Numbers 16:2

Rebellion Against Moses and Aaron

1 Now ^aKorah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with ^bDathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men;

2 and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, ^arepresentatives of the congregation, men of renown.

3 ^aThey gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You¹ take too much upon yourselves, for ^ball the congregation is holy, every one of them, ^cand the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”

4 So when Moses heard it, he ^afell on his face;

5 and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is ^aHis and who is ^bholy, and will cause him to ^ccome near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him.

6 Do this: Take censers, Korah and all your company;

7 put fire in them and put incense in them before the Lord tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom the Lord chooses is the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!”

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

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What Does Numbers 16:2 Mean?

Numbers 16:1-3

They are accusing Moses of appointing himself. "You take too much upon yourself. We're just as good as you." Yet, that is not the issue. The issue is respect for God through the office He had appointed the man to.

John W. Ritenbaugh
Unity (Part 2): God's Pattern of Leadership

Numbers 16:2-4

Moses must have had a premonition of what was coming, so he called upon God to make a visible choice between him and these men who were the representatives of the complainers.

We have to see God as the Head of His creation—He rules over and governs everything. What is He looking for on earth? He is looking for people who will submit to that rule—once they recognize where the real power and authority in the creation resides. He is looking for people who will submit to it voluntarily, of their own free will—people who will consciously choose to submit to the rule, the way, of God.

These men were not like this. All they saw was Moses, and that he seemed to have a lot of authority.

John W. Ritenbaugh
Submitting (Part 2)

Numbers 16:1-2

This would be similar to all the leading men of a worldwide church marching up to the person in charge of that church, and demanding that he kowtow to their terms.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Countering Presumptuousness

**Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Numbers 16:2:**

Jude 1:6

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