KJV with archaic English spelling.
Click to switch to the Standard KJV.
1 Now Korah the sonne of Izhar, the sonne of Kohath, the sonne of Leui, and Dathan, and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab, and On the sonne of Peleth, sonnes of Reuben, tooke men.
2 And they rose vp before Moses, with certaine of the children of Israel, two hundred and fiftie Princes of the assembly, famous in the Congregation, men of renowne.
3 And they gathered themselues together against Moses, and against Aaron, and said vnto them, Ye take too much vpon you, seeing all the Congregation are holy euery one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherfore then lift you vp your selues aboue the Congregation of the Lord ?
4 And when Moses heard it, he fell vpon his face.
5 And hee spake vnto Korah, and vnto all his company, saying, Euen to morrow the Lord will shew who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come neere vnto him: euen him whom he hath chosen, will he cause to come neere vnto him.
6 This doe: 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 doeth choose, hee shall be holy: yee take too much vpon you, ye sonnes of Leui.
8 And Moses saide vnto Korah, Heare, I pray you, ye sonnes of Leui.
9 Seemeth it but a small thing vnto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the Congregation of Israel, to bring you neere to himselfe, to doe the seruice of the Tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the Congregation to minister vnto them?
10 And he hath brought thee neere to him, and all thy brethren the sonnes of Leui with thee: and seeke 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 murmure against him?
12 ¶ And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab: which said, We will not come vp.
13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought vs vp out of a land that floweth with milke and hony, to kill vs in the wildernesse, except thou make thy selfe altogether a prince ouer vs?
14 Moreouer, thou hast not brought vs into a land that floweth with milke and hony, or giuen vs inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come vp.
15 And Moses was very wroth, and said vnto the Lord, Respect not thou their offering: I haue not taken one asse from them, neither haue I hurt one of them.
16 And Moses said vnto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord, thou, and they, and Aaron to morrow.
17 And take euery man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring yee before the Lord euery man his censer, two hundred and fiftie censers, thou also and Aaron, each of you his censer.
18 And they tooke euery man his censer, and put fire in them, and laide incense thereon, and stood in the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation with Moses and Aaron.
19 And Korah gathered all the Congregation against them, vnto the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation: and the glory of the Lord appeared vnto all the Congregation.
20 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, and vnto Aaron, saying,
21 Separate your selues from among this Congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
22 And they fell vpon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shal one man sinne, and wilt thou be wroth with all the Congregation?
23 ¶ And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,
24 Speake vnto the Congregation, saying, Get you vp from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
25 And Moses rose vp, and went vnto Dathan and Abiram: and the Elders of Israel followed him.
26 And hee spake vnto 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 sinnes.
27 So they gate vp from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on euery side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the doore of their tents, and their wiues, & their sonnes, and their little children.
28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to doe all these workes: for I haue not done them of mine owne 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 vp, with all that appertaine vnto them, and they go downe quicke into the pit: then ye shall vnderstand that these men haue prouoked the Lord.
31 ¶ And it came to passe as he had made an ende of speaking all these words, that the ground claue asunder that was vnder them:
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them vp, and their houses, and all the men that appertained vnto Korah, and all their goods.
33 They, and all that appertained to them, went downe aliue into the pit, and the earth closed vpon them: and they perished from among the Congregation.
34 And all Israel that were round about them, fled at the crie of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow vs vp also.
35 And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fiftie men that offered incense.
36 ¶ And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,
37 Speake vnto Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest, that he take vp the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder, for they are hallowed.
38 The censers of these sinners against their owne soules, let them make them broad plates for a couering of the Altar: for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed, and they shall be a signe vnto the children of Israel.
39 And Eleazar the Priest tooke the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered, and they were made broad plates for a couering of the Altar:
40 To bee a memoriall vnto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come neere 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 haue killed the people of the Lord.
42 And it came to passe when the Congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the Tabernacle of the Congregation: and behold, the cloud couered 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 vnto Moses, saying,
45 Get you vp from among this Congregation, that I may consume them, as in a moment: and they fell vpon their faces.
46 ¶ And Moses said vnto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the Altar, and put on incense, and goe quickly vnto the Congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun.
47 And Aaron tooke as Moses commanded, and ranne 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 betweene the dead and the liuing, and the plague was stayed.
49 Now they that died in the plague, were foureteene thousand and seuen hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
50 And Aaron returned vnto Moses, vnto the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation; and the plague was stayed.
Viewing the original 1611 KJV with archaic English spelling
Click to switch to the Standard KJV.
Commentary for Numbers 16
Bible Options
The Death of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram
The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram Korah contends for the priesthood. (1-11) Disobedience of Dathan and Abiram. (12-15) The glory of the Lord appears The intercession of Moses and Aaron. (16-22) The earth swallows up Dathan and Abiram. (23-34) The company of Korah consumed. (35-40) The people murmur A plague sent. (41-50)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 are below us.
12-15 Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram to bring their complaints; but they would not obey. They bring very false charges against Moses. Those often fall under the heaviest censures, who in truth deserve the highest praise. Moses, though the meekest man, yet, finding God reproached in him, was very wroth; he could not bear to see the people ruining themselves. He appeals to God as to his own integrity. He bade them appear with Aaron next morning, at the time of offering the morning incense. Korah undertook thus to appear. Proud ambitious men, while projecting their own advancement, often hurry on their own shameful fall.
16-22 The same glory of the Lord that appeared to place Aaron in his office at first, #Le 9:23|, now appeared to confirm him in it; and to confound those who set up against him. Nothing is more terrible to those who are conscious of guilt, than the appearance of the Divine glory. See how dangerous it is to have fellowship with sinners, and to partake with them. Though the people had treacherously deserted them, yet Moses and Aaron approved themselves faithful shepherds of Israel. If others fail in their duty to us, that does not take away the obligations we are under to seek their welfare. Their prayer was a pleading prayer, and it proved a prevailing one.
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 it, or how good God might be otherwise to them; yet of this we are sure, that Infinite Justice did them no wrong. It was altogether miraculous. God has, when he pleases, strange punishments for the workers of iniquity. It was very significant. Considering how the earth is still in like manner loaded with the weight of man's sins, we have reason to wonder that it does not now sink under its load. The ruin of others should be our warning. Could we, by faith, hear the outcries of those that are gone down to the bottomless pit, we should give more diligence than we do to escape for our lives, lest we also come into their condemnation.
35-40 A fire went out from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense, while Aaron, who stood with them, was preserved alive. God is jealous of the honour of his own institutions, and will not have them invaded. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. The censers are devoted, and, as all devoted things, must be made serviceable to the glory of God. This covering of the altar would remind the children of Israel of this event, that others might hear and fear, and do no more presumptuously. They brought destruction on themselves both in body and soul. Thus all who break the law and neglect the gospel choose and love death.
41-50 The gaping earth was scarcely closed, before the same sins are again committed, and all these warnings slighted. They called the rebels the people of the Lord; and find fault with Divine justice. The obstinacy of Israel notwithstanding the terrors of God's law, as given on mount Sinai, and the terrors of his judgments, shows how necessary the grace of God is to change men's hearts and lives. Love will do what fear cannot. Moses and Aaron interceded with God for mercy, knowing how great the provocation was. Aaron went, and burned incense between the living and the dead, not to purify the air, but to pacify an offended God. As one tender of the life of every Israelite, Aaron made all possible speed. We must render good for evil. Observe especially, that Aaron was a type of Christ. There is an infection of sin in the world, which only the cross and intercession of Jesus Christ can stay and remove. He enters the defiled and dying camp. He stands between the dead and the living; between the eternal Judge and the souls under condemnation. We must have redemption through His blood, even the remission of sins. We admire the ready devotion of Aaron: shall we not bless and praise the unspeakable grace and love which filled the Saviour's heart, when he placed himself in our stead, and bought us with his life? Greatly indeed hath God commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, #Ro 5:8|.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.