22 And they fell H5307 upon their faces, H6440 and said, H559 O God, H410 the God H430 of the spirits H7307 of all flesh, H1320 shall one H259 man H376 sin, H2398 and wilt thou be wroth H7107 with all the congregation? H5712
And Abraham H85 drew near, H5066 and said, H559 Wilt thou also destroy H5595 the righteous H6662 with H5973 the wicked? H7563 Peradventure there be H3426 fifty H2572 righteous H6662 within H8432 the city: H5892 wilt thou also destroy H5595 and not spare H5375 the place H4725 for H4616 the fifty H2572 righteous H6662 that are therein? H7130 That be far H2486 from thee to do H6213 after this manner, H1697 to slay H4191 the righteous H6662 with the wicked: H7563 and that the righteous H6662 should be as the wicked, H7563 that be far H2486 from thee: Shall not the Judge H8199 of all the earth H776 do H6213 right? H4941
But the children H1121 of Israel H3478 committed H4603 a trespass H4604 in the accursed thing: H2764 for Achan, H5912 the son H1121 of Carmi, H3756 the son H1121 of Zabdi, H2067 the son H1121 of Zerah, H2226 of the tribe H4294 of Judah, H3063 took H3947 of the accursed thing: H2764 and the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 was kindled H2734 against the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 And Joshua H3091 sent H7971 men H582 from Jericho H3405 to Ai, H5857 which is beside H5973 Bethaven, H1007 on the east side H6924 of Bethel, H1008 and spake H559 unto them, saying, H559 Go up H5927 and view H7270 the country. H776 And the men H582 went up H5927 and viewed H7270 Ai. H5857 And they returned H7725 to Joshua, H3091 and said H559 unto him, Let not all the people H5971 go up; H5927 but let about two or three H7969 thousand H505 men H376 go up H5927 and smite H5221 Ai; H5857 and make not all the people H5971 to labour H3021 thither; for they are but few. H4592 So there went up H5927 thither of the people H5971 about three H7969 thousand H505 men: H376 and they fled H5127 before H6440 the men H582 of Ai. H5857 And the men H582 of Ai H5857 smote H5221 of them about thirty H7970 and six H8337 men: H376 for they chased H7291 them from before H6440 the gate H8179 even unto Shebarim, H7671 and smote H5221 them in the going down: H4174 wherefore the hearts H3824 of the people H5971 melted, H4549 and became as water. H4325 And Joshua H3091 rent H7167 his clothes, H8071 and fell H5307 to the earth H776 upon his face H6440 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 until the eventide, H6153 he and the elders H2205 of Israel, H3478 and put H5927 dust H6083 upon their heads. H7218 And Joshua H3091 said, H559 Alas, O H162 Lord H136 GOD, H3069 wherefore hast thou at all H5674 brought H5674 this people H5971 over H5674 Jordan, H3383 to deliver H5414 us into the hand H3027 of the Amorites, H567 to destroy H6 us? would to God H3863 we had been content, H2974 and dwelt H3427 on the other side H5676 Jordan! H3383 O H994 Lord, H136 what shall I say, H559 when H310 Israel H3478 turneth H2015 their backs H6203 before H6440 their enemies! H341 For the Canaanites H3669 and all the inhabitants H3427 of the land H776 shall hear H8085 of it, and shall environ us round, H5437 and cut off H3772 our name H8034 from the earth: H776 and what wilt thou do H6213 unto thy great H1419 name? H8034 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 Get thee up; H6965 wherefore liest H5307 thou thus upon thy face? H6440 Israel H3478 hath sinned, H2398 and they have also transgressed H5674 my covenant H1285 which I commanded H6680 them: for they have even taken H3947 of the accursed thing, H2764 and have also stolen, H1589 and dissembled H3584 also, and they have put H7760 it even among their own stuff. H3627 Therefore the children H1121 of Israel H3478 could H3201 not stand H6965 before H6440 their enemies, H341 but turned H6437 their backs H6203 before H6440 their enemies, H341 because they were accursed: H2764 neither will I be with you any more, H3254 except H3808 ye destroy H8045 the accursed H2764 from among H7130 you. Up, H6965 sanctify H6942 the people, H5971 and say, H559 Sanctify H6942 yourselves against to morrow: H4279 for thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 There is an accursed thing H2764 in the midst H7130 of thee, O Israel: H3478 thou canst H3201 not stand H6965 before H6440 thine enemies, H341 until ye take away H5493 the accursed thing H2764 from among H7130 you. In the morning H1242 therefore ye shall be brought H7126 according to your tribes: H7626 and it shall be, that the tribe H7626 which the LORD H3068 taketh H3920 shall come H7126 according to the families H4940 thereof; and the family H4940 which the LORD H3068 shall take H3920 shall come H7126 by households; H1004 and the household H1004 which the LORD H3068 shall take H3920 shall come H7126 man H1397 by man. H1397 And it shall be, that he that is taken H3920 with the accursed thing H2764 shall be burnt H8313 with fire, H784 he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed H5674 the covenant H1285 of the LORD, H3068 and because he hath wrought H6213 folly H5039 in Israel. H3478 So Joshua H3091 rose up early H7925 in the morning, H1242 and brought H7126 Israel H3478 by their tribes; H7626 and the tribe H7626 of Judah H3063 was taken: H3920 And he brought H7126 the family H4940 of Judah; H3063 and he took H3920 the family H4940 of the Zarhites: H2227 and he brought H7126 the family H4940 of the Zarhites H2227 man H1397 by man; H1397 and Zabdi H2067 was taken: H3920 And he brought H7126 his household H1004 man H1397 by man; H1397 and Achan, H5912 the son H1121 of Carmi, H3756 the son H1121 of Zabdi, H2067 the son H1121 of Zerah, H2226 of the tribe H4294 of Judah, H3063 was taken. H3920 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto Achan, H5912 My son, H1121 give, H7760 I pray thee, glory H3519 to the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 and make H5414 confession H8426 unto him; and tell H5046 me now what thou hast done; H6213 hide H3582 it not from me. And Achan H5912 answered H6030 Joshua, H3091 and said, H559 Indeed H546 I have sinned H2398 against the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 and thus and thus have I done: H6213 When I saw H7200 among the spoils H7998 a H259 goodly H2896 Babylonish H8152 garment, H155 and two hundred H3967 shekels H8255 of silver, H3701 and a H259 wedge H3956 of gold H2091 of fifty H2572 shekels H8255 weight, H4948 then I coveted H2530 them, and took H3947 them; and, behold, they are hid H2934 in the earth H776 in the midst H8432 of my tent, H168 and the silver H3701 under it. So Joshua H3091 sent H7971 messengers, H4397 and they ran H7323 unto the tent; H168 and, behold, it was hid H2934 in his tent, H168 and the silver H3701 under it. And they took H3947 them out of the midst H8432 of the tent, H168 and brought H935 them unto Joshua, H3091 and unto all the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and laid them out H3332 before H6440 the LORD. H3068 And Joshua, H3091 and all Israel H3478 with him, took H3947 Achan H5912 the son H1121 of Zerah, H2226 and the silver, H3701 and the garment, H155 and the wedge H3956 of gold, H2091 and his sons, H1121 and his daughters, H1323 and his oxen, H7794 and his asses, H2543 and his sheep, H6629 and his tent, H168 and all that he had: and they brought H5927 them unto the valley H6010 of Achor. H5911 And Joshua H3091 said, H559 Why H4100 hast thou troubled H5916 us? the LORD H3068 shall trouble H5916 thee this day. H3117 And all Israel H3478 stoned H7275 him with stones, H68 and burned H8313 them with fire, H784 after they had stoned H5619 them with stones. H68 And they raised H6965 over him a great H1419 heap H1530 of stones H68 unto this day. H3117 So the LORD H3068 turned H7725 from the fierceness H2740 of his anger. H639 Wherefore the name H8034 of that place H4725 was called, H7121 The valley H6010 of Achor, H5911 unto this day. H3117
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.