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Numbers Chapter
Sixteen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 16
This
chapter gives an account of a sedition of Korah and others against Moses and
Aaron
Numbers 16:1
with
whom Moses expostulates
and shows the unreasonableness of their clamour
against Aaron
Numbers 16:5; sends
for Dathan and Abiram
who were in the confederacy
but refused to come
which
greatly angered Moses
Numbers 16:12;
orders Korah and his company to appear before the Lord the next day
with
Aaron
to have the controversy decided
Numbers 16:16; when
all the congregation gathered together would have been
consumed had it not
been for the intercession of Moses and Aaron
Numbers 16:19; and
who
being separated from the rebels by the command of the Lord
some of the
rebels were swallowed up in the earth
and others destroyed by fire from
heaven
Numbers 16:23; and
their censers were made a covering for the altar
as a memorial of their sin
Numbers 16:36; on
which there was a new insurrection of the people
which brought a plague upon
them
and destroyed 14
700 persons
and which was stopped at the intercession
of Aaron
Numbers 16:41.
Numbers 16:1 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;
YLT
1And 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
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.
Numbers 16:2 2 and they rose up before Moses with some of the children
of Israel
two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation
representatives
of the congregation
men of renown.
YLT
2and they rise up before
Moses
with men of the sons of Israel
two hundred and fifty
princes of the
company
called of the convention
men of name
And they rose up before Moses
.... To his face
openly
and publicly
in a bold and audacious manner; with impudence
as the Targum of
Jonathan:
with certain of the children of Israel; some out of
the several tribes
but perhaps chiefly of the tribe of Reuben
as Jarchi:
two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly; or
"congregation"F9עדה
"congregationis"
Pagninus.
who were princes in the several tribes
to which they belonged
heads of houses and families of their fathers
rulers
of thousands
hundreds
&c.
famous in the congregation; or "called"F11קראי "vocati"
Montanus
Drusius. to the
tabernacle of the congregation; who
when the great men among the people were
gathered together to consult about any affair
were called
as Ben Melech
observes:
men of renown
or "of name"F12אנשי שם "viri nominis"
Montanus
Drusius. ; in high esteem among the people for their birth and rank
their wealth and riches
wisdom and prudence; and were so before they came out
of Egypt
as Aben Ezra remarks; so that the persons concerned in this rebellion
were not the mob and dregs of the people
but men of the greatest figure and
fame
and therefore was likely to be of bad consequence.
Numbers 16:3 3 They gathered together against Moses and Aaron
and
said to them
“You take too much upon yourselves
for all the
congregation is holy
every one of them
and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the
assembly of the Lord?”
YLT
3and they are assembled
against Moses and against Aaron
and say unto them
`Enough of you! for all the
company -- all of them [are] holy
and in their midst [is] Jehovah; and
wherefore do ye lift yourselves up above the assembly of Jehovah?'
And they gathered themselves together against Moses
and against
Aaron
.... They met together by appointment
and went up in a body to
Moses and Aaron:
and said unto them
ye take too much upon you; the one to be
king
and the other to be priest; for they imagined that Moses took the civil
government into his hands
and Aaron the priesthood
of themselves
without any
call of God to either; but the contrary is most certain
Hebrews 3:2; the
Israelites
those of the other tribes besides Levi and Reuben
thought that
Moses took too much upon him of his own head
to take the Levites instead of
the firstborn
and confer a dignity on his own brethren
the sons of Kohath
who were near akin to him
and on all the sons of Levi
as Aben Ezra observes;
and the Levites they conspired against him
because they were given to Aaron
and his sons; and Dathan and Abiram entered into a conspiracy
as the same
writer thinks
because he had removed the birthright from Reuben their father
and had given it to Joseph; for it is probable they suspected him
because of
Joshua his minister; and Jarchi conjectures that Korah was angry because Moses
had conferred the government of the Kohathites on Elizaphan
the son of Uzziel
the youngest son of Kohath
when he himself
Korah
was the eldest son of an
elder son of Kohath: or "it is"
or "let it be enough for
you"F13רב "sat est vel satis
sit"
Pagninus
Vatablus
Drusius
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; so
Aben Ezra. ; or more than enough
as Jarchi; it is sufficient that you have had
the government
both in things civil and religious
so long as you have; it is
time to give it up to others
who are as well qualified as yourselves. The time
past may suffice for the exercise of your despotic and arbitrary power; though
it seems to be chiefly levelled against Aaron
and his priesthood
which they
thought Moses had conferred on his brother of himself
any instruction from
God:
seeing all the congregation are holy
everyone of them; having all
heard the words of the Lord on Sinai
as Jarchi notes; and were all fit to be
priests
and to offer sacrifice in and for their families
as they had used to
do
before the separation of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood:
and the Lord is among them; in the tabernacle
to
whom they could approach and offer their offerings without a priest to do it
for them:
wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the
Lord? since they were all upon a level
everyone holy to the Lord
and
might draw nigh unto him
and officiate as priests; wherefore they represent it
as great pride and vanity in them; in Moses to take upon him to dispose of the
priesthood at his pleasure
and make Aaron the high priest of the people; and
in Aaron to take this office upon him
and to be an high priest
and not all
the sons of Levi
but over all the children of Israel.
Numbers 16:4 4 So when Moses heard it
he fell on his face;
YLT
4And Moses heareth
and
falleth on his face
And when Moses heard it
.... What they said
their complaint against him
for setting up Aaron for an high priest
and
against Aaron for taking this honour to himself:
he fell upon his face; through shame
as the
Targum of Jonathan
blushing at their sin
in opposing the ordinance of God;
and through fear of the divine displeasure
and of the wrath of God coming upon
them for such wickedness; and in order to pray to God for them to make them
sensible of their sin
and give them repentance for it
and pardon of it
and
avert his judgments from them such a conduct called aloud for.
Numbers 16:5 5 and he spoke to Korah and all his company
saying
“Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His and who
is holy
and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He
chooses He will cause to come near to Him.
YLT
5and he speaketh unto Korah
and unto all his company
saying
`Morning! -- and Jehovah is knowing those who
are his
and him who is holy
and hath brought near unto Him; even him whom He
doth fix on He bringeth near unto Him.
And he spake unto Korah
and unto all his company
.... The two
hundred fifty princes that were with him; what follows was said to them apart
from Dathan and Abiram
who seem not to be present at this time; and this was
after Moses had finished his prayer to God
and had received instructions from
him
by an impulse on his mind
what he should say unto them
and was now risen
up from the earth he fell upon:
saying
even tomorrow the Lord will show who are his; his priests
whom he had chosen
and put into that office; this he would make known so
clearly and plainly
that there would be no room left to doubt of it
and which
was revealed to Moses while upon his face in prayer to God:
and who is holy; or whom he has separated
to such an holy office and service:
and will cause him to come near unto him; and do his
work as a priest
without fear of danger
and without any hurt
which is
suggested would befall others; and they may expect it
who intrude themselves
into such an office
and engage their hearts in a bold audacious manner
to
draw nigh to God in it:
even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near
unto him: meaning Aaron with his sons
whom the Lord would make to appear
that he had chosen
and put into the office of priesthood
and that it was not
what Moses did of himself.
Numbers 16:6 6 Do this: Take censers
Korah and all your company;
YLT
6This do: take to yourselves
censers
Korah
and all his company
This do
take you censers
.... Vessels to put
incense in to offer
which was the business of the priests:
Korah
and all his company; the two hundred fifty
princes that were with him
for so many we read took censers
and offered
incense
Numbers 16:18.
Numbers 16:7 7 put fire in them and put incense in them before the Lord tomorrow
and it shall be that the man whom the Lord chooses is the holy one. You take too much upon
yourselves
you sons of Levi!”
YLT
7and put in them fire
and
put on them perfume
before Jehovah to-morrow
and it hath been
the man whom
Jehovah chooseth
he [is] the holy one; -- enough of you
sons of Levi.'
And put fire therein
.... Into the censers:
and put incense in them; on the coals of fire in
the censers:
before the Lord; not at the altar of incense in the holy
place
into which none but Aaron and his sons might come
but at the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation
where the glory of the Lord appeared
Numbers 16:18; and
this they were to do
tomorrow; the day following that on which the insurrection was made
and
in the morning of that day
which was the usual time of judgment; this was
delayed until the morrow
that they might have opportunity to reflect upon what
they had done
and repent of their sin
and consider what they were to do
and
the danger which might attend it; as in the case of Nadab and Abihu
who
though sons of the high priest
yet offering strange fire
were consumed by
fire
Numbers 10:1; and
so might they for assuming the priesthood
and officiating in any part of it
which did not belong to them:
and it shall be
that the man whom the Lord doth choose
he
shall be holy: meaning Aaron
with his sons; for though the Lord had already
chosen him
and ordered him and his family to be separated from the rest of the
Israelites
to exercise the priestly office
and he was actually invested with
it
and had entered upon it; yet he would at this time
in a visible way and
manner
make it manifest that he had done it
and therefore should be as it
were afresh set apart for holy service
and be continued in it:
ye take too much upon
you
ye sons of Levi: of which tribe Korah was; and it looks as if those with him were
chiefly of that tribe; however
these here addressed certainly were
and Moses
retorts their own language upon them; they had said
that he and Aaron had
taken too much upon them
though no more than what God had called them to; and
now he says that they had taken too much upon them
to resist the ordinance of
God
and to endeavour to remove from their office whom God had put into it
in
order to substitute themselves: or "it is enough for you"
or
"let it suffice you"; be content with the honour put upon you
the
dignity you are raised to
to be next to the priests
and assistants to them;
be not ambitious of more; let what you have satisfy you.
Numbers 16:8 8 Then Moses said to Korah
“Hear now
you sons of Levi:
YLT
8And Moses saith unto Korah
`Hear ye
I pray you
sons of Levi;
And Moses said unto Korah
.... Continued his
discourse to him
as the head of the conspiracy
and the ringleader of it:
hear
I pray you
ye sons of Levi; to whom also he had been
before speaking; though Aben Ezra thinks the first speech was made to Korah and
his company
and what follows to the Levites.
Numbers 16:9 9 Is it a small thing to you that the God of
Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel
to bring you near to
Himself
to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord
and to
stand before the congregation to serve them;
YLT
9is it little to you that
the God of Israel hath separated you from the company of Israel to bring you
near unto Himself
to do the service of the tabernacle of Jehovah
and to stand
before the company to serve them? –
Seemeth it but a small thing
unto you
.... It should not; for it was a great thing which the Lord had
done for them
and with which they should have been satisfied
and for it
thankful:
that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of
Israel: this was a special favour
and ought to have been esteemed such
that God
who was the God of the whole people of Israel in common
should
separate the tribe of Levi from all the rest of the tribes of Israel:
to bring you near to himself; next to the priests
their brethren of the same tribe
to be joined to them
and assist them in
their service
and officiate in the court of the tabernacle
where the divine
Majesty dwelt:
to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord; to watch it
and guard it
and keep out persons until to enter into it; to take it down and
set it up
as occasion required
and bear and carry the holy things in it
and
take care of them:
and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? which Jarchi
interprets of their singing in the desk songs of praise before them; but Aben
Ezra
better
of the service they did for them
when they brought their
offerings and sacrifices
which they took of them
and carried to the priests
to offer for them.
Numbers 16:10 10 and that He has brought you near to Himself
you and all your brethren
the sons of Levi
with you? And are you seeking the
priesthood also?
YLT
10yea
He doth bring thee
near
and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee -- and ye have sought
also the priesthood!
And he hath brought thee near to him
.... To be in
his courts
to watch in his house
and wait on his priests
for which an ample
provision was made by tithes. Korah is there personally addressed:
and all thy brethren
the sons of Levi
with thee; the whole
tribe of them
excepting Aaron and his family
who were advanced to be priests:
and seek ye the priesthood also? the high priesthood
as
the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; this opens the true cause of their discontent
and rebellion; they could not be satisfied with being the ministers of the
priests
but wanted to be priests themselves
and Korah perhaps to be high
priest.
Numbers 16:11 11 Therefore you and all your company are gathered
together against the Lord. And what is Aaron that
you complain against him?”
YLT
11Therefore
thou and all thy
company who are met [are] against Jehovah; and Aaron
what [is] he
that ye
murmur against him?'
For which cause
both thou and all thy company are
gathered together against the Lord
.... For gathering
together against his ministers
whom he had put into office to act under him
and endeavouring to overturn a constitution of his erecting
and resisting and
not submitting to an ordinance of his
is interpreted gathering against him
and acting in opposition to him; see Romans 13:1
and what is Aaron
that ye murmur against him? what is his
transgression? what has he done? as Aben Ezra paraphrases it; he is not
chargeable with any fault
he did not take upon him the office of high priest
of himself
God called him to it
and put him in it; he is only his minister
and by no means to be blamed
and therefore it is unreasonable to envy him
or
murmur against him; and
indeed
murmuring against him is murmuring against the
Lord.
Numbers 16:12 12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of
Eliab
but they said
“We will not come up!
YLT
12And Moses sendeth to call
for Dathan and for Abiram sons of Eliab
and they say
`We do not come up;
And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram
the sons of Eliab
.... He sent
messengers to call them to the house of judgment
as the Targum of Jonathan
to
the court of judicature
where the Jews suppose Moses
with the seventy elders
were now sitting: it seems these two men departed either before. Moses rose up
from prayer
or however before he had finished his speech to Korah and the
Levites; which being particularly directed to them
these men might think they
had no concern in it
and went away to their own tents:
which said
we will not come up; this answer they
returned to the messengers
and by them to Moses
declaring that they denied
his power
despised his authority
and would not obey his orders
and therefore
refused to come up to the tabernacle
or to the tent of Moses
or to the court
of judicature
wherever it was; perhaps the first is best. Aben Ezra thinks
that as the tabernacle was in the midst of the camp
it was on an eminence
wherefore those that came to it might be said to come up to it.
Numbers 16:13 13 Is it a small thing that you have brought us up
out of a land flowing with milk and honey
to kill us in the wilderness
that
you should keep acting like a prince over us?
YLT
13is it little that thou hast
brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to put us to death in a
wilderness that thou also certainly makest thyself prince over us?
Is it a small thing
that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey?.... Meaning
Egypt
as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it; which
though a plentiful
country
never had
nor deserved to have this epithet given it
which is
peculiar to the land of Canaan
and is here given
in opposition to the
description of that land
which the Lord himself had so described; and argues
great impudence and want of reverence of the divine Being
as well as great
ingratitude to Moses
the instrument of their being brought out of Egypt
where
they laboured under bondage and servitude intolerable; and yet here represent
it as an injury done to them
and as if the intent and design of it was purely
to destroy them: for they add:
to kill us in the wilderness; with want of food
of
which they had plenty in Egypt
they suggest; referring
it may be
to what the
Lord by Moses had said to them
that their carcasses should fall in the
wilderness; but that would not be for want of provisions
but because of their
sins. It was bad enough
they intimate
to be brought out of such a plentiful
country
into a barren wilderness; but what was still worse
the despotic and
tyrannical government of Moses
as they represent it
they were brought under:
except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? ruling in an
arbitrary way
making laws
and setting up offices and officers at pleasure
so
that it is more eligible to be in bondage in Egypt than under thy government.
Aben Ezra takes their meaning to be
as if the end of bringing them out of
Egypt was to assume and exercise such rule and authority over them. His words
are
"hast thou brought us up out of Egypt
that thou mayest exercise
dominion over us as a prince
yea
many dominions
thou and thy brother?'and
who also observes
that Egypt lay to the south of the land of Israel
so that
one that came from Egypt to the land of Canaan may be truly said to come up
that part of Canaan lying higher than Egypt.
Numbers 16:14 14 Moreover you have not brought us into a land flowing
with milk and honey
nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you
put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!”
YLT
14Yea
unto a land flowing
with milk and honey thou hast not brought us in
nor dost thou give to us an
inheritance of field and vineyard; the eyes of these men dost thou pick out? we
do not come up.'
Moreover
thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with
milk and honey
.... Meaning the land of Canaan; but this was no fault of Moses
he had brought them to the borders of it
he had bid them go up and possess it;
but they refused
and chose to have spies first sent into it
who brought an
ill report of it
which they listened to
and had so provoked the Lord thereby
that he ordered them to turn back
and threatened them with a consumption of
them in the wilderness; or "certainly"F14אל "certe"
Noldius
p. 97. No. 468. so Onkelos.
verily thou hast not brought us
&c. though the Septuagint version
renders it affirmatively
"thou hast brought us"; and the Vulgate
Latin version
indeed thou hast brought
directly contrary to the text; unless
it is to be understood ironically
as it is by some:
or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards; that is
in
the land of Canaan
as were promised them; they suggest
had this been the
case
they could have been content that he should have been their prince
and
they would have submitted to his government; but having received no advantage
from him
but a great deal of hurt and damage
they could not but consider him
not only as a tyrant
but as an impostor and deceiver:
wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? or
"dig" them outF15תנקר
"effodies"
Pagninus
Piscator; "vis effodere"
Fagius;
"fodies"
Junius & Tremellius
Drusius. ; either in a literal
sense
wilt thou be so cruel and merciless as to put out the eyes of these men
Korah and his company
and us for our opposition to thy government? or though
thou shouldest do so:
we will not come up; we are determined not to
obey thee
but to shake off the yoke
let our punishment be what it will; or
figuratively
dost thou take us for blind persons
whose eyes thou hast put
out
and think to lead us at thy pleasure? or dost thou cast a mist before the
eyes of this whole congregation
that they are not able to see through thy
designs? are the people so bewitched by them
as not to see thy deceits and
impostures? pretending to bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey
which thou art not able to do
and now sayest that thou hast a message from God
to return again towards the Red sea
and talkest of our posterity inheriting
the land forty years hence; who is it that cannot see through all this? Aben
Ezra thinks
by "these men" are meant the elders that were with
Moses
whom he led as he pleased
and so blinded them with his delusions
as
these pretended
that they could not see through them.
Numbers 16:15 15 Then Moses was very angry
and said to the Lord
“Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from
them
nor have I hurt one of them.”
YLT
15And it is very displeasing
to Moses
and he saith unto Jehovah
`Turn not Thou unto their present; not one
ass from them have I taken
nor have I afflicted one of them.'
And Moses was very wroth
.... Or "it heated
Moses exceedingly"F16ויחר למשה מאד "et excanduit Mosi
valde"
Drusius. ; made him very angry
caused him to burn with wrath
against them; even the speech they made
the words they uttered
not so much on
account of their ill usage of him
as for the dishonour cast upon the Lord:
and said unto the Lord
respect not thou their offering; their
"Minchah"
the word is commonly used for the meat or bread offering.
Aben Ezra observes
that Dathan and Abiram were great men
and had offered such
kind of offerings before this fact; and therefore Moses desires that the Lord
would have no respect to any they had offered
but have respect to him
who had
never injured any of them. Jarchi gives it as the sense of some
that whereas
these men had a part in the daily sacrifices of the congregation (with which a
meat offering always went)
the request is
that it might not be received with
acceptance by the Lord; but he himself thinks it is to be understood of the
offering of incense they were to offer on the morrow; and Moses desires that
God would show his disapprobation of it
and which is the common
interpretation. The Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem render it
"their
gift":
I have not taken one ass from them; either by force
or as a
bribe
or by way of gratuity for any service done them; the sense is
that he
had not taken from them the least thing in the world
anything of the meanest
worth and value
on any consideration. Aben Ezra interprets the word
"take"
of taking and laying any burden upon an ass of theirs; so far
was he from laying any burdens on them
and using them in a cruel and
tyrannical manner
as they suggested
that he never laid the least burden on
any ass of theirs
and much less on them:
neither have I hurt any of them; never did any injury to
the person or property of anyone of them
but
on the contrary
had done them
many good offices.
Numbers 16:16 16 And Moses said to Korah
“Tomorrow
you and all your
company be present before the Lord—you and
they
as well as Aaron.
YLT
16And Moses saith unto Korah
`Thou and all thy company
be ye before Jehovah
thou
and they
and Aaron
to-morrow;
And Moses said unto Korah
.... Who was still with
him
when the messenger returned from Dathan and Abiram
and who heard what
Moses said in his own defence:
be thou and all thy company before the Lord; at the
tabernacle
at the door of it; the Targum of Jonathan is
at the house of
judgment
the court of judicature
where this affair was to be tried
and that
was at the tabernacle
as appears by what follows:
thou
and they
and Aaron
tomorrow; the day after Moses had
sent to Dathan and Abiram
on the morning of the next day; which as it was the
time of sitting in judgment
so of offering incense; meaning Korah and his
company
the two hundred fifty men with him
and not Dathan and Abiram; and
Aaron also
he was ordered to appear
whom they opposed
and with whom the
trial was to be made.
Numbers 16:17 17 Let each take his censer and put incense in it
and
each of you bring his censer before the Lord
two
hundred and fifty censers; both you and Aaron
each with his censer.”
YLT
17and take ye each his
censer
and ye have put on them perfume
and brought near before Jehovah
each
his censer
two hundred and fifty censers; and thou and Aaron
each his
censer.'
And take every man his censer
and put incense therein
.... Which
they were to bring with them the next day from their own tents; and these might
be censers which they had in their several families
and which they had used in
them before the order of priesthood was set up in Aaron's family
and limited
to that; or they might be a sort of chafing dishes
or vessels like censers
and would serve the present purpose; they were ordered to put fire into them
that was to be taken from the altar of burnt offering; for strange fire might
not be used:
and bring ye before the Lord every man his censer
two hundred and
fifty censers: according to the number of the men that were gathered with
Korah:
thou also
and Aaron
each of you his censer; Korah and
Aaron were to bring each their censers
between whom lay the contest concerning
the high priesthood; which was to be determined by their offering incense
before the Lord
and by his approbation or disapprobation of it.
Numbers 16:18 18 So every man took his censer
put fire in it
laid
incense on it
and stood at the door of the tabernacle of meeting with Moses
and Aaron.
YLT
18And they take each his
censer
and put on them fire
and lay on them perfume
and they stand at the
opening of the tent of meeting
with Moses and Aaron.
And they took every man his censer
and that fire in them
.... That is
they came the next morning
according to order
prepared with their censers and
incense; and they took fire from off the altar of burnt offering
which stood
in the court of the tabernacle:
and laid incense thereon: upon the fire in their
censers
and so burned it:
and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; not in the
holy place
where the altar of incense was
for that would not hold them; nor
indeed in the court of the tabernacle
but at the door of it
or the outside of
it
that so they might be seen by all the people who came to be spectators and
witnesses of this affair: and they stood
with Moses and Aaron; in a bold and
presumptuous manner
as if they were their equals
disputing their authority
and putting themselves upon their trial before the Lord about it: the Targum of
Jonathan says
these men stood on one side (of the door of the tabernacle)
and
Moses and Aaron stood on the other side of it.
Numbers 16:19 19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them
at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.
YLT
19And Korah assembleth
against them all the company unto the opening of the tent of meeting
and the
honour of Jehovah is seen by all the company.
And Korah gathered all the congregation against them
.... Not his
own company only
but as many of the whole congregation of Israel as he could
get together
and especially the principal men; so that it seems there was a
general prevailing inclination in the people to take part with him against
Moses and Aaron
who wished him success in his undertaking
and readily came
together to animate and encourage him in it
and to see the issue of it. Jarchi
suggests
that all night he was going to the several tribes
persuading them
that it was not for his own private interest
but for the public good
that he
acted against two men
who had taken to themselves
the one the kingdom
and
the other the priesthood
and by this means got a great multitude together:
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; that is
before it
where Korah and his company stood
whose part they took
and had
like to have suffered severely for it
had it not been for the interposition of
Moses and Aaron:
and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation; the
Shechinah
or divine Majesty
which dwelt between the cherubim in the most holy
place
removed and came to the door of the tabernacle
where the people were
assembled
in the sight of them
showing some visible token of his presence
though no similitude of himself was seen; or
however
he appeared in the cloud
that was over the tabernacle
in which was seen a glory
a brightness and
splendour
or such coruscations and flashes of lightning as were very unusual
and amazing
and plainly showed the Lord was there; so Jarchi says
that he
came in the pillar of cloud.
Numbers 16:20 20 And the Lord spoke to
Moses and Aaron
saying
YLT
20And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses and unto Aaron
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
and unto Aaron
.... Out of
the cloud:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 16:21 21 “Separate yourselves from among this congregation
that I may consume them in a moment.”
YLT
21`Be ye separated from the
midst of this company
and I consume them in a moment;'
Separate yourselves
from among this congregation
.... Not only
from Korah's company
but from the congregation of the children of Israel
whom
Korah had got together
besides the two hundred fifty men that were at first
with him; who by their words and behaviour
and particularly by their
association and standing along with him
showed them to be on his side
which
greatly provoked the Lord:
that I may consume them in a moment; by fire from him
as the
two hundred fifty men were afterwards consumed
Numbers 16:35.
Numbers 16:22 22 Then they fell on their faces
and said
“O God
the
God of the spirits of all flesh
shall one man sin
and You be angry with all
the congregation?”
YLT
22and they fall on their
faces
and say
`God
God of the spirits of all flesh -- the one man sinneth
and against all the company Thou art wroth!'
And they fell upon their faces
.... That is
Moses and
Aaron
in order to deprecate the wrath of God
and beseech him to avert the
threatened judgment; and so the Targum of Jonathan has it
"they bowed
themselves in prayer upon their faces;"
and said
O God
the God of the spirits of all flesh; the Maker of
all men
as of their bodies
which are flesh
so of their souls or spirits
which are immaterial and immortal; hence he is called "the Father of
spirits"
Hebrews 12:9
who
as the Targum
puts the spirit in the bodies of men; or
as others
who knows
the spirits of men; their thoughts
as Jarchi
the inward frames and
dispositions of their minds; who knows who have sinned
and who not; and
whether their sins proceed from weakness
and being misled
or whether from a
malevolent disposition
presumption
and self-will:
shall one man sin: meaning Korah
who was the ringleader:
and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? who
through
ignorance and weakness
and by artifice and imposition
are drawn in to join
with him; the plea is much the same with that of Abraham
Genesis 18:25.
Numbers 16:23 23 So the Lord spoke to
Moses
saying
YLT
23And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... When on his face in
prayer
and bid him rise up
and told him he had granted his request
and then spoke
to him:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 16:24 24 “Speak to the congregation
saying
‘Get away from the
tents of Korah
Dathan
and Abiram.’”
YLT
24`Speak unto the company
saying
Go ye up from round about the tabernacle of Korah
Dathan
and Abiram.'
Speak unto the congregation
.... Not to Korah's
company
but to the people of Israel
of the several tribes that were assembled
together:
saying
get ye up from about the tabernacle of Korah
and Dathan
and Abiram; which was either the same with their tents
as in Numbers 16:26;
though
as they were of different tribes
Korah of the tribe of Levi
and
Dathan and Abiram of the tribe of Reuben
their tents must be in distinct and
different places
though both encamped on the same side of the tabernacle
and
pretty near to each other; the camp of Levi was nearest the tabernacle
and the
camp of Reuben next to it. It may be
there was a single tabernacle erected on
this occasion
for all these men to meet at when they judged it necessary. Aben
Ezra is of opinion
Korah had a tent for his men and substance
at a distance
from the camp of the Levites
and to his tent joined the tents of Dathan and
Abiram.
Numbers 16:25 25 Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram
and the
elders of Israel followed him.
YLT
25And Moses riseth
and goeth
unto Dathan and Abiram
and the elders of Israel go after him
And Moses rose up
.... Either from the ground
upon which he
fell on his face
or from the seat on which he sat at the door of the
tabernacle; though he seems to have stood there; it may be
it only signifies
that he obeyed the divine order
and went about it directly
as often in
Scripture persons are said to arise
when they go about any thing they are
directed
or choose to do:
and went unto Dathan and Abiram; to endeavour to convince
them of their evil
and bring them to repentance for it
and to reclaim them
from their folly:
and the elders of Israel followed him; either some
principal persons of the tribes
called elders
both from their age and
prudence; or the seventy elders lately chosen to assist Moses in the affairs of
government
as Aben Ezra thinks these followed him to show their respect unto
him
and their approbation of his conduct
and for vindication of his
character
which had been aspersed by those men
and to give the more weight to
what should be said unto them
for their conviction and reformation.
Numbers 16:26 26 And he spoke to the congregation
saying
“Depart now
from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs
lest you be
consumed in all their sins.”
YLT
26and he speaketh unto the
company
saying
`Turn aside
I pray you
from the tents of these wicked men
and come not against anything that they have
lest ye be consumed in all their
sins.'
And he spake unto the congregation
.... To the people of
Israel assembled together on this occasion: some
out of ill will to Moses and
Aaron
inclining to the side of Korah and his accomplices
and some out of
curiosity to see the issue of this affair
saying
depart
I pray you
from the tents of these wicked men; these
turbulent
seditious
and ill-designing men
disturbers of the commonwealth and
church of Israel
enemies to the peace of its civil and ecclesiastic state: and
when Moses desires the people to depart from their tents
he means not only
that they would remove in person
and stand at a distance
but such who had
their tents
and families
and substance near them
would take care to remove
lest they should be destroyed with them:
and touch nothing of theirs; not carry off anything
belonging to them along with their own
being all devoted to destruction:
lest ye be consumed in all their sins; lest
partaking of their sins they should of their plagues
and die in their sins
as
they would
or for them.
Numbers 16:27 27 So they got away from around the tents of Korah
Dathan
and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of
their tents
with their wives
their sons
and their little children.
YLT
27And they go up from the
tabernacle of Korah
Dathan and Abiram
from round about
and Dathan
and
Abiram have come out
standing at the opening of their tents
and their wives
and their sons
and their infants.
So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah
Dathan
and Abiram
on every side
.... The place where they met together and made their general
rendezvous; this it seems was encompassed on all sides by people out of the
several tribes
who either wished them well in their undertaking
or were
curious to know how it would issue:
and Dathan and Abiram came out; out of the tabernacle of
Korah
and went to their own tents; and came out of them:
and stood in the door of their tents
and their wives
and their
sons
and their little children; in an audacious manner
as not fearing God nor man; they carried their heads high
and were not in the
least daunted at what they were threatened with; and by their looks and
gestures bid defiance to Moses and the elders with him.
Numbers 16:28 28 And Moses said: “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works
for I have not done
them of my own will.
YLT
28And Moses saith
`By this
ye do know that Jehovah hath sent me to do all these works
that [they are] not
from my own heart;
And Moses said
hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to
do all these works
.... To bring the people of Israel out of Egypt
to exchange the
firstborn for the Levites
to make Aaron and his sons priests
to give the
Levites to them
and to set Elizaphan over the Kohathites
things which these
men found fault with
and questioned his authority for doing them:
for I have not done them of my own mind; or "not
out of my heart"F17כי לא מלבי "quod non de corde
meo"
Pagninus
Montanus. ; he had not devised them himself
and done them
of his own head
and in any arbitrary way
without the will of God or any
authority from him
as these men suggested.
Numbers 16:29 29 If these men die naturally like all men
or if they
are visited by the common fate of all men
then the Lord has not sent me.
YLT
29if according to the death
of all men these die -- or the charge of all men is charged upon them --
Jehovah hath not sent me;
If these men die the common death of all men
.... Or
"as every man dies"F18כמות כל האדם "ut moriuntur omnes
homines"
Pagninus; "reliqui homines"
Junius & Tremellius;
"alii homines"
Piscator.
or the generality of men
who for the
most part die of one disease or another
as a fever
and the like
or through
old age:
or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; with such
visitations as men in all ages for their sins are visited with
meaning public
calamities
such as pestilence
famine
and sword:
then the Lord hath
not sent me; it may be concluded that I had no mission nor commission from
the Lord to do what I have done
but may be reckoned a deceiver and an
impostor; and I am content to be accounted so
should either of the above
things be the case of these men.
Numbers 16:30 30 But if the Lord creates a
new thing
and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that
belongs to them
and they go down alive into the pit
then you will understand
that these men have rejected the Lord.”
YLT
30and if a strange thing
Jehovah do
and the ground hath opened her mouth and swallowed them
and all
that they have
and they have gone down alive to Sheol -- then ye have known
that these men have despised Jehovah.'
But if the Lord make a new thing
.... Or "create a
creation"
or "creature"F19בריאה
יברא "creationem
creaverit"
Pagninus
Montanus
Munster
Fagius; "creaturam"
Vatablus
Drusius.
what
never was before
or put those persons to a death that none ever in the world
died of yet; what that is he means is next expressed:
and the earth open her mouth and swallow them up
with all that appertain
unto them; their persons
their wives
children and substance:
and they go down quick into the pit; alive into the grave the
opening earth makes for them; this is the new thing created; though the Rabbins
sayF20Pirke Abot
c. 5. sect. 6. Pirke Eliezer
c. 19.
the mouth
of the earth
or the opening of the earth
was created from the days of the
creation
that is
it was determined or decreed so early that it should be:
then ye shall understated that these men have provoked the Lord; by rising up
against Moses and Aaron
and so against the Lord; by falsely accusing his
servants
and endeavouring to set the people against them
and so alter the
constitution of things in church and state.
Numbers 16:31 31 Now it came to pass
as he finished speaking all these
words
that the ground split apart under them
YLT
31And it cometh to pass at
his finishing speaking all these words
that the ground which [is] under them
cleaveth
And it came to pass
as he had made an end of speaking all these
things
.... As soon as he had finished his discourse
which was
addressed to the congregation
and
according to JosephusF21Antiqu.
l. 4. c. 3. Sect. 2.
after a long prayer to God
which that writer gives at
large; immediately so it was:
that the ground clave asunder that was under them; on which they
stood
not from any natural cause
as by subterranean volcano
forcibly making
their way and bursting the earth
and so getting vent
which has been thought
to be the cause of earthquakes; but this was by the immediate hand and almighty
power of God
and came to pass just as Moses suggested it would
and as soon as
he had uttered his words
which made it the more observable.
Numbers 16:32 32 and
the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up
with their households and all
the men with Korah
with all their goods.
YLT
32and the earth openeth her
mouth
and swalloweth them
and their houses
and all the men who [are] for
Korah
and all the goods
And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up
.... Dathan
and Abiram
their wives
sons
and little ones
that stood at the door of their
tents with them
and all their goods
as follows: the earth
as if it was a
living creature or a beast of prey
opened its mouth and swallowed them up
as
such a creature does its prey:
and their houses; which may be meant both of their families
or households
and of the tents they dwelt in
which were their houses; see Deuteronomy 1:6
and all the men that appertained unto Korah: not Korah
himself
for he was with the two hundred fifty men that had censers
and with
Aaron at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation offering incense
and
thereby making trial to whom the priesthood belonged; and who
it is highly
probable
perished by fire with the two hundred fifty men
as Josephus
Aben
Ezra
and others are of opinion; but the family of Korah
and not all of them
for his sons died not at that time
Numbers 26:11; and
there were of his posterity in the times of David
to whom several of the
psalms are inscribed
Psalm 42:1; these
were either out of the way upon business
the providence of God so ordering it
for their safety; or they disliked the proceedings of their father
and joined
not with him; or if they did at first
repented of it and forsook him
as it is
probable on of the tribe of Reuben also did
since no mention is made of him in
the destruction:
and all their goods: their household goods
their substance and riches
their gold
silver
cattle
and whatever they were
possessed of: a very extraordinary case this and which perhaps gave rise to
some fabulous things among the Heathens; however
if they can be credited
this
ought not to be thought incredible; as Amphiaraus
who with his chariot and its
rider are said to be swallowed up in the earth
struck by a thunderbolt from
Jupiter
and were never seen moreF23Apollodorus de Deorum Origine
l. 3. p. 157. ; and other stories are told of persons praying to their deities
for secrecy and shelter
and the earth has opened and hid them; as Althemenes
when he had slain his fatherF24lb. p. 134. ; and the nymph Thalia
pregnant by Jupiter
who
for fear of Juno
wished the earth might open and
take her in
and it accordingly did
as is reportedF25Macrob.
Saturnal. l. 5. c. 19. .
Numbers 16:33 33 So they and all those with them went down alive into
the pit; the earth closed over them
and they perished from among the assembly.
YLT
33and they go down
they
and
all that they have
alive to Sheol
and the earth closeth over them
and they
perish from the midst of the assembly;
They
and all that appertained unto them
went down alive
into the pit
.... The grave which the opening earth made for them
they and
their families:
and the earth closed upon them; and covered them over;
this it did of itself
as Aben Ezra remarks: this was a wonderful instance of
almighty power
that it should open in such large fissures as to swallow up
such a number of men
with their tents
goods
and cattle
and then close again
so firmly
as not to have the least appearance upon it of what had happened
as
Josephus observesF26Antiqu. ut supra
(l. 4. c. 3.) sect. 3. :
and they perished from among the congregation; and had a
name and a place no more with them.
Numbers 16:34 34 Then all Israel who were around them fled at
their cry
for they said
“Lest the earth swallow us up also!”
YLT
34and all Israel who [are]
round about them have fled at their voice
for they said
`Lest the earth
swallow us;'
And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them
.... Or
because of it
as Aben Ezra; their cry was so loud
their shrieks so dreadful
and piercing
that the Israelites about them fled to get out of the sound of
them
as well as for their own safety. The Targum of Jonathan not only
represents their cry as terrible
but gives the words they expressed at
it;"and all Israel that were round about them fled
because of the terror
of their voice
when they cried and said
the Lord is righteous and his
judgments truth
and truth are the words of Moses his servant
but we are
wicked who have rebelled against him:"
for they said
lest the earth swallow us up also; which they
might fear
since they had provoked the Lord
by associating with these men
and countenancing them by their presence
as they had done; who would have
consumed them in a moment at first
had it not been for the intercession of
Moses and Aaron.
Numbers 16:35 35 And a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering
incense.
YLT
35and fire hath come out from
Jehovah
and consumeth the two hundred and fifty men bringing near the perfume.
And there came out a fire from the Lord
.... Flashes
of lightning from the cloud in which he was:
and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense; not that it
reduced them to ashes
but took away their lives
struck them dead at once
in
like manner as Nadab and Abihu were
who though said to be devoured by the
fire
yet their bodies remained
Leviticus 10:2; and
is often the case of persons killed by lightning; though JosephusF1Antiq.
l. 4. c. 3. sect. 4. thinks they were so consumed as that their bodies were no
more seen
and who is express for it that Korah perished with them in this
manner; which is not improbable
since he took his censer and offered incense
with them
and was the ringleader of them
and the person that contended with
Aaron for the priesthood
which was to be determined in this way; and though he
is not mentioned it may be concluded
as Aben Ezra observes
by an argument
from the lesser to the greater
that if the men he drew in perished
much more
he himself; and the same writer observes
that in the song of the Red sea
no
mention is made of the drowning of Pharaoh in it
only of his chariots and his
host
and yet he himself was certainly drowned: now these men burning incense
which belonged only to the priests of the Lord
were by just retaliation
consumed by fire
and which made it plainly appear they were not the priests of
the Lord; and the judgment on them was the more remarkable
that Moses and
Aaron
who stood by them
remained unhurt. This was an emblem of the vengeance
of eternal fire
of everlasting burnings
Judges 1:11.
Numbers 16:36 36 Then the Lord spoke to
Moses
saying:
YLT
36And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... Immediately after
these men were consumed by fire from him; out of the same cloud from whence
that proceeded
he spoke:
saying: as follows.
Numbers 16:37 37 “Tell Eleazar
the son of Aaron the priest
to pick up
the censers out of the blaze
for they are holy
and scatter the fire some
distance away.
YLT
37`Say unto Eleazar son of
Aaron the priest
and he lifteth up the censers from the midst of the burning
and the fire scatter thou yonder
for they have been hallowed
Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest
.... His
eldest son
that was to succeed him as high priest
and who perhaps was upon
the spot to see the issue of things; and who
rather than Aaron
is bid to do
what follows
partly because Aaron was now officiating
burning incense
and
that he might not be defiled with the dead bodies; and partly because it was
more proper and decent for the son to do it than the father; and it may be also
because it was for the further confirmation of the priesthood in the posterity
of Aaron:
that he take up the censers out of the burning; either out
from among the dead bodies burnt with fire from the Lord
or out of the burning
of the incense in them; these were the censers of Korah and the two hundred
fifty men with him:
and scatter thou the fire yonder; the fire that was in the
censers; the incense burning in them was to be cast out and scattered here and
there
or carried to some unclean place at a distance
as a token of the
rejection of the services of these men: and thus the Lord answered the prayer
of Moses
that he would not have respect to their offering
Numbers 16:15; if
incense is intended there; though that seems to refer only to Dathan and
Abiram
and not to these two hundred fifty men:
for they are hallowed
incense being offered in
them before the Lord
and therefore were not to be made use of in common
service.
Numbers 16:38 38 The censers of these men who sinned against their own
souls
let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar.
Because they presented them before the Lord
therefore
they are holy; and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.”
YLT 38[even] the censers of these
sinners against their own souls; and they have made them spread-out plates
a
covering for the altar
for they have brought them near before Jehovah
and
they are hallowed; and they are become a sign to the sons of Israel.'
The censers of these sinners against their own souls
.... Who by
burning incense in them sinned
and by sinning hurt and ruined their souls:
let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar; the altar of
burnt offering
which
though it had a covering of brass
another made of these
were to be over it
for the further security of it
being of from the fire
continually burning on it; these censers were to be beaten into broad plates
by the workmen who understood how to do it:
for they offered them before the Lord
therefore they are hallowed; they offered
them in his presence
they burned incense in them
and to him
though it was
not their business
but the business of the priests; yet these being done
and
by his orders
for an open trial who were his priests and who not
they were
not to be put to common use:
and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel; a memorial
sign
a sign bringing this affair to remembrance
as it is explained in Numbers 16:40; this
was a sign to the priests
that they only were to offer every kind of
offerings
and to the Levites
who attended the priests at the altar
continually
and so had every day a sight of it and of those plates upon it
which would remind them of this fact
and teach them not to usurp the priest's
office; and to all the children of Israel
to learn from hence that none were
to burn incense but the priests of the Lord
for doing which Uzziah
though a
king
was punished
2 Chronicles 26:18.
Numbers 16:39 39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers
which
those who were burned up had presented
and they were hammered out as a
covering on the altar
YLT
39And Eleazar the priest
taketh the brazen censers which they who are burnt had brought near
and they
spread them out
a covering for the altar –
And Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers
.... The metal
of which these censers were made is particularly observed
to show that they
were fit for the use they were ordered to be put unto
namely
for a covering
of the altar of burnt offering
which was covered with brass
that being very
suitable
since fire was continually burning on it; and by this it appears that
these censers were different from those of Aaron and his sons
for theirs were
silver ones; the high priest on the day of atonement indeed made use of golden
one
but at all other times he used a silver oneF2Misn. Yoma
c. 4.
sect. 4. ; and so did the common priests every day
morning and night
when
they offered incenseF3Misn. Tamid
c. 5. sect. 5. :
wherewith they that were burnt had offered; the two
hundred fifty men burnt with fire from the Lord
having offered incense to him
with the brazen censers:
and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar; not by
Eleazar
but by workmen skilled in the art of drawing or beating any kind of
metal into thin plates
by the direction and order of Eleazar.
Numbers 16:40 40 to be a memorial to the children of Israel that
no outsider
who is not a descendant of Aaron
should come near to offer
incense before the Lord
that he might not become like
Korah and his companions
just as the Lord had said
to him through Moses.
YLT
40a memorial to the sons of
Israel
so that a stranger who is not of the seed of Aaron doth not draw near
to make a perfume before Jehovah
and is not as Korah
and as his company
--
as Jehovah hath spoken by the hand of Moses to him.
To be a memorial
unto the children of Israel
.... The whole body of them; this explains
what is meant by sign
Numbers 16:38; that
it was to put or keep in mind what follows:
that no stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron come
near to offer incense before the Lord; not only any Gentile but
any Israelite
and not any Israelite only
but any Levite; none but those of
the family of Aaron might offer incense before the Lord:
that he be not as Korah and as his company; this makes it
clear that Korah perished at this time
though it is nowhere expressed; and it
seems pretty plain from hence that he perished by fire
as his company
the two
hundred fifty men with censers
did:
as the Lord said unto him by the hand of Moses; either to
Korah
who is the immediate antecedent
and who perished as the Lord had told
him by Moses he should; so some understand it
mentioned by Aben Ezra and Jarchi;
or else to Aaron
as they interpret it; and then the sense is
that none but
those of Aaron's seed should offer incense
as the Lord had declared to him by
Moses; see Numbers 3:10; or it
may be rather to Eleazar
as Abendana
who did as the Lord spake to him by
Moses
took up the censers of the men that were burnt
and got them beaten into
broad plates
and covered the altar of burnt offering with them.
Numbers 16:41 41 On the next day all the congregation of the children
of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron
saying
“You have killed the
people of the Lord.”
YLT
41And all the company of the
sons of Israel murmur
on the morrow
against Moses and against Aaron
saying
`Ye -- ye have put to death the people of Jehovah.'
But on the morrow
.... The day following the dreadful
catastrophe
the earth swallowing up Dathan and Abiram
and all that belonged
to them
the burning of Korah and the two hundred fifty men of his company:
all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against
Moses
and against Aaron; not the princes and heads of the people
only
but the whole body of them; though the above persons that murmured
against them had but the day before been made such dreadful examples of divine
vengeance. This is a most surprising instance of the corruption and depravity
of human nature
of the blindness
hardness
and stupidity of the hearts of
men
which nothing but the grace of God can remove; the images of the awful
sights many of them had seen must be strong in their minds; the shrieks of the
wretched creatures perishing must be as yet as it were in their ears; the smell
of the fire was scarce out of their nostrils; and yet
notwithstanding this
shocking scene of things
they fell into the same evil
and murmur against the
men
whose authority
being called in question
had been confirmed by the above
awful instances:
saying
ye have killed the people of the Lord; so they
called the rebels
and hereby justified them in all the wickedness they had
been guilty of; and though their death was so manifestly by the immediate hand
of God
yet they lay it to the charge of Moses and Aaron
because it was in
vindication of them that it was done
and because they did not intercede by
prayer for them; though it is certain they did all they could to reclaim them
from their sin
and prevent their ruin; yet the people insist on it that they
were the cause or occasion of their death
as the Targums of Onkelos and
Jonathan express it.
Numbers 16:42 42 Now it happened
when the congregation had gathered
against Moses and Aaron
that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and
suddenly the cloud covered it
and the glory of the Lord appeared.
YLT
42And it cometh to pass
in
the company being assembled against Moses and against Aaron
that they turn
towards the tent of meeting
and lo
the cloud hath covered it
and the honour
of Jehovah is seen;
And it came to pass
when the congregation was gathered against
Moses and against Aaron
.... To kill them
as the Targum of Jonathan adds; who
perhaps
upon uttering their murmurs
made up to them
and by their gestures showed an
intention to murder them:
that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation; either the
people did
to see whether they could observe any appearance of the displeasure
of God against them; or rather Moses and Aaron looked that way for help and
deliverance in this extreme danger
knowing there was no salvation for them but
of the Lord
Jeremiah 3:23
and
behold
the cloud covered it; as when it was first
erected
and which was a token of the divine Presence
Numbers 9:15;
perhaps it had dispersed immediately upon the death of the rebels
and now
returned again in favour of the servants of the Lord:
and the glory of the Lord appeared; in the cloud
as in Numbers 16:19; to
encourage Moses and Aaron
and to deliver them out of the hands of the people
and to the terror of them.
Numbers 16:43 43 Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of
meeting.
YLT
43and Moses cometh -- Aaron
also -- unto the front of the tent of meeting.
And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the
congregation. Whose tent was not far from it
about which the people of Israel
were gathered; and from whence they came to the tabernacle
both for shelter
and safety
and for advice and instruction how to behave in this crisis; they
did not go into it
but stood before it; the Lord being in the cloud over it
they stood in the door of it
Numbers 16:50; so
the Targum of Jonathan
"and Moses and Aaron came from the congregation to
the door of the tabernacle.'
Numbers 16:44 44 And the Lord spoke to
Moses
saying
YLT
44And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... Out of the cloud:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 16:45 45 “Get away from among this congregation
that I may
consume them in a moment.”
And they fell on their faces.
YLT
45`Get you up from the midst
of this company
and I consume them in a moment;' and they fall on their faces
Get you up from among this congregation
.... That is
withdraw from them
and be separate
that they might not be involved in the
same destruction with them
as well as that they might have no concern for
them
or plead with the Lord in prayer on their account
but let him alone to
destroy them
as follows:
that I may consume them in a moment; as he was able to do
and had proposed to do it before
but they entreated him that he would not
Numbers 16:21; as
they again do:
and they fell upon their faces; in prayer
as the
Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem; and so Aben Ezra observes
it was to pray to
deprecate the wrath of God
and to implore his pardoning mercy for this sinful
people; which shows what an excellent temper and disposition these men were of
to pray for them that had so despitefully used them as to charge them with
murder
and were about to commit it on them; see Matthew 5:44.
Numbers 16:46 46 So Moses said to Aaron
“Take a censer and put fire in
it from the altar
put incense on it
and take it quickly to the
congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun.”
YLT
46and Moses saith unto Aaron
`Take the censer
and put on it fire from off the altar
and place perfume
and
go
hasten unto the company
and make atonement for them
for the wrath hath
gone out from the presence of Jehovah -- the plague hath begun.'
And Moses said unto Aaron
take a censer
.... Which lay
in the tabernacle:
and put fire therein from off the altar; the altar of
burnt offering
from whence fire only was to be taken for burning incense; and
lest Aaron in his hurry should forget to take it from thence
but elsewhere
and offer strange fire as his sons had done
Moses expresses the place from
whence he should take it:
and put on incense: upon the fire
in the censer
which he was
to do when he came into the camp
and not as soon as he took the fire from the
altar: the censer with fire in it he carried in one hand
and the incense in
the other; and when he was in the midst of the congregation
he put the incense
on the fire
and burnt it
as appears from Numbers 16:47
this
was an emblem of prayer
and a figure of the intercession and mediation of
Christ
Psalm 141:2
and go quickly unto the congregation; the case
required haste:
and make an atonement for them; which was usually done
by the sacrifice of a sin or trespass offering
but now there was no time for
that
and therefore incense
which was of quicker dispatch
was used for that
purpose instead of it:
for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; some token of
it
some disease was inflicted
which Moses had information of from the Lord
and therefore expressly says:
the plague is begun; a pestilence was sent
among the people.
Numbers 16:47 47 Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded
and ran
into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the
people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people.
YLT
47And Aaron taketh as Moses
hath spoken
and runneth unto the midst of the assembly
and lo
the plague
hath begun among the people; and he giveth the perfume
and maketh atonement
for the people
And Aaron took as Moses commanded
.... A censer with fire
in it from the altar
and also incense:
and ran into the midst of the congregation: though a man
in years and in so high an office
and had been so ill used by the people; yet
was not only so ready to obey the divine command
but so eager to serve this
ungrateful people
and save them from utter destruction
that he ran from the
tabernacle into the midst of them:
and
behold
the plague was begun among the people; he saw them
fall down dead instantly in great numbers:
and he put on incense; upon the fire in the
censer
which though it was not in common lawful to burn but in the holy place
on the altar of incense
yet
upon this extraordinary occasion
it was
dispensed with by the Lord
as it had been the day before when he offered it at
the door of the tabernacle with the two hundred fifty men of Korah's company;
and perhaps the reason of it now was
that the people might see Aaron perform
this kind office for them
and give them a fresh convincing proof of his being
invested with the office of priesthood from the Lord
or otherwise he could have
done this in its proper place
the sanctuary:
and made an atonement for the people; by offering
incense
which God smelt a sweet savour in
and accepted of
and his wrath was
appeased and the plague stayed: in this Aaron was a type of our Lord Jesus Christ
and of his mediation
atonement
and intercession; wrath is gone forth from God
for the sins of men
which is revealed in the law; and death
the effect of it
has taken place on many in every sense of it
corporeal
spiritual
and
eternal: Christ
as Mediator
in pursuance of his suretyship engagements
has
made atonement for the sins of his people by the sacrifice of himself; and now
ever lives to make intercession for them
which is founded upon his sacrifice
and satisfaction
his sufferings and death
signified by the fire in which the
incense was put.
Numbers 16:48 48 And he stood between the dead and the living; so the
plague was stopped.
YLT
48and standeth between the
dead and the living
and the plague is restrained;
And he stood between the dead and the living
.... The
plague beginning at one end of the camp
and so proceeded on
Aaron placed
himself between that part of it wherein it had made havoc
and that wherein yet
it was not come; the Targum of Jonathan is
"he stood in prayer in the
middle
and made a partition
with his censer
between the dead and living;'in
this he was a type of Christ
the Mediator between God and man
the living God
and dead sinners; for though his atonement and intercession are not made for
the dead in a corporeal sense
nor for those who have sinned
and sin unto
death
the unpardonable sin
nor for men appointed unto death
but for the
living in Jerusalem
or for those who are written in the Lamb's book of life;
yet for those who are dead in sin
and as deserving of eternal death as others
whereby they are saved from everlasting ruin:
and the plague was stayed; it proceeded no further
than where Aaron stood and offered his incense
and made atonement: so the
consequence of the atonement and intercession of Christ is
that the wrath of
God sin deserves comes not upon those that have a share therein
the second
death shall not seize upon them
nor they be hurt with it; for
being justified
by the blood of Christ
and atonement for their sins being made by his
sacrifice
they are saved from wrath to come.
Numbers 16:49 49 Now those who died in the plague were fourteen
thousand seven hundred
besides those who died in the Korah incident.
YLT
49and those who die by the
plague are fourteen thousand and seven hundred
apart from those who die for
the matter of Korah;
Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven
hundred
.... 14
700. Thus what they were threatened with
that their
carcasses should fall in the wilderness
Numbers 14:29
was
more and more fulfilled:
beside them that died about the matter of Korah; these are not
taken into the number here
even the two hundred fifty men of Korah's company
and the families of Dathan and Abiram
Numbers 16:32; how
many they were is not certain
but they were but few in comparison of these.
Numbers 16:50 50 So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the
tabernacle of meeting
for the plague had stopped.
YLT
50and Aaron turneth back unto
Moses
unto the opening of the tent of meeting
and the plague hath been
restrained.
And Aaron returned unto Moses
.... After he had by his
atonement and intercession put a stop to the wrath of God broken forth upon the
people:
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; where Moses
was waiting for his return
and to know the issue of this affair:
and the plague was stayed: even before Aaron left
the camp
and is here repeated for the certainty of it
and to intimate that it
continued to cease
and broke not out again.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》