Numbers 16:19

Num 16:19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.

Ver. 19. All the congregation.] Not his own company only: for the whole multitude was too ready to favour his attempt, as he persuaded them God also would, his design being to introduce an equal popularity.

And the glory of the Lord.] Shining in the cloud over the sanctuary as at other times in like cases. {Num 16:42 Num 14:10 Exo 40:34}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Num 16:19. Korah gathered all the congregation — That they might be witnesses of the event, and, upon their success, which they doubted not of, might fall upon Moses and Aaron. And it seems by this that the people were generally incensed against Moses, and inclined to Korah’s side. The glory of the Lord appeared — In the cloud, which then shone with greater brightness and majesty, as a token of God’s approach and presence.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16:19 The community . . . gathered at the Tabernacle entrance, either to see the test or to overthrow Moses and Aaron.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

All that were of their faction.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(19) All the congregation.—It is evident from these words that there was a general disposition on the part of the people to favour the insurrection of Korah against Moses and Aaron.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19. Korah assembled all the congregation] He was upholding the claims of the whole of Israel against the Levites, so he brought them to witness the test.

against them] This perhaps implies that all Israel as a whole favoured Korah; and this would explain God’s words in Num_16:21.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Korah gathered all the congregation against them,.... Not his own company only, but as many of the whole congregation of Israel as he could get together, and especially the principal men; so that it seems there was a, general prevailing inclination in the people to take part with him against Moses and Aaron, who wished him success in his undertaking, and readily came together to animate and encourage him in it, and to see the issue of it. Jarchi suggests, that all night he was going to the several tribes, persuading them that it was not for his own private interest, but for the public good, that he acted against two men, who had taken to themselves, the one the kingdom, and the other the priesthood, and by this means got a great multitude together:

unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; that is, before it, where Korah and his company stood, whose part they took, and had like to have suffered severely for it, had it not been for the interposition of Moses and Aaron:

and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation; the Shechinah, or divine Majesty, which dwelt between the cherubim in the most holy place, removed and came to the door of the tabernacle, where the people were assembled, in the sight of them, showing some visible token of his presence, though no similitude of himself was seen; or, however, he appeared in the cloud that was over the tabernacle, in which was seen a glory, a brightness and splendour, or such coruscations and flashes of lightning as were very unusual and amazing, and plainly showed the Lord was there; so Jarchi says, that he came in the pillar of cloud.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Korah gathered the congregation, that they might be witnesses of the event, and, upon their success, which they doubted not of, might fall upon Moses and Aaron with popular rage, and destroy them. And it seems by this that the people were generally incensed against Moses, and inclined to Korah’s side.

The glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud, which then shone with greater brightness and majesty, as a token of God’s approach and presence. See Exo 16:7,10; Le 9:6,23; Num 20:6.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. Korah gathered all the congregation — This is one of Colenso’s difficulties, the massing of more than a million of people before the narrow front of the tabernacle. See Num_1:18; Num_14:2; Num_14:7, notes. The insurrection evidently had a wide popular sympathy. It had infected the majority of Israel. The Seventy translate thus: “And Korah gathered all his congregation,” that is, his partisans.

The glory of the Lord — A supernatural resplendence flashed forth from the pillar of cloud premonitory of a stroke of judgment. See Num_14:10; Num_20:6, notes.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Korah gathered all the congregation against them. It does not follow that the whole congregation was actively or deliberately on Korah"s side. But a movement ostensibly in behalf of the many as against the few is sure to enlist a general, if not a deep, sympathy; nor is it to be supposed that Moses and Aaron could escape a large amount of unpopularity under the grievous circumstances of the time. The thoughtless multitude would have hailed their downfall with real though short-lived satisfaction. The glory of the Lord appeared. As before, (Num_14:10) filling the tabernacle probably, and flashing out before the eyes of all

Vers. 19-22, 41-50. Korah"s rebellion.

How the congregation abetted the rebels, and were only saved through the intercession of Moses and Aaron. Bold and crafty as Korah was, he could not have done so much mischief if elements of mischief had not been everywhere rife in the comp. Many things conspire to show that his policy was to inflame and turn to bad account discontents previously existing among the people. The existence of these discontents is not inexplicable. A crowd of bondmen are not to be transferred into a nation of reasonable free men all at once. Moreover, the circumstances of the congregation at Kadesh Barnea were not fitted to make the task of Moses an easy one. After having reached the threshold of Canaan, the people had been turned back and condemned to pass the rest of their days in the wilderness. To be sure they had no one but themselves to blame; but this did not mend the matter. The consciousness that the ditch into which a man has fallen is a ditch of his own digging does not always move a man to take his fall meekly. Penitent hearts may be silent under God"s chastisement; but impenitent hearts blaspheme him the more for what they suffer. We need not marvel, therefore, that there were many in the congregation, besides his active coadjutors, who were ready to lend their countenance to Korah in his rebellion.

I THE SYMPATHY OF THE PEOPLE WITH KORAH showed itself in various ways.

1. They did not rise and vindicate the government of Moses, as they ought to have done.

2. In the crisis of the rebellion they gathered together in front of the tabernacle to encourage Korah and his two hundred and fifty with their countenance. Probably enough they did this with light hearts. Individuals moving with a crowd are apt to lose the sense of personal responsibility. But we shall have to answer to God for what we do, none the less because many others are doing it along with us. In the case in hand the general countenance given to the rebels was so deeply resented by God that it had almost proved fatal to the whole nation. To swell with our voice the shouts of a popular assembly may seem a trifle; but if the shouts are directed against the maintainers of truth and righteousness, we cannot take part without sin and danger.

3. When the rebels died for their sin, the people charged Moses and Aaron with their blood (verse 41). A fresh example of perversity which again had almost proved fatal to the whole nation.

II It is a relief to turn from the perverse ungodliness of the people to THE MEEKNESS AND UNSELFISH ZEAL OF MOSES AND AARON. When the Reubenite rebels and the 250 conspirators perished, Moses did not utter a word in deprecation of their terrible doom. A signal example had become necessary. But when the whole people was threatened, he fell on his face and pleaded for it. This he did twice, he and Aaron.

1. When the people abetted Korah and his company before the tabernacle (verse 22). Twice before Moses had been tempted to desert his office of intercessor, and to separate his fortunes from those of his brethren. (cf. Exo_32:10-13 Num_14:12) On this third occasion, as on the two former, he refuses to do so. On the contrary, he intercedes with the energy of a man pleading for his own life. When sin abounds and judgments threaten, may the Lord always raise up among us intercessors like Moses and Aaron!

2. When the people charged him with the death of the rebels (verse 41).This time his intercession took a new form. While the people were murmuring the plague was breaking out in the comp. How shall it be stayed? Let Aaron show himself a true priest by making atonement for the people. There is no time for presenting a sin offering. Let him instead fill his censer with coals from the altar of sacrifice, and run in between the living and the dead, burning incense. It was a palpable token and demonstration of the Divine authority of the priesthood which the rebels had affected to condemn, that whereas the two hundred and fifty had by their incense-burning brought on themselves death, Aaron by his incense-burning warded off death, and that not only from himself but from the whole congregation.

General lessons:

1. The greatest storm of trial will not overthrow the man who makes God his strength. Moses begins, carries on, finishes his conflict against Korah with prayer (verses 4, 22, 45). Hence his unfailing meekness.

2. General demonstrations of sympathy with men who are the champions of error and unrighteousness bring guilt on the community, are displeasing to God, and may be expected to bring down his chastisements.

3. Moses, in his meek endurance of obloquy and his successful intercession for those who assailed him with it, is the figure of our blessed Lord. He endured the contradiction of sinners against himself. He prayed, "Father, forgive them." And thousands of them were forgiven. Christ"s priesthood which men despise, how often is it glorified in their salvation!

4. The best answer that a Church or a ministry can give to men by whom their legitimacy is challenged or derided, is to bestir themselves like Aaron, standing between the dead and the living, and turning back the tide of destruction. B.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Against them - That they might be witnesses of the event, and, upon their success, which they doubted not of, might fall upon Moses and Aaron. And it seems by this that the people were generally incensed against Moses, and inclined to Korah's side. The glory appeared -In the cloud, which then shone with greater brightness and majesty, as a token of God's approach and presence.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

ויקהל עליהם קרח AND KORAH CONVENED [ALL THE CONGREGATION] AGAINST THEM, by means of scoffing language: that whole night he went round to all the tribes and tried to win them over: “Do you really think that I care for myself alone? It is only for all of you that I have a care! These men come and occupy every high office: royal rank for himself, for his brother the priesthood!” — until in the end all of them submitted to his persuasion (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 7).

וירא כבוד ה׳ AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD APPEARED [UNTO ALL THE CONGREGATION] — He came in a pillar of cloud.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

AND KORACH ASSEMBLED ALL THE CONGREGATION AGAINST THEM. The meaning of [the phrase “all the congregation” is] the leading men of all tribes, who are always summoned [as the congregation’s representatives] unto the door of the Tent of Meeting, or [it may refer to] the firstborn of all Israel who were [originally] eligible for the service [of the offerings]. Scripture does not mention [that Korach assembled] “the people,” [a phrase which it uses in the incidents of the [golden] calf and the spies,? for if all Israel were guilty [here in the rebellion of Korach] He would have said: “that I may consume them in a moment — and will make thee a nation.” used here, it implies that He did not want to direct His punishment to the whole congregation. Now all that I have mentioned [above] about the firstborn is in accordance with the explanation of our Rabbis, who say that the service [of the offerings before the building of the Tabernacle] was performed by the firstborn. But according to the plain meaning of Scripture, all the Israelites [without exception] were at first eligible for the service of the offerings, for such is [indeed] always the law with respect to a High Place of an individual, and Aaron was chosen for the Service in the Tabernacle and Sanctuary. Korach thus was protesting against this selection [of Aaron alone], and wanted to restore the service [of the offerings] to all the Israelites, seeing all the congregation are holy.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.