46 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto Aaron, H175 Take H3947 a censer, H4289 and put H5414 fire H784 therein from off H6440 the altar, H4196 and put H7760 on incense, H7004 and go H3212 quickly H4120 unto the congregation, H5712 and make an atonement H3722 for them: for there is wrath H7110 gone out H3318 from the LORD; H3068 the plague H5063 is begun. H2490
Then flew H5774 one H259 of the seraphims H8314 unto me, having a live coal H7531 in his hand, H3027 which he had taken H3947 with the tongs H4457 from off the altar: H4196 And he laid H5060 it upon my mouth, H6310 and said, H559 Lo, this hath touched H5060 thy lips; H8193 and thine iniquity H5771 is taken away, H5493 and thy sin H2403 purged. H3722
Nor G3761 yet that G2443 he should offer G4374 himself G1438 often, G4178 as G5618 the high priest G749 entereth G1525 into G1519 the holy place G39 every G2596 year G1763 with G1722 blood G129 of others; G245 For then G1893 must G1163 he G846 often G4178 have suffered G3958 since G575 the foundation G2602 of the world: G2889 but G1161 now G3568 once G530 in G1909 the end G4930 of the world G165 hath he appeared G5319 to G1519 put away G115 sin G266 by G1223 the sacrifice G2378 of himself. G846
And G2532 another G243 angel G32 came G2064 and G2532 stood G2476 at G1909 the altar, G2379 having G2192 a golden G5552 censer; G3031 and G2532 there was given G1325 unto him G846 much G4183 incense, G2368 that G2443 he should offer G1325 it with the prayers G4335 of all G3956 saints G40 upon G1909 the golden G5552 altar G2379 which G3588 was before G1799 the throne. G2362 And G2532 the smoke G2586 of the incense, G2368 which came with the prayers G4335 of the saints, G40 ascended up G305 before G1799 God G2316 out of G1537 the angel's G32 hand. G5495 And G2532 the angel G32 took G2983 the censer, G3031 and G2532 filled G1072 it G846 with G1537 fire G4442 of the altar, G2379 and G2532 cast G906 it into G1519 the earth: G1093 and G2532 there were G1096 voices, G5456 and G2532 thunderings, G1027 and G2532 lightnings, G796 and G2532 an earthquake. G4578
My G3450 little children, G5040 these things G5023 write I G1125 unto you, G5213 that G3363 ye sin G264 not. G3363 And G2532 if G1437 any man G5100 sin, G264 we have G2192 an advocate G3875 with G4314 the Father, G3962 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 the righteous: G1342 And G2532 he G846 is G2076 the propitiation G2434 for G4012 our G2257 sins: G266 and G1161 not G3756 for G4012 ours G2251 only, G3440 but G235 also G2532 for G4012 the sins of the whole G3650 world. G2889
And Aaron H175 shall burn H6999 thereon sweet H5561 incense H7004 every morning: H1242 when he dresseth H3190 the lamps, H5216 he shall burn incense H6999 upon it. And when Aaron H175 lighteth H5927 the lamps H5216 at even, H6153 he shall burn incense H6999 upon it, a perpetual H8548 incense H7004 before H6440 the LORD H3068 throughout your generations. H1755 Ye shall offer H5927 no strange H2114 incense H7004 thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, H5930 nor meat offering; H4503 neither shall ye pour H5258 drink offering H5262 thereon. And Aaron H175 shall make an atonement H3722 upon the horns H7161 of it once H259 in a year H8141 with the blood H1818 of the sin offering H2403 of atonements: H3725 once H259 in the year H8141 shall he make atonement H3722 upon it throughout your generations: H1755 it is most H6944 holy H6944 unto the LORD. H3068
Wherefore G3606 he is able G1410 also G2532 to save them G4982 to G1519 the uttermost G3838 that come G4334 unto God G2316 by G1223 him, G846 seeing he ever G3842 liveth G2198 to G1519 make intercession G1793 for G5228 them. G846 For G1063 such G5108 an high priest G749 became G4241 us, G2254 who is holy, G3741 harmless, G172 undefiled, G283 separate G5563 from G575 sinners, G268 and G2532 made G1096 higher than G5308 the heavens; G3772 Who G3739 needeth G2192 G318 not G3756 daily, G2596 G2250 as G5618 those high priests, G749 to offer up G399 sacrifice, G2378 first G4386 for G5228 his own G2398 sins, G266 and then G1899 for the people's: G2992 for G1063 this G5124 he did G4160 once, G2178 when he offered up G399 himself. G1438
Much G4183 more G3123 then, G3767 being G1344 now G3568 justified G1344 by G1722 his G846 blood, G129 we shall be saved G4982 from G575 wrath G3709 through G1223 him. G846 For G1063 if, G1487 when we were G5607 enemies, G2190 we were reconciled G2644 to God G2316 by G1223 the death G2288 of his G846 Son, G5207 much G4183 more, G3123 being reconciled, G2644 we shall be saved G4982 by G1722 his G846 life. G2222
And Aaron H175 shall bring H7126 the bullock H6499 of the sin offering, H2403 which is for himself, and shall make an atonement H3722 for himself, and for his house, H1004 and shall kill H7819 the bullock H6499 of the sin offering H2403 which is for himself: And he shall take H3947 a censer H4289 full H4393 of burning H784 coals H1513 of fire H784 from off the altar H4196 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and his hands H2651 full H4393 of sweet H5561 incense H7004 beaten small, H1851 and bring H935 it within H1004 the vail: H6532 And he shall put H5414 the incense H7004 upon the fire H784 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 that the cloud H6051 of the incense H7004 may cover H3680 the mercy seat H3727 that is upon the testimony, H5715 that he die H4191 not: And he shall take H3947 of the blood H1818 of the bullock, H6499 and sprinkle H5137 it with his finger H676 upon the mercy seat H3727 eastward; H6924 and before H6440 the mercy seat H3727 shall he sprinkle H5137 of the blood H1818 with his finger H676 seven H7651 times. H6471 Then shall he kill H7819 the goat H8163 of the sin offering, H2403 that is for the people, H5971 and bring H935 his blood H1818 within H1004 the vail, H6532 and do H6213 with that blood H1818 as he did H6213 with the blood H1818 of the bullock, H6499 and sprinkle H5137 it upon the mercy seat, H3727 and before H6440 the mercy seat: H3727 And he shall make an atonement H3722 for the holy H6944 place, because of the uncleanness H2932 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and because of their transgressions H6588 in all their sins: H2403 and so shall he do H6213 for the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 that remaineth H7931 among them in the midst H8432 of their uncleanness. H2932
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 16
Commentary on Numbers 16 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 16
Nu 16:1-30. The Rebellion of Korah.
1, 2. Now Korah, the son of Izhar—Izhar, brother of Amram (Ex 6:18), was the second son of Kohath, and for some reason unrecorded he had been supplanted by a descendant of the fourth son of Kohath, who was appointed prince or chief of the Kohathites (Nu 3:30). Discontent with the preferment over him of a younger relative was probably the originating cause of this seditious movement on the part of Korah.
Dathan and Abiram, … and On—These were confederate leaders in the rebellion, but On seems to have afterwards withdrawn from the conspiracy [compare Nu 16:12, 24, 25, 27; 26:9; De 11:6; Ps 106:17].
took men—The latter mentioned individuals, being all sons of Reuben, the eldest of Jacob's family, had been stimulated to this insurrection on the pretext that Moses had, by an arbitrary arrangement, taken away the right of primogeniture, which had vested the hereditary dignity of the priesthood in the first-born of every family, with a view of transferring the hereditary exercise of the sacred functions to a particular branch of his own house; and that this gross instance of partiality to his own relations, to the permanent detriment of others, was a sufficient ground for refusing allegiance to his government. In addition to this grievance, another cause of jealousy and dissatisfaction that rankled in the breasts of the Reubenites was the advancement of Judah to the leadership among the tribes. These malcontents had been incited by the artful representations of Korah (Jude 11), with whom the position of their camp on the south side afforded them facilities of frequent intercourse. In addition to his feeling of personal wrongs, Korah participated in their desire (if he did not originate the attempt) to recover their lost rights of primogeniture. When the conspiracy was ripe, they openly and boldly declared its object, and at the head of two hundred fifty princes, charged Moses with an ambitious and unwarrantable usurpation of authority, especially in the appropriation of the priesthood, for they disputed the claim of Aaron also to pre-eminence [Nu 16:3].
3. they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron—The assemblage seems to have been composed of the whole band of conspirators; and they grounded their complaint on the fact that the whole people, being separated to the divine service (Ex 19:6), were equally qualified to present offerings on the altar, and that God, being graciously, present among them by the tabernacle and the cloud, evinced His readiness to receive sacrifices from the hand of any others as well as from theirs.
4. when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face—This attitude of prostration indicated not only his humble and earnest desire that God would interpose to free him from the false and odious imputation, but also his strong sense of the daring sin involved in this proceeding. Whatever feelings may be entertained respecting Aaron, who had formerly headed a sedition himself [Nu 12:1], it is impossible not to sympathize with Moses in this difficult emergency. But he was a devout man, and the prudential course he adopted was probably the dictate of that heavenly wisdom with which, in answer to his prayers, he was endowed.
5-11. he spake unto Korah and unto all his company—They were first addressed, not only because they were a party headed by his own cousin and Moses might hope to have more influence in that quarter, but because they were stationed near the tabernacle; and especially because an expostulation was the more weighty coming from him who was a Levite himself, and who was excluded along with his family from the priesthood. But to bring the matter to an issue, he proposed a test which would afford a decisive evidence of the divine appointment.
Even to-morrow—literally, "in the morning," the usual time of meeting in the East for the settlement of public affairs.
the Lord will show who are his, … even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him—that is, will bear attestation to his ministry by some visible or miraculous token of His approval.
6, 7. Take your censers, Korah, and all his company, &c.—that is, since you aspire to the priesthood, then go, perform the highest function of the office—that of offering incense; and if you are accepted well. How magnanimous the conduct of Moses, who was now as willing that God's people should be priests, as formerly that they should be prophets (Nu 11:29). But he warned them that they were making a perilous experiment.
12-14. Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram—in a separate interview, the ground of their mutiny being different; for while Korah murmured against the exclusive appropriation of the priesthood to Aaron and his family, they were opposed to the supremacy of Moses in civil power. They refused to obey the summons; and their refusal was grounded on the plausible pretext that their stay in the desert was prolonged for some secret and selfish purposes of the leader, who was conducting them like blind men wherever it suited him.
15. Moses was very wroth—Though the meekest of all men [Nu 12:3], he could not restrain his indignation at these unjust and groundless charges; and the highly excited state of his feeling was evinced by the utterance of a brief exclamation in the mixed form of a prayer and an impassioned assertion of his integrity. (Compare 1Sa 12:3).
and said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their offering—He calls it their offering, because, though it was to be offered by Korah and his Levitical associates, it was the united appeal of all the mutineers for deciding the contested claims of Moses and Aaron.
16-18. Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord—that is, at "the door of the tabernacle" (Nu 16:18), that the assembled people might witness the experiment and be properly impressed by the issue.
17. two hundred fifty censers—probably the small platters, common in Egyptian families, where incense was offered to household deities and which had been among the precious things borrowed at their departure [Ex 12:35, 36].
20, 21. the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, Separate yourselves from among this congregation—Curiosity to witness the exciting spectacle attracted a vast concourse of the people, and it would seem that the popular mind had been incited to evil by the clamors of the mutineers against Moses and Aaron. There was something in their behavior very offensive to God; for after His glory had appeared—as at the installation of Aaron (Le 9:23), so now for his confirmation in the sacred office—He bade Moses and Aaron withdraw from the assembly "that He might consume them in a moment."
22. they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh—The benevolent importunity of their prayer was the more remarkable that the intercession was made for their enemies.
24-26. Speak unto the congregation, … Get you up from about the tabernacle—Moses was attended in the execution of this mission by the elders. The united and urgent entreaties of so many dignified personages produced the desired effect of convincing the people of their crime, and of withdrawing them from the company of men who were doomed to destruction, lest, being partakers of their sins, they should perish along with them.
27. the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram—Korah being a Kohathite, his tent could not have been in the Reubenite camp, and it does not appear that he himself was on the spot where Dathan and Abiram stood with their families. Their attitude of defiance indicated their daring and impenitent character, equally regardless of God and man.
28-34. Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works—The awful catastrophe of the earthquake which, as predicted by Moses, swallowed up those impious rebels in a living tomb, gave the divine attestation to the mission of Moses and struck the spectators with solemn awe.
35. there came out a fire from the Lord—that is, from the cloud. This seems to describe the destruction of Korah and those Levites who with him aspired to the functions of the priesthood. (See Nu 26:11, 58; 1Ch 6:22, 37).
37-40. Speak unto Eleazar—He was selected lest the high priest might contract defilement from going among the dead carcasses.
39, 40. the brazen censers … made broad plates to be a memorial—The altar of burnt offerings, being made of wood and covered with brass, this additional covering of broad plates not only rendered it doubly secure against the fire, but served as a warning beacon to deter all from future invasions of the priesthood.
41. the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord—What a strange exhibition of popular prejudice and passion—to blame the leaders for saving the rebels! Yet Moses and Aaron interceded for the people—the high priest perilling his own life in doing good to that perverse race.
48. he stood between the living and the dead—The plague seems to have begun in the extremities of the camp. Aaron, in this remarkable act, was a type of Christ.