Números 16

ARC · Chapter 16/36

1E Coré, filho de Jizhar, filho de Kohath, filho de Levi, tomou comsigo a Dathan e a Abiram, filhos de Eliab, e a On, filho de Peleth, filhos de Ruben,

2E levantaram-se perante Moysés com duzentos e cincoenta homens dos filhos de Israel, maioraes da congregação, chamados ao ajuntamento, varões de nome,

3E se congregaram contra Moysés e contra Aarão, e lhes disseram: Baste-vos, pois toda esta congregação, pois que toda a congregação é sancta, todos elles são sanctos, e o Senhor está no meio d'elles: porque pois vos elevaes sobre a congregação do Senhor?

4Como Moysés isto ouviu, caiu sobre o seu rosto,

5E fallou a Coré e a toda a sua congregação, dizendo: Ámanhã pela manhã o Senhor fará saber quem é seu, e quem o sancto que elle fará chegar a si: e aquelle a quem escolher fará chegar a si.

6Fazei isto: tomae vós incensarios, Coré e toda a sua congregação;

7E, pondo fogo n'elles ámanhã, sobre elles deitae incenso perante o Senhor: e será que o homem a quem o Senhor escolher, este será o sancto: baste-vos, filhos de Levi.

8Disse mais Moysés a Coré: Ouvi agora, filhos de Levi:

9Porventura pouco para vós é que o Deus de Israel vos separou da congregação de Israel, para vos fazer chegar a si, a administrar o ministerio do tabernaculo do Senhor e estar perante a congregação para ministrar-lhe:

10E te fez chegar, e todos os teus irmãos, os filhos de Levi, comtigo; ainda tambem procuraes o sacerdocio?

11Pelo que tu e toda a tua congregação congregados estaes contra o Senhor; e Aarão, que é elle, que murmuraes contra elle?

12E Moysés enviou a chamar a Dathan e a Abiram, filhos de Eliab: porém elles disseram: Não subiremos;

13Porventura pouco é que nos fizeste subir de uma terra que mana leite e mel, para nos matares n'este deserto, senão que tambem totalmente te assenhoreias de nós?

14Nem tão pouco nos trouxeste a uma terra que mana leite e mel, nem nos déste campos e vinhas em herança; porventura arrancarás os olhos a estes homens? não subiremos.

15Então Moysés irou-se muito, e disse ao Senhor; Não attentes para a sua offerta; nem um só jumento tomei d'elles, nem a nenhum d'elles fiz mal

16Disse mais Moysés a Coré: Tu e toda a tua congregação vos ponde perante o Senhor, tu, e elles, e Aarão, ámanhã.

17E tomae cada um o seu incensario, e n'elles ponde incenso; e trazei cada um o seu incensario perante o Senhor, duzentos e cincoenta incensarios; tambem tu e Aarão, cada qual o seu incensario.

18Tomaram pois cada qual o seu incensario, e n'elles pozeram fogo, e n'elles deitaram incenso, e se pozeram perante a porta da tenda da congregação com Moysés e Aarão.

19E Coré fez ajuntar contra elles toda a congregação á porta da tenda da congregação: então a gloria do Senhor appareceu a toda a congregação.

20E fallou o Senhor a Moysés e a Aarão, dizendo:

21Apartae-vos do meio d'esta congregação, e os consumirei como n'um momento.

22Mas elles se prostraram sobre os seus rostos, e disseram: Ó Deus, Deus dos espiritos de toda a carne, peccaria um só homem, e indignar-te-has tu tanto contra toda esta congregação?

23E fallou o Senhor a Moysés, dizendo:

24Falla a toda esta congregação, dizendo: Levantae-vos do redor da habitação de Coré, Dathan e Abiram.

25Então Moysés levantou-se, e foi a Dathan e a Abiram: e após d'elle foram os anciãos de Israel.

26E fallou á congregação, dizendo: Desviae-vos, peço-vos, das tendas d'estes impios homens, e não toqueis nada do que é seu, para que porventura não pereçaes em todos os seus peccados.

27Levantaram-se pois do redor da habitação de Coré, Dathan e Abiram, E Dathan e Abiram sairam, e se pozeram á porta das suas tendas, juntamente com as suas mulheres, e seus filhos, e suas creanças.

28Então disse Moysés: N'isto conhecereis que o Senhor me enviou a fazer todos estes feitos, que de meu coração não procedem.

29Se estes morrerem como morrem todos os homens, e se forem visitados como se visitam todos os homens, então o Senhor me não enviou.

30Mas, se o Senhor crear alguma coisa nova, e a terra abrir a sua bocca e os tragar com tudo o que é seu, e vivos descerem ao sepulchro, então conhecereis que estes homens irritaram ao Senhor.

31E aconteceu que, acabando elle de fallar todas estas palavras, a terra que estava debaixo d'elles se fendeu.

32E a terra abriu a sua bocca, e os tragou com as suas casas, como tambem a todos os homens que pertenciam a Coré, e a toda a sua fazenda.

33E elles e tudo o que era seu desceram vivos ao sepulchro, e a terra os cobriu, e pereceram do meio da congregação.

34E todo o Israel, que estava ao redor d'elles, fugiu do clamor d'elles; porque diziam: Para que porventura tambem nos não trague a terra a nós.

35Então saiu fogo do Senhor, e consumiu os duzentos e cincoenta homens que offereciam o incenso.

36E fallou o Senhor a Moysés, dizendo:

37Dize a Eleazar, filho de Aarão, o sacerdote, que tome os incensarios do meio do incendio, e espalhe o fogo longe, porque sanctos são;

38Quanto aos incensarios d'aquelles que peccaram contra as suas almas, d'elles se façam folhas estendidas para cobertura do altar; porquanto os trouxeram perante o Senhor; pelo que sanctos são: e serão por signal aos filhos de Israel.

39E Eleazar, o sacerdote, tomou os incensarios de metal, que trouxeram aquelles que foram queimados, e os estenderam para cobertura do altar,

40Por memorial para os filhos de Israel, que nenhum estranho, que não fôr da semente de Aarão, se chegue para accender incenso perante o Senhor; para que não seja como Coré e a sua congregação, como o Senhor lhe tinha dito pela bocca de Moysés

41Mas no dia seguinte toda a congregação dos filhos de Israel murmurou contra Moysés e contra Aarão, dizendo; Vós matastes o povo do Senhor.

42E aconteceu que, ajuntando-se a congregação contra Moysés e Aarão, e virando-se para a tenda da congregação, eis que a nuvem a cobriu, e a gloria do Senhor appareceu.

43Vieram pois Moysés e Aarão perante a tenda da congregação.

44Então fallou o Senhor a Moysés, dizendo:

45Levantae-vos do meio d'esta congregação, e a consumirei como n'um momento: então se prostraram sobre os seus rostos,

46E disse Moysés a Aarão: Toma o teu incensario, e põe n'elle fogo do altar, e deita incenso sobre elle, e vae depressa á congregação, e faze expiação por elles: porque grande indignação saiu de diante do Senhor; já começou a praga.

47E tomou-o Aarão, como Moysés tinha fallado, e correu ao meio da congregação; e eis que já a praga havia começado entre o povo; e deitou incenso n'elle, e fez expiação pelo povo.

48E estava em pé entre os mortos e os vivos; e cessou a praga.

49E os que morreram d'aquella praga foram quatorze mil e setecentos, fóra os que morreram pela causa de Coré.

50E voltou Aarão a Moysés á porta da tenda da congregação: e cessou a praga.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Korah, together with Dathan, Abiram, and 250 leaders, rebels against the leadership of Moses and Aaron, questioning their exclusive authority. God judges dramatically: the earth opens and swallows the main rebels, and fire consumes the 250 who improperly offered incense.

Explanation

This rebellion was particularly dangerous because it came from within — Korah was a Levite, with legitimate access to sacred duties, but he also wanted Aaron's exclusive priesthood, arguing (with an appearance of piety) that 'all the congregation is holy.' The argument held a partial truth (all Israel was called to be holy, Exodus 19:6), but it ignored that God had also established specific roles and order within that collective holiness. The extraordinary judgment — the earth literally opening its mouth — was meant to remove any public doubt about whom God had truly chosen as leader, settling the dispute once and for all. The application for today: seeking more recognition or position using spiritually correct language does not make ambition legitimate, and order within a faith community is not the same as inequality of worth.

Fun facts

  • The expression 'the earth opened its mouth' (v. 32) uses a rare poetic image in biblical Hebrew, practically unique in this form, reinforcing the supernatural magnitude of the event in Israel's memory.
  • Despite Korah's destruction, his sons survived (explicitly mentioned in Numbers 26:11) and later produced an important line of singing Levites — the 'sons of Korah,' responsible for several Psalms (such as Psalms 42, 44-49), a notable biblical example of restoration across generations despite the sin of the fathers.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Números 16:1Korah, a Kohathite Levite, joins with Dathan, Abiram, and On, three men from the tribe of Reuben — a curious alliance between two different grievances: one about the priesthood, the other about political leadership.
  2. Números 16:2Alongside them rise 250 recognized leaders of the congregation, men of renown and influence, forming a large group in opposition to Moses.
  3. Números 16:3Korah and a group of two hundred and fifty leaders rebel against Moses and Aaron, arguing that the whole people is holy and that the two of them were setting themselves above the congregation without cause. It is a dispute over who has the right to lead and serve as priest, not merely a personal criticism.
  4. Números 16:4On hearing the group’s accusation, Moses reacts by falling face down on the ground, a gesture of humility in the middle of the crisis.
  5. Números 16:5Moses proposes a decisive test: the next day, the Lord Himself would show who He had really chosen to come near Him.
  6. Números 16:6The practical instruction is clear: Korah and his whole group were to take censers for the next day’s test.
  7. Números 16:7They were to put burning incense before the Lord, and whomever God chose would be confirmed as truly holy — Moses adds that the Levites had already gone too far.
  8. Números 16:8Moses continues addressing specifically the Levites in Korah’s group, asking them to pay attention to what follows.
  9. Números 16:9He asks whether it was not enough that they had already been set apart from the rest of the people to serve in the tabernacle, a privilege God had already given them.
  10. Números 16:10Moses asks why, having received that place of distinction among the Levites, they still wanted the priesthood as well, which was reserved only for Aaron’s family.
  11. Números 16:11He makes it clear that the revolt was, at its core, against God Himself, not against Aaron, who only held the position assigned to him.
  12. Números 16:12Moses sends word summoning Dathan and Abiram, but the two of them refuse to come.
  13. Números 16:13The two of them turn the accusation around: they ask whether it was not enough to have been taken out of a fertile land only to die in the wilderness, under Moses’s command.
  14. Números 16:14They further complain that Moses had not fulfilled the promise of a rich land, and they refuse to go to him, a direct provocation.
  15. Números 16:15Angry, Moses asks God not to accept their offering, pointing out that he had never taken advantage of anyone among the people, not even a single donkey.
  16. Números 16:16Moses formally summons Korah and his whole group, along with Aaron, to present themselves before the Lord the next day.
  17. Números 16:17Each man was to bring his own censer with incense: 250 in all, plus Aaron’s and Moses’s.
  18. Números 16:18Each man takes his censer, lights fire and incense, and they all take their places at the entrance of the tent of the congregation together with Moses and Aaron.
  19. Números 16:19Korah then gathers the whole congregation against the two leaders at the entrance of the tent, and at that moment the glory of the Lord appears visibly to everyone.
  20. Números 16:20The Lord speaks to Moses and Aaron, beginning the divine response to this whole confrontation.
  21. Números 16:21God commands the two of them to separate themselves from the congregation, because He intends to destroy everyone instantly.
  22. Números 16:22Moses and Aaron fall face down and intercede, asking whether, because of the sin of a single man, God would be angry with the whole congregation.
  23. Números 16:23The Lord responds to this plea for intercession by speaking to Moses once again.
  24. Números 16:24The instruction changes: instead of destroying everyone, the people were simply to move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
  25. Números 16:25Moses gets up and goes to Dathan and Abiram, accompanied by the elders of Israel.
  26. Números 16:26He warns the people to move away from the tents of those rebellious men and not touch anything of theirs, so as not to be swept up in the punishment.
  27. Números 16:27The people obey and move away; Dathan and Abiram come out and stand at the entrance of their own tents, together with their entire families.
  28. Números 16:28Moses declares that what happens next will prove that he was truly sent by God, and was not acting on his own.
  29. Números 16:29He sets out the test’s criterion: if those men died of natural causes, that would prove Moses had not been sent by the Lord.
  30. Números 16:30Moses proposes a clear sign to prove whom God had truly chosen: if the ground opened up and swallowed Korah and his allies alive, it would be obvious that their rebellion was against God, not just against Moses. That is exactly what happens right after.
  31. Números 16:31As soon as Moses finishes speaking, the ground beneath the rebels literally splits open.
  32. Números 16:32The earth swallows up Korah, Dathan, Abiram, their entire families, and all their possessions, vanishing everything at once.
  33. Números 16:33They go down alive straight into the earth, which closes back over them, disappearing from the midst of the congregation.
  34. Números 16:34All the people around flee in terror at the cries, afraid that the ground would swallow them too.
  35. Números 16:35Besides what happened to Korah and his group, fire sent by the Lord also consumes the 250 men who were offering incense.
  36. Números 16:36The Lord speaks once more to Moses, now about what to do with the censers of the men killed by the fire.
  37. Números 16:37The order is for Eleazar to gather the censers out of the ashes and scatter the fire far away, because those objects, even though used by rebels, had become holy.
  38. Números 16:38The censers of these men were to be hammered into plates to cover the altar, since they had been presented before the Lord and would become a warning sign for the people.
  39. Números 16:39Eleazar gathers the bronze censers of the burned men and turns them into a covering for the altar, exactly as instructed.
  40. Números 16:40This covering was meant to serve as a permanent reminder: only descendants of Aaron could come near to burn incense before the Lord, so that no one would repeat Korah’s fate.
  41. Números 16:41Even after all this, the very next day the people again complain against Moses and Aaron, blaming the two of them for the death of so many people.
  42. Números 16:42While the people gathered against the two leaders, the cloud covers the tent of the congregation and the glory of the Lord appears again.
  43. Números 16:43Moses and Aaron go to the front of the tent of the congregation in the face of this new manifestation.
  44. Números 16:44The Lord speaks to Moses again, beginning a new threat of destruction against the people, who kept on complaining.
  45. Números 16:45God commands the two of them to move away from the congregation so He can destroy it instantly; Moses and Aaron fall face down at this.
  46. Números 16:46After the people keep complaining even after Korah’s death, a plague begins to spread. Aaron runs with lit incense into the middle of the crowd, standing literally between the living and the dead, and the plague stops — a gesture that shows the priest’s role as someone who bridged the gap between the people and God.
  47. Números 16:47Aaron obeys Moses at once and runs into the middle of the people; the plague had already begun, and he offers incense to make atonement.
  48. Números 16:48Aaron positions himself literally between the living and the dead, and at that exact point the plague stops advancing.
  49. Números 16:49The total number of dead from this plague reaches 14,700 people, not counting those who had already died because of Korah’s rebellion.
  50. Números 16:50After the plague ends, Aaron returns to Moses at the entrance of the tent of the congregation, closing out this episode.

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