New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Numbers 16
1
Korah was the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath. Kohath was the son of Levi. Korah and certain men from the tribe of Reuben turned against Moses. The men from Reuben were Dathan, Abiram and On. Dathan and Abiram were the sons of Eliab. On was the son of Peleth.
Reference
People
2
All of those men rose up against Moses. And 250 men of Israel joined them. All of them were known as leaders in the community. They had been appointed as members of the ruling body.
Reference
3
They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron. They said to Moses and Aaron, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy. Every one in it is holy. And the Lord is with them. So why do you put yourselves above the Lord's people?"
Reference
5
Then he spoke to Korah and all of his followers. He said, "In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him. He will show who is holy. He'll bring that person near him. He'll bring the man he chooses near him.
Reference
Holy
Psalm 65:4
Leviticus 10:3
Numbers 16:3
Acts 13:2
Acts 1:2
Parallel theme
Numbers 17:5
Revelation 1:6
Acts 22:14
References Lord
2 Timothy 2:19
Acts 1:24
6
"Korah, here's what you and all of your followers must do. Get some shallow cups for burning incense.
Reference
Parallel theme
Leviticus 10:1
7
Tomorrow put fire and incense in them. Offer it to the Lord. The man the Lord chooses will be the one who is holy. You Levites have gone too far!"
Reference
Holy
Numbers 16:3
8
Moses also said to Korah, "Listen, you Levites!
9
The God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the community of Israel. He has brought you near him to work at the Lord's holy tent. He has given you to the people so that you can serve them. Isn't all of that enough for you?
Reference
Parallel theme
Nehemiah 12:44
Numbers 16:13
Numbers 3:6
1 Samuel 18:23
References God
Isaiah 7:13
References Lord
Deuteronomy 10:8
Temple
Numbers 1:53
10
He has already brought you and all of the other Levites near him. But now you want to be priests too.
11
You and all of your followers have joined together against the Lord. Why are you telling Aaron you aren't happy with him?"
Reference
12
Then Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab. But they said, "We won't come!
13
You have brought us up out of a land that has plenty of milk and honey. You have brought us here to kill us in this desert. Isn't that enough? Now do you also want to act as if you were ruling over us?
Reference
14
"Besides, you haven't brought us into a land that has plenty of milk and honey. You haven't given us fields and vineyards of our own. Are you going to poke out the eyes of these men? No! We won't come!"
Reference
Parallel theme
Leviticus 20:24
15
Then Moses became very angry. He said to the Lord, "Don't accept their offering. I haven't taken even a donkey from them. In fact, I haven't done anything wrong to any of them."
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Corinthians 7:2
16
Moses said to Korah, "You and all of your followers must stand in front of the Lord tomorrow. You must appear there along with Aaron.
Reference
17
Each man must get his shallow cup. He must put incense in it. There will be a total of 250 incense cups. Each man must bring his cup to the Lord. You and Aaron must also bring your cups."
18
So each man got his cup. He put fire and incense in it. All of the men came with Moses and Aaron. They stood at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
19
Korah gathered all of his followers together at the entrance to the tent. They opposed Moses and Aaron. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole community.
Reference
20
The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said,
22
But Moses and Aaron fell with their faces to the ground. They cried out, "God, you are the God who creates the spirits of all people. Will you be angry with the whole community when only one man sins?"
Reference
23
Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said,
24
"Tell the community, 'Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.' "
25
Moses got up. He went to Dathan and Abiram. The elders of Israel followed him.
26
Moses warned the community. He said, "Move away from the tents of those evil men! Don't touch anything that belongs to them. If you do, the Lord will sweep you away because of all of their sins."
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 52:11
2 Corinthians 6:17
Acts 8:20
Acts 13:51
Deuteronomy 13:17
Sin
Revelation 18:4
1 Timothy 5:22
27
So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had already come out. They were standing at the entrances to their tents. Their wives, children and little ones were standing there with them.
28
Then Moses said, "What is about to happen wasn't my idea. The Lord has sent me to do everything I'm doing. Here is how you will know I'm telling you the truth.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 3:12
John 6:38
John 5:36
Ezekiel 13:17
Exodus 7:9
John 11:42
John 5:30
References Lord
Jeremiah 23:16
Zechariah 4:9
Zechariah 2:9
29
Those men won't die a natural death. Something will happen to them that doesn't usually happen to people. If what I'm telling you isn't true, then you will know that the Lord hasn't sent me.
Reference
30
"But the Lord will make something totally new happen. The ground will open its mouth and swallow them up. It will swallow up everything that belongs to them. They will go down into the grave alive. When that happens, you will know that those men have made fun of the Lord."
Reference
31
As soon as Moses finished speaking all of those words, what he had said came true. The ground under them broke open.
Reference
32
It opened its mouth. It swallowed up those men. In fact, it swallowed up everyone who lived in their houses. It swallowed all of Korah's men. And it swallowed up everything they owned.
Reference
33
They went down into the grave alive. Everything they owned went down with them. The ground closed over them. They died. And so they disappeared from the community.
34
All of the people of Israel who were around them heard their cries. They ran away from them. They shouted, "The ground is going to swallow us up too!"
36
The Lord spoke to Moses. He said,
37
"Speak to the priest Eleazar. He is the son of Aaron. Remind him that the shallow cups are holy. He must take them out of the fire. He must scatter the burning coals away from there.
38
The men who sinned used those cups. And it cost them their lives. Hammer the cups into bronze sheets that will cover the altar. The cups were offered to the Lord. They have become holy. Let them serve as a warning to the people of Israel."
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Peter 2:6
Numbers 26:10
References Lord
Ezekiel 14:8
1 Kings 2:23
Numbers 17:10
Sin
Proverbs 20:2
Habakkuk 2:10
39
So the priest Eleazar collected the bronze incense cups. They had been brought by the men who had been burned up. He had them hammered out to cover the altar.
40
He did just as the Lord had directed Moses to tell him to do. The covering would be a reminder to the people of Israel. It would remind them that no one except a son of Aaron should come and burn incense to the Lord. If people other than priests did that, they would become like Korah and his followers.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 3:10
41
The next day the whole community of Israel told Moses and Aaron they weren't happy with them. "You have killed the Lord's people," they said.
Reference
References Moses
Numbers 14:2
42
The community gathered together to oppose Moses and Aaron. The people walked toward the Tent of Meeting. Suddenly the cloud covered it. The glory of the Lord appeared.
Reference
43
Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the Tent of Meeting.
44
The Lord spoke to Moses. He said,
45
"Get away from these people. Then I can put an end to all of them at once." And Moses and Aaron fell with their faces to the ground.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 16:24
46
Moses said to Aaron, "Take your incense cup. Put incense in it. And put fire from the altar in it. Then hurry to the people and pay for their sin. The Lord has sent his anger. The plague has started."
Reference
Judgment
Leviticus 10:6
1 Chronicles 27:24
Numbers 18:5
Numbers 11:33
Parallel theme
Numbers 8:19
Psalm 106:29
Sacrifice
Psalm 141:2
47
So Aaron did as Moses said. He ran in among the people. The plague had already started among them. But Aaron offered the incense and paid for their sin.
48
He stood between those who were alive and those who were dead. And the plague stopped.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Samuel 24:25
49
But 14,700 people died from the plague. That doesn't include those who had died because of what Korah did.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 25:9
50
Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. The plague had stopped.
Chapter Summary
Numbers 16 describes a confrontation with serious implications. Korah, a Levite, joins Dathan and Abiram, sons of Reuben, and demands that Moses and Aaron loosen their grip on authority. They are joined by 250 leaders of the congregation who feel that they should have more authority. Moses takes the matter to the Lord and the Lord confirms who He has chosen. Korah and the others are judged and a plague breaks out among the people. Aaron makes atonement for the congregation and the plague is stopped.
The chapter begins with Korah, the son of Izhar, who was from the line of Levi. He is joined by Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben. These men gather together against Moses. They are joined by 250 notable leaders of the congregation.
They openly accuse Moses and Aaron and claim that the entire congregation is holy and that the Lord is among them. They ask why Moses and Aaron have placed themselves over the congregation of the Lord. They seem to be advocating the rights of the people, but the subsequent events show that what they really want is the responsibility that Moses and Aaron have been given.
When Moses hears these accusations, he falls on his face. Rather than answer their accusations, he offers a test that will show whether they are truly in the right or not.
He tells Korah and the others to bring their censers and put fire and incense in them in the presence of the Lord. Aaron is already the priest of the Lord who burns incense, so Moses wants the men to bring their offerings so that God can show whether they too have been chosen for this responsibility.
Moses speaks directly to Korah and reminds him that the sons of Levi have already been given a special place among the people. They have been set apart to serve at the tabernacle. Moses asks if they do not find this sufficient, but Korah and the other Levites have apparently decided that serving at the tabernacle is not enough and that they also want to serve as priests.
Moses calls for Dathan and Abiram, but they refuse to come. They accuse Moses of taking them out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill them in the wilderness. They even speak of Egypt as though it was a land of plenty, in spite of the fact that they were slaves there.
They accuse Moses of not bringing them into the Promised Land and ask if he intends to make them his slaves. They refuse to accept his rule and reject his leadership.
Moses is deeply hurt by their accusations and tells God that he has not taken anything from these men and has not harmed them in any way. He asks for God's judgment.
The next day, Korah and the 250 men appear at the door of the tabernacle with their censers. The glory of the Lord appears before the entire congregation and God tells Moses and Aaron to separate from the people, because He is about to consume them.
Once again, Moses and Aaron intercede for the people, asking if the Lord would bring judgment upon the entire congregation for the sin of one man. God tells Moses to instruct the people to move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
Moses tells the congregation that if these men die a natural death, then the Lord has not sent him. But if the earth opens and swallows him up, then the men have rejected the Lord.
As Moses speaks, the earth opens and the bodies of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, their households and possessions are swallowed up and buried. The ground then covers the opening.
Fire consumes the 250 men who were offering incense to the Lord and judgment falls upon them for rebelling against Moses and Aaron and attempting to take upon themselves a responsibility that did not belong to them.
God then tells Moses to instruct Eleazar, the son of Aaron, to take the censers from the dead men and make them into plates to cover the altar. These plates serve as a reminder to the people that no unauthorized person may approach the Lord to burn incense.
The people are not satisfied and the next day, the entire congregation complains against Moses and Aaron, accusing them of killing the people of the Lord.
Once again, the glory of the Lord appears and Moses and Aaron are told to separate from the people. A plague begins among the people and Moses tells Aaron to take a censer, put fire from the altar in it, put incense on it, and hurry to the congregation to make atonement for them. Aaron does as he has been told and stands between the living and the dead until the plague has been stopped. By the time he has finished, 14,700 people have died from the plague, in addition to those who had died in the rebellion of Korah and the fire that had consumed the 250 men.
Aaron then returns to Moses at the door of the tabernacle and the judgment of the Lord has ended.
Numbers 16 is one of the best examples in the wilderness journey of the cost of rebelling against authority. Korah, Dathan, Abiram and the 250 leaders have not asked questions. They have demanded positions of authority that the Lord has not given them.
It is also notable that Korah's rebellion is especially serious since he is already a Levite and has been given an important responsibility. Moses reminds him that he has already been set apart to serve at the tabernacle. It is not that Korah has no duties. He wants a different position of responsibility.
The complaint of Dathan and Abiram is also interesting, since they speak of Egypt as though it was a land flowing with milk and honey. Normally this description is applied to Canaan, but they are so bitter that they are willing to remember Egypt as a good place.
Moses always leaves the final judgment to the Lord, even when he knows the right thing to do. He falls on his face before God, asking Him to judge the people. Moses always intercedes for the people when God threatens judgment.
It is important to note Aaron's role in stopping the plague. He does not simply stand back and let the people die. He takes the censer and makes atonement, standing between the living and the dead until the Lord has finished punishing the people.
In addition, the rebellion is a lasting reminder to the people that anyone who attempts to take responsibility that has not been given will suffer the judgment of the Lord. The plates made from the censers of Korah and the 250 men are a reminder of this judgment.
Numbers 16 follows directly on from the rebellion described in earlier chapters. Israel has already complained and rebelled and now the entire people seem to want to fight against Moses and Aaron. The pattern seems to indicate that whenever fear takes hold, the Israelites complain. This complaint often turns into a rebellion. It has happened before with the food and with the refusal to enter Canaan, and now it is happening again.
But the chapter ends on a note that confirms the authority of Moses and Aaron as leaders of Israel and judges of the people. The rebellion has had its judgment and the Lord has confirmed the choices of Moses and Aaron. Moses continues to bear the responsibility of leadership, even when that responsibility is difficult.
The chapter begins with Korah, the son of Izhar, who was from the line of Levi. He is joined by Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben. These men gather together against Moses. They are joined by 250 notable leaders of the congregation.
They openly accuse Moses and Aaron and claim that the entire congregation is holy and that the Lord is among them. They ask why Moses and Aaron have placed themselves over the congregation of the Lord. They seem to be advocating the rights of the people, but the subsequent events show that what they really want is the responsibility that Moses and Aaron have been given.
When Moses hears these accusations, he falls on his face. Rather than answer their accusations, he offers a test that will show whether they are truly in the right or not.
He tells Korah and the others to bring their censers and put fire and incense in them in the presence of the Lord. Aaron is already the priest of the Lord who burns incense, so Moses wants the men to bring their offerings so that God can show whether they too have been chosen for this responsibility.
Moses speaks directly to Korah and reminds him that the sons of Levi have already been given a special place among the people. They have been set apart to serve at the tabernacle. Moses asks if they do not find this sufficient, but Korah and the other Levites have apparently decided that serving at the tabernacle is not enough and that they also want to serve as priests.
Moses calls for Dathan and Abiram, but they refuse to come. They accuse Moses of taking them out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill them in the wilderness. They even speak of Egypt as though it was a land of plenty, in spite of the fact that they were slaves there.
They accuse Moses of not bringing them into the Promised Land and ask if he intends to make them his slaves. They refuse to accept his rule and reject his leadership.
Moses is deeply hurt by their accusations and tells God that he has not taken anything from these men and has not harmed them in any way. He asks for God's judgment.
The next day, Korah and the 250 men appear at the door of the tabernacle with their censers. The glory of the Lord appears before the entire congregation and God tells Moses and Aaron to separate from the people, because He is about to consume them.
Once again, Moses and Aaron intercede for the people, asking if the Lord would bring judgment upon the entire congregation for the sin of one man. God tells Moses to instruct the people to move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
Moses tells the congregation that if these men die a natural death, then the Lord has not sent him. But if the earth opens and swallows him up, then the men have rejected the Lord.
As Moses speaks, the earth opens and the bodies of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, their households and possessions are swallowed up and buried. The ground then covers the opening.
Fire consumes the 250 men who were offering incense to the Lord and judgment falls upon them for rebelling against Moses and Aaron and attempting to take upon themselves a responsibility that did not belong to them.
God then tells Moses to instruct Eleazar, the son of Aaron, to take the censers from the dead men and make them into plates to cover the altar. These plates serve as a reminder to the people that no unauthorized person may approach the Lord to burn incense.
The people are not satisfied and the next day, the entire congregation complains against Moses and Aaron, accusing them of killing the people of the Lord.
Once again, the glory of the Lord appears and Moses and Aaron are told to separate from the people. A plague begins among the people and Moses tells Aaron to take a censer, put fire from the altar in it, put incense on it, and hurry to the congregation to make atonement for them. Aaron does as he has been told and stands between the living and the dead until the plague has been stopped. By the time he has finished, 14,700 people have died from the plague, in addition to those who had died in the rebellion of Korah and the fire that had consumed the 250 men.
Aaron then returns to Moses at the door of the tabernacle and the judgment of the Lord has ended.
Numbers 16 is one of the best examples in the wilderness journey of the cost of rebelling against authority. Korah, Dathan, Abiram and the 250 leaders have not asked questions. They have demanded positions of authority that the Lord has not given them.
It is also notable that Korah's rebellion is especially serious since he is already a Levite and has been given an important responsibility. Moses reminds him that he has already been set apart to serve at the tabernacle. It is not that Korah has no duties. He wants a different position of responsibility.
The complaint of Dathan and Abiram is also interesting, since they speak of Egypt as though it was a land flowing with milk and honey. Normally this description is applied to Canaan, but they are so bitter that they are willing to remember Egypt as a good place.
Moses always leaves the final judgment to the Lord, even when he knows the right thing to do. He falls on his face before God, asking Him to judge the people. Moses always intercedes for the people when God threatens judgment.
It is important to note Aaron's role in stopping the plague. He does not simply stand back and let the people die. He takes the censer and makes atonement, standing between the living and the dead until the Lord has finished punishing the people.
In addition, the rebellion is a lasting reminder to the people that anyone who attempts to take responsibility that has not been given will suffer the judgment of the Lord. The plates made from the censers of Korah and the 250 men are a reminder of this judgment.
Numbers 16 follows directly on from the rebellion described in earlier chapters. Israel has already complained and rebelled and now the entire people seem to want to fight against Moses and Aaron. The pattern seems to indicate that whenever fear takes hold, the Israelites complain. This complaint often turns into a rebellion. It has happened before with the food and with the refusal to enter Canaan, and now it is happening again.
But the chapter ends on a note that confirms the authority of Moses and Aaron as leaders of Israel and judges of the people. The rebellion has had its judgment and the Lord has confirmed the choices of Moses and Aaron. Moses continues to bear the responsibility of leadership, even when that responsibility is difficult.