In brief
Korah, son of Izhar, is a Levite of the family of Kohath. With Dathan, Abiram and two hundred and fifty men of renown, he rises up against Moses and Aaron, claiming that the whole assembly is holy (Numbers 16:1-3). Moses proposes a test of censers. The next day the earth opens and swallows Korah, Dathan, Abiram and their households, while fire consumes the two hundred and fifty men (Numbers 16:31-35). The letter of Jude cites the rebellion of Korah as the example of those who are lost by despising the authority God has established.
What does the name Korah mean?
The name Korah, in Hebrew Qorah, is generally linked to a root meaning bald or ice; the Bible does not explain it. The texts present him as the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi (Numbers 16:1), which makes him a cousin of Moses and Aaron.
The story of Korah
The challenge
Numbers 16:1-3Korah rebels together with Dathan, Abiram and On, son of Reuben, and two hundred and fifty men of renown. They assemble against Moses and Aaron and tell them they have gone too far: the whole assembly is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why do they exalt themselves above the assembly of the Lord? Behind spiritual language lies the refusal of the order God established.
Do you seek the priesthood also?
Numbers 16:4-11Moses falls on his face, then proposes the test of the censers: the Lord will show who is his. He exposes Korah’s real motive: God has already chosen the Levites for the service of the tabernacle, and they seek the priesthood also. Moses concludes that it is against the Lord that Korah and all his company are gathered.
The censers before the Lord
Numbers 16:16-22The next day, Korah and his two hundred and fifty men stand at the entrance of the tent of meeting with their censers, facing Moses and Aaron. Korah gathers the whole assembly against them. The glory of the Lord appears and God announces that he will consume the assembly. Moses and Aaron intercede: one man has sinned, will God be angry with the whole assembly?
The earth opens its mouth
Numbers 16:23-35The people move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Moses announces the sign: if the Lord does something new, it will be known that these men have despised him. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households, all the men who belonged to Korah and all their goods. Fire comes out from the Lord and consumes the two hundred and fifty men offering incense.
A memorial for Israel
Numbers 16:36-40The Lord orders Eleazar to take the censers out of the blaze and to hammer them into plates to cover the altar. They will serve as a memorial for the children of Israel, so that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron comes near to burn incense before the Lord and becomes like Korah and his company. The very next day the people grumble again and a plague breaks out.
The rebellion of Korah in the letter of Jude
Jude 1:11Jude denounces men who have crept into the church and who despise authority. He says woe to them, for they walked in the way of Cain, rushed for profit into the error of Balaam and perished in the rebellion of Korah. In the New Testament Korah thus becomes the type of the one who rebels against the order God has established.
What Korah teaches us
- A very spiritual speech can hide personal ambition; examine what motivates your demands in the church.
- God had already given Korah a precious place of service; learn to receive your place with gratitude instead of coveting someone else’s.
- To gather against the servants God has established is to gather against the Lord himself, says Moses.
- Moses answers the rebellion by falling on his face and interceding; faced with opposition, begin with prayer rather than retaliation.
- Jude’s warning shows that the way of Korah remains a temptation for the church today.
Key verses
Korah and his company accuse Moses and Aaron of exalting themselves above the assembly. The reproach sounds pious, but it denies that God himself chose his servants.
Moses reminds Korah of the privilege he has already received: God brought him near to serve at the tabernacle. Korah’s sin is wanting the priesthood as well.
The earth swallows Korah, Dathan, Abiram and everything that belonged to them. The unheard-of judgment confirms that Moses was not acting on his own but at the command of the Lord.
Jude places the rebellion of Korah beside the way of Cain and the error of Balaam, as a warning for those who despise authority in the church.
Bible verses to meditate on
Sermons about Korah
- Sent by Whom? Four Hidden Origins of a CallingFrom Jude 11 and Numbers 16, the pastor presents Korah as the one sent by himself, the man who gives himself a position God has not entrusted to him. God’s calling is not taken, it is received.
- Serving God Without Using GodThe rebellion of Korah is the man who establishes himself and seeks to overthrow the servants God has placed, like Moses and Aaron. Service to God comes down from heaven; it is not taken.
- Approaching God Through the Way He EstablishedThis study of Numbers 15 to 17 reads the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram and Aaron’s intercession as an answer to the question: how do we approach God? By the way he has established and the mediator he has chosen.
- The Faith the Lord Looks For: The Gospel for AllBeing loved by God does not exempt you from obeying: Korah, Dathan and Abiram challenged Moses and Aaron, and the earth opened. The evangelist warns against a faith that settles in without obedience.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Korah in the Bible?
Korah is a Levite, son of Izhar and grandson of Kohath, and so a cousin of Moses and Aaron. He leads a rebellion against them with Dathan, Abiram and two hundred and fifty leaders of Israel, demanding the priesthood (Numbers 16). The earth opens and swallows him with his accomplices. Jude 1:11 cites the rebellion of Korah as a warning.
Why did Korah rebel against Moses?
Korah claims that the whole assembly is holy and that Moses and Aaron exalt themselves above it (Numbers 16:3). Moses exposes the real motive: God had already given the Levites the service of the tabernacle, but Korah sought the priesthood also (Numbers 16:10). He refused the order God had established and coveted a place that had not been entrusted to him.
Where can I find the story of Korah in the Bible?
The account of the rebellion is in Numbers 16, then Numbers 17 tells how Aaron’s staff budded to confirm his priesthood. Numbers 26:9-11 recalls the event and specifies that the sons of Korah did not die. In the New Testament, Jude 1:11 mentions the rebellion of Korah among the examples not to follow.