19 And Korah made all the people come together against them to the door of the Tent of meeting: and the glory of the Lord was seen by all the people.
20 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
21 Come out from among this people, so that I may send sudden destruction on them.
22 Then falling down on their faces they said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, because of one man's sin will your wrath be moved against all the people?
23 And the Lord said to Moses,
24 Say to the people, Come away from the tent of Korah Dathan, and Abiram.
25 So Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the responsible men of Israel went with him.
26 And he said to the people, Come away now from the tents of these evil men, without touching anything of theirs, or you may be taken in the punishment of their sins.
27 So on every side they went away from the tent of Korah Dathan, and Abiram: and Dathan and Abiram came out to the door of their tents, with their wives and their sons and their little ones.
28 And Moses said, Now you will see that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, and I have not done them of myself.
29 If these men have the common death of men, or if the natural fate of all men overtakes them, then the Lord has not sent me.
30 But if the Lord does something new, opening the earth to take them in, with everything which is theirs, and they go down living into the underworld, then it will be clear to you that the Lord has not been honoured by these men.
31 And while these words were on his lips, the earth under them was parted in two;
32 And the earth, opening her mouth, took them in, with their families, and all the men who were joined to Korah, and their goods.
33 So they and all theirs went down living into the underworld, and the earth was shut over them, and they were cut off from among the meeting of the people.
34 And all Israel round about them went in flight at their cry, For fear, said they, that we go down into the heart of the earth.
35 Then fire came out from the Lord, burning up the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the perfume.
36 And the Lord said to Moses,
37 Say to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he is to take out of the flames the vessels with the perfumes in them, turning the fire out of them, for they are holy;
38 And let the vessels of those men, who with their lives have made payment for their sin, be hammered out into plates as a cover for the altar; for they have been offered before the Lord and are holy; so that they may be a sign to the children of Israel.
39 So Eleazar the priest took the brass vessels which had been offered by those who were burned up, and they were hammered out to make a cover for the altar:
40 To be a sign, kept in memory for ever by the children of Israel, that no man who is not of the seed of Aaron has the right of burning spices before the Lord, so that he may not be like Korah and his band: as the Lord said to him by the mouth of Moses.
41 But on the day after, all the children of Israel made an outcry against Moses and against Aaron, saying, You have put to death the Lord's people.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 16
Commentary on Numbers 16 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 16
The date of the history contained in this chapter is altogether uncertain. Probably these mutinies happened after their removal back again from Kadesh-barnea, when they were fixed (if I may so speak) for their wandering in the wilderness, and began to look upon that as their settlement. Presently after new laws given follows the story of a new rebellion, as if sin took occasion from the commandment to become more exceedingly sinful. Here is,
The manner and method of recording this story plainly show the ferment to have been very great.
Num 16:1-11
Here is,
Num 16:12-22
Here is,
Num 16:23-34
We have here the determining of the controversy with Dathan and Abiram, who rebelled against Moses, as in the next paragraph the determining of the controversy with Korah and his company, who would be rivals with Aaron. It should seem that Dathan and Abiram had set up a spacious tabernacle in the midst of the tents of their families, where they kept court, met in council, and hung out their flag of defiance against Moses; it is here called the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, v. 24, 27. There, as in the place of rendezvous, Dathan and Abiram staid, when Korah and his friends went up to the tabernacle of the Lord, waiting the issue of their trial; but here we are told how they had their business done, before that trial was over. For God will take what method he pleases in his judgments.
Num 16:35-40
We must now look back to the door of the tabernacle, where we left the pretenders to the priesthood with their censers in their hands ready to offer incense; and here we find,
Num 16:41-50
Here is,