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THE MESSAGE

Numbers 16:1

Getting on his high horse one day, Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, along with a few Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—rebelled against Moses. He had with him 250 leaders of the congregation of Israel, prominent men with positions in the Council. They came as a group and confronted Moses and Aaron, saying, "You've overstepped yourself. This entire community is holy and God is in their midst. So why do you act like you're running the whole show?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Conspiracy;   Dathan;   Eliab;   Israel;   On;   Peleth;   Reuben;   Self-Exaltation;   Treason;   Thompson Chain Reference - Abiram;   Dathan and Abiram;   Korah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Desert, Journey of Israel through the;   Levites, the;   Priests;   Reuben, the Tribe of;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Abiram;   Dathan;   Earthquake;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Incense;   Korah;   Reuben;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Israel;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Abiram;   Dathan;   Eliab;   Izhar;   Korah;   Peleth;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Birthright;   Dathan;   Eliab;   Izhar;   On (1);   Peleth;   Pentateuch;   Reuben;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Aaron's Rod;   Abiram;   Assir;   Dathan;   Election;   High Priest;   Izhar;   Korah;   Numbers, Book of;   On;   Peleth;   Typology;   Uzzia(h);   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Aaron's Rod;   Abiram;   Deuteronomy;   Eliab;   Government;   Hexateuch;   Kadesh;   Kohath, Kohathites;   Korah, Dathan, Abiram;   Moses;   On;   Pallu;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Dathan ;   Eliab ;   Izehar, Izhar, Izeharites, Izharites ;   Korah;   Moses ;   On;   Peleth ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Dathan;   Izhar;   Korah;   On;   Peleth;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Abiram;   Korah;   On;   Samuel;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Abi'ram;   Da'than;   Eli'ab;   Iz'har;   On,;   Pe'leth;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Government of the Hebrews;   Korah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Abiron;   Genesis;   Izhar;   Korah;   Moses;   Numbers, Book of;   On (2);   Pallu;   Peleth;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Abiram;   Eliab;   Korah;   Phinehas;   Sidra;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Now Korach, the son of Yitzhar, the son of Kehat, the son of Levi, with Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av, and On, the son of Pelet, sons of Re'uven, took [men]:
King James Version
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:
Lexham English Bible
Now Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, the descendants of Reuben,
New Century Version
Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On turned against Moses. (Korah was the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi; Dathan and Abiram were brothers, the sons of Eliab; and On was the son of Peleth; Dathan, Abiram, and On were from the tribe of Reuben.)
New English Translation
Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, who were Reubenites, took men
Amplified Bible
Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, descendants of Reuben, took action,
New American Standard Bible
Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men,
Geneva Bible (1587)
Nowe Korah the sonne of Izhar, the sonne of Kohath, the sonne of Leui went apart with Dathan, and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab, & On the sonne of Peleth, the sonnes of Reuben:
Legacy Standard Bible
Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took others,
Contemporary English Version
Korah son of Izhar was a Levite from the Kohathite clan. One day he called together Dathan, Abiram, and On from the Reuben tribe, and the four of them decided to rebel against Moses. So they asked two hundred fifty respected Israelite leaders for their support, and together they went to Moses
Complete Jewish Bible
Now Korach the son of Yitz'har, the son of K'hat, the son of Levi, along with Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av, and On, the son of Pelet, descendants of Re'uven, took men and
Darby Translation
And Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, made bold, and [with him] Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, the sons of Reuben;
Easy-to-Read Version
Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On turned against Moses. (Korah was the son of Izhar. Izhar was the son of Kohath, and Kohath was the son of Levi. Dathan and Abiram were brothers, the sons of Eliab. And On was the son of Peleth. Dathan, Abiram, and On were descendants of Reuben.)
English Standard Version
Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men.
George Lamsa Translation
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, started a faction;
Good News Translation
Korah son of Izhar, from the Levite clan of Kohath, rebelled against the leadership of Moses. He was joined by three members of the tribe of Reuben—Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—and by 250 other Israelites, well-known leaders chosen by the community.
Christian Standard Bible®
Now Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took
Literal Translation
And Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, took also Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, the sons of Reuben;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Corah the sonne of Iezehar the sonne of Kahath, the sonne of Leui, with Dathan and Abiram the sonne of Eliab, and On the sonne of Peleth, ye sonnes of Rube,
American Standard Version
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
Bible in Basic English
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Pallu, the son of Reuben, made themselves ready,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Corah the sonne of Isaar, the sonne of Caath, the sonne of Leui, went a part with Dathan and Abiram, the sonnes of Eliab, & On the sonne of Peleth, the sonne of Ruben:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men;
King James Version (1611)
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.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Core the son of Isaar the son of Caath the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiron, sons of Eliab, and Aun the son of Phaleth the son of Ruben, spoke;
English Revised Version
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
Berean Standard Bible
Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath son of Levi, along with some Reubenites-Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth-conducted
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Lo! forsothe Chore, the sone of Isuar, sone of Caath, sone of Leuy, and Dathan and Abiron, the sones of Heliab, and Hon, the sone of Pheleph, of the sones of Ruben, rysen ayens Moises,
Young's Literal Translation
And Korah, son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, taketh both Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, sons of Reuben,
Update Bible Version
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took [men]:
Webster's Bible Translation
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]:
World English Bible
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took [men]:
New King James Version
Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men;
New Living Translation
One day Korah son of Izhar, a descendant of Kohath son of Levi, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben.
New Life Bible
Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, caused trouble.
New Revised Standard
Now Korah son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—descendants of Reuben—took
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then took Korah, son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, - and Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On, son of Peleth sons of Reuben;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And behold Core the son of Isaar, the son of Caath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiron the sons of Eliab, and Hon the son of Pheleth of the children of Ruben,
Revised Standard Version
Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abi'ram the sons of Eli'ab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took action,

Contextual Overview

1Getting on his high horse one day, Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, along with a few Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—rebelled against Moses. He had with him 250 leaders of the congregation of Israel, prominent men with positions in the Council. They came as a group and confronted Moses and Aaron, saying, "You've overstepped yourself. This entire community is holy and God is in their midst. So why do you act like you're running the whole show?" 4 On hearing this, Moses threw himself facedown on the ground. 5 Then he addressed Korah and his gang: "In the morning God will make clear who is on his side, who is holy. God will take his stand with the one he chooses. 6"Now, Korah, here's what I want you, you and your gang, to do: Tomorrow, take censers. In the presence of God , put fire in them and then incense. Then we'll see who is holy, see whom God chooses. Sons of Levi, you've overstepped yourselves!" 8Moses continued with Korah, "Listen well now, sons of Levi. Isn't it enough for you that the God of Israel has selected you out of the congregation of Israel to bring you near him to serve in the ministries of The Dwelling of God , and to stand before the congregation to minister to them? He has brought you and all your brother Levites into his inner circle, and now you're grasping for the priesthood, too. It's God you've ganged up against, not us. What do you have against Aaron that you're bad-mouthing him?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Korah: Numbers 26:9, Numbers 26:10, Numbers 27:3, Exodus 6:18, Exodus 6:21, Jude 1:11

sons of Reuben: Genesis 49:3, Genesis 49:4, 1 Chronicles 5:1, 1 Chronicles 5:2

took men: As the word men is not in the text, some read "took counsel;" and some "took courage." Houbigant renders yikkach, rebellionem fecerunt, "they rebelled;" which scarcely any rule of criticism can ever justify. Dr. Geddes' translation is, "Another insurrection was raised against Moses by Korah," etc. Others think that it may mean, "behaved with insolence." But, as Dr. A. Clarke observes, the verb wyyikkach, "and he took" which though at the end of the sentence in English, is the first word in Hebrew, is not in the plural, but the singular; and hence cannot be applied to the acts of all these chiefs. In every part of the Scripture, where this rebellion is referred to, it is attributed to Korah, therefore the verb here belongs to him; and the whole verse should be translated, "Now Korah, son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, he took even Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, son of Peleth, son of Reuben, and they rose up," etc.; reading, with some manuscripts, the Samaritan, and Septuagint, ben, son, instead of beney, sons.

Reciprocal: Exodus 6:24 - Korah Numbers 16:19 - Korah Numbers 16:41 - all the Numbers 26:58 - General Deuteronomy 9:7 - from the day Deuteronomy 11:6 - he did unto 1 Chronicles 2:33 - Peleth 1 Chronicles 6:37 - Korah 2 Chronicles 26:16 - to burn Psalms 42:1 - the sons Psalms 78:32 - they sinned Psalms 106:16 - envied Proverbs 24:21 - meddle Isaiah 63:10 - they rebelled Ezekiel 20:36 - General Acts 7:36 - and in the wilderness

Cross-References

Genesis 11:30
Sarai was barren; she had no children.
Genesis 12:16
Because of her, Abram got along very well: he accumulated sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, men and women servants, and camels. But God hit Pharaoh hard because of Abram's wife Sarai; everybody in the palace got seriously sick.
Genesis 16:3
So Sarai, Abram's wife, took her Egyptian maid Hagar and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife. Abram had been living ten years in Canaan when this took place. He slept with Hagar and she got pregnant. When Hagar learned she was pregnant, she looked down on her mistress.
Genesis 16:9
The angel of God said, "Go back to your mistress. Put up with her abuse." He continued, "I'm going to give you a big family, children past counting. From this pregnancy, you'll get a son: Name him Ishmael; for God heard you, God answered you. He'll be a bucking bronco of a man, a real fighter, fighting and being fought, Always stirring up trouble, always at odds with his family."
Genesis 25:21
Isaac prayed hard to God for his wife because she was barren. God answered his prayer and Rebekah became pregnant. But the children tumbled and kicked inside her so much that she said, "If this is the way it's going to be, why go on living?" She went to God to find out what was going on. God told her, Two nations are in your womb, two peoples butting heads while still in your body. One people will overpower the other, and the older will serve the younger.
Judges 13:2
At that time there was a man named Manoah from Zorah from the tribe of Dan. His wife was barren and childless. The angel of God appeared to her and told her, "I know that you are barren and childless, but you're going to become pregnant and bear a son. But take much care: Drink no wine or beer; eat nothing ritually unclean. You are, in fact, pregnant right now, carrying a son. No razor will touch his head—the boy will be God's Nazirite from the moment of his birth. He will launch the deliverance from Philistine oppression."
Luke 1:36
"And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God." And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now: I'm the Lord's maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say. Then the angel left her.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi,.... A great grandson of Levi's, and own cousin to Moses and Aaron, being brothers children; for Amram the father of Moses and Aaron, and Izhar the father of Korah, were own brothers, both of them the sons of Kohath, and Amram the eldest, and Izhar the next, Exodus 6:16; this man is mentioned first, being the contriver, and plotter, and ringleader of the following sedition, and which is called "the gainsaying of Core", Judges 1:11; when this was made is not certain; Aben Ezra thinks this affair happened in the wilderness of Sinai, when the firstborn were exchanged, and the Levites were separated for holy service, Numbers 3:1; but, according to the Targum of Jonathan, it was after the law concerning the fringes was given, which it here follows, and was on that account; for it says, that Korah took his coat, which was all blue, and that the men with him rose up, and in the face of Moses taught the rite concerning the blue ribbon; when Moses declared he had it from God, that the fringe should be of white, and one thread of blue should be in it; but Korah and his company made their coats and fringes all of blue, which the Lord commanded not: but what Korah is said to take is either himself, or men, or both, and not clothes, as follows:

and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth,

sons of Reuben, took [men]; which men are described in Numbers 16:2, even princes of the assembly, c. or he, Korah, took himself, as Ben Melech, or divided himself, as Onkelos, separated himself from the congregation, and set himself at the head of a party he gathered together and the "vau" or "and" before "Dathan" may be additional or superfluous, as Chaskuni observes, and so Abendana; and then the sense is, that Korah took Dathan, Abiram and On, apart by themselves, and entered into a consultation and confederacy with them against Moses and Aaron, with whom he was offended on account of the priesthood being bestowed on the latter by the former; and these men he associated to him, being the sons of Reuben, who would the rather listen to him, and join with him, because the right of the firstborn was taken from them, and the camp of Judah was placed before them; and with these men he could more easily commune, because the camp of Reuben and the Kohathites lay on the same side of the tabernacle, Numbers 2:10; Eliab, the father of Dathan and Abiram, was the son of Pallu, the second son of Reuben,

Numbers 26:5; but as for On, no mention is made of him elsewhere, nor any more in this place; it is thought he separated from his company after he had heard what Moses said to them; and the Rabbins say, his wife delivered him out of their hands, as Abendana observes.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Amram and Izhar were brothers (compare Exodus 6:18), and thus Korah, the “son,” i. e. descendant of Izhar, was connected by distant cousinship with Moses and Aaron. Though being a Kohathite, he was of that division of the Levites which had the most honorable charge, yet as Elizaphan, who had been made “chief of the families of the Kohathites” Numbers 3:30, belonged to the youngest branch descended from Uzziel Numbers 3:27, Korah probably regarded himself as injured; and therefore took the lead in this rebellion. Of the others, On is not again mentioned. He probably withdrew from the conspiracy. Dathan, Abiram, and On were Reubenites; and were probably discontented because the birthright had been taken away from their ancestor Genesis 49:3, and with it the primacy of their own tribe among the tribes of Israel. The Reubenites encamped near to the Kohathites (compare Numbers 2:25 and plan), and thus the two families were conveniently situated for taking counsel together. One pretext of the insurrection probably was to assert the rights of primogeniture - on the part of the Reubenites against Moses, on the part of Korah against the appointment of Uzziel.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XVI

The rebellion of Korah and his company against Moses, 1-3.

He directs them how to try, in the course of the next day, whom

God had called to the priesthood, 4-11.

Dathan and Abiram use the most seditious speeches, 12-14.

Moses is wroth, 15;

and orders Korah and his company to be ready on the morrow with

their censers and incense, 16-18.

Korah gathers his company together, 19.

The glory of the Lord appears, and he threatens to consume them,

20, 21.

Moses and Aaron intercede for them, 22.

The people are commanded to leave the tents of the rebels, 23-26.

They obey, and Korah and his company come out and stand before

the door of their tents, 27.

Moses in a solemn address puts the contention to issue, 28-30.

As soon as he had done speaking, the earth clave and swallowed

them, and all that appertained to them, 31-34;

and the 250 men who offered incense are consumed by fire, 35.

The Lord commands Eleazar to preserve the censers, because they

were hallowed, 36-38.

Eleazar makes of them a covering for the altar, 39, 40.

The next day the people murmur anew, the glory of the Lord

appears, and Moses and Aaron go to the tabernacle, 41-43.

They are commanded to separate themselves from the congregation,

44, 45.

Moses, perceiving that God had sent a plague among them, directs

Aaron to hasten and make an atonement, 46.

Aaron does so, and the plague is stayed, 47, 48.

The number of those who died by the plague, 14,700 men, 49, 50.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVI

Verse Numbers 16:1. Now Korah - took men] Had not these been the most brutish of men, could they have possibly so soon forgotten the signal displeasure of God manifested against them so lately for their rebellion. The word men is not in the original; and the verb ויקח vaiyikkach, and he took, is not in the plural but the singular, hence it cannot be applied to the act of all these chiefs. In every part of the Scripture where this rebellion is referred to it is attributed to Korah, (see Numbers 26:3, and Jude 1:11), therefore the verb here belongs to him, and the whole verse should be translated thus: - Now Korah, son of Yitsar son of Kohath, son of Levi, HE TOOK even Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, son of Peleth, SON OF REUBEN; and they rose up, c. This makes a very regular and consistent sense, and spares all the learned labour of Father Houbigant, who translates יקח yikkach, by rebellionem fecerunt, they rebelled, which scarcely any rule of criticism can ever justify. Instead of בני ראובן beney Reuben, SONS of Reuben, some MSS. have בן ben, SON, in the singular this reading, supported by the Septuagint and the Samaritan text, I have followed in the above translation. But as Eliab and Peleth were both Reubenites, the common reading, SONS, may be safely followed.


 
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