Korah's Rebellion
Korah, a Levite, together with Dathan, Abiram and two hundred and fifty leaders of the community, confronts Moses and Aaron with a charge that sounds egalitarian: the whole community is holy, so why do you set yourselves above the assembly?
Moses proposes a test — let each man bring a censer of incense and let God choose. The ground opens and swallows Korah's household, and fire consumes the two hundred and fifty. The next day the community blames Moses and Aaron for the deaths, and a plague breaks out; Aaron runs into the middle of it with a censer and stops it.
The question of who may serve at the sanctuary is settled by a quieter sign: twelve staffs are left overnight before the ark, and Aaron's alone buds, blossoms and produces almonds.
Where in scripture
[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 some men. [2] They rose up before Moses, with some of the children of Israel, two hundred fifty princes of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown. [3] They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, “You take too much on yourself, since all the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and Yahweh is among them! Why do you lift yourselves up above Yahweh’s assembly?” [4] When Moses heard it, he fell on his face. …
Numbers 16:1–50 — opening verses
[1] Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, [2] “Speak to the children of Israel, and take rods from them, one for each fathers’ house, of all their princes according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods. Write each man’s name on his rod. [3] You shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers’ houses. [4] You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. [5] It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud. I will make the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you, cease from me.” …
Numbers 17:1–13 — opening verses
Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
Jude 1:11
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
