Numbers 16:23-35, 41-50

Cross-references For Better Understanding a Related Topics b Additional Materials c

Summary

• Rebellion: – Some of the people were claiming that Moses was wrongly exalting himself above everyone else, and that he was no better than the others. Moses tells them that God will show who is his choice.

Details and/or Comments

• God opens the earth, and it swallows all that belongs to Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

• Then God sends fire from heaven to destroy the 250 men who offered the unauthorized incense.

• Then, instead of repenting, the people start blaming Moses for all that happened!

• So God begins to destroy the people... but Moses intercedes on the people's behalf (sending Aaron out among them with the sacred incense).

Scripture

Numbers 16:23-35, 41-50 – “Earthquake” and fire judgments, then the plague.

First the “earthquake”...

Scripture Passage	Comments and Links
Num 16:23 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, Num 16:24 Speak to the congregation, saying, Get away from around the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Num 16:25 Moses rose up and went to Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. Num 16:26 He spoke to the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins. Num 16:27 So they got them up from the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little ones.	Preparation for the judgment: “Get away from these people”
Num 16:28 Moses said, Hereby you shall know that Yahweh has sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of my own mind. Num 16:29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then Yahweh hasn't sent me. Num 16:30 But if Yahweh make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain to them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then you shall understand that these men have despised Yahweh.	The challenge: “If they die a natural death, then God hasn't sent me.”
Num 16:31 It happened, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground split apart that was under them; Num 16:32 and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who appertained to Korah, and all their goods. Num 16:33 So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into Sheol: and the earth closed on them, and they perished from among the assembly. Num 16:34 All Israel that were around them fled at the cry of them; for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up.	The conclusion: The earth swallowed them alive. Ecological Judgments

Then the fire...

Scripture Passage	Comments and Links
Num 16:35 Fire came forth from Yahweh, and devoured the two hundred fifty men who offered the incense.	Fire from the Sky

After all this, the people start complaining!

Scripture Passage	Comments and Links
Num 16:41 But on the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, You have killed the people of Yahweh.	They blame Moses for the deaths.
Num 16:42 It happened, when the congregation was assembled against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the Tent of Meeting: and behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of Yahweh appeared. Num 16:43 Moses and Aaron came to the front of the Tent of Meeting. Num 16:44 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, Num 16:45 Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. ...	God appears and begins to send a plague to destroy the complainers.
...They fell on their faces. Num 16:46 Moses said to Aaron, Take your censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon, and carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from Yahweh; the plague is begun. Num 16:47 Aaron took as Moses spoke, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. Num 16:48 He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. Num 16:49 Now those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides those who died about the matter of Korah. Num 16:50 Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the Tent of Meeting: and the plague was stayed.	Moses and Aaron intercede. This "plague" apparently involved sudden death. Health-Related Issues

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—— To avoid any copyright issues, all Scripture is either from a public domain translation (such as the World English Bible), my own translation, or a combination of these. ——

The name "Yahweh," when present in an Old Testament passage, represents the Hebrew name for the God of the Bible.

Unless otherwise noted, all notes and comments are © by Dennis Hinks.