Another incident mentioned in the record of these thirty-eight years in the wilderness was the rebellion which Ko'rah led against Mo'ses and Aa'ron.
Ko'rah was a member of the tribe of Le'vi, a distant relative of Mo'ses and Aa'ron, and a Le-vit'i-cal officer who took part in the services at the Tabernacle. He stirred up a rebellion against Mo'ses as the leader of the people, and against Aa'ron as the High Priest. Ko'rah was joined by Da'than and A-bi'ram, two prominent members of the tribe of Reu'ben, and another man from this tribe, whose name was On, seems to have dropped out after a short time.
The three leaders of the revolt were presently joint by two hundred and fifty princes of other tribes. The rebels declared that Mo'ses and Aa'ron had forced their way into the positions which they held, that they were harsh and overbearing toward the people, and that they were practicing deceit and fraud in the name of the LORD. It was further declared by the plotters that there should be no civil head over Is'ra-el, and that the order of the priesthood should be overthrown.
At heart, however, Ko'rah wished to be a priest, and his rebellion grew out of jealousy and selfish ambitions; though claiming to represent the people, he had no real interest in their welfare. His crime was all the more grievous because of the position which he held. As a Le'vite, he was set apart from the general congregation of Is'ra-el; his office was one of honor and responsibility. He performed certain holy duties in the Tabernacle services, stood before the congregation to minister unto them, and was given a place of distinction by the LORD. For all these reasons his rebellion was inexcusable.
When the news of Ko'rah's rebellion was brought to Mo'ses he went at once to God in prayer, seeking to compose his own spirit, and to secure Divine help in meeting this trying hour. Then he made a bold, but fair, proposal for settling the demands made by Ko'rah and his followers. He directed that Ko'rah and all his company take censers in hand and march before the Tabernacle on the following day. The censers were to be filled with the coals of fire and incense which under the laws of Is'ra-el could be carried only by the priests. If Ko'rah and his companions were justified in their demands, then their services would be accepted by the LORD; if they were in the wrong, then a proper punishment would be inflicted by God.
On the next day Ko'rah and his company gathered before the Tabernacle for the test appointed by Mo'ses, But Da'than and A-bi'ram were not present. They had left the day before, while Mo'ses was speaking to Ko'rah. In so doing, they defied the authority of Mo'ses as the Divinely appointed leader of Is'ra-el, and reviled him in a most insulting manner. Then Mo'ses was moved by righteous indignation, and prayed that the LORD would justify him by bringing a just penalty upon the evil-doers. Suddenly the ground gave way under the plotters as they stood in the door of their tent, and they were instantly buried alive.
Then Mo'ses prayed for the judgment of God concerning Ko'rah and the two hundred and fifty princes who followed him. As they marched before the Tabernacle with burning incense in the sacred vessels, a miraculous fire from the LORD suddenly consumed them all. In order that Aa'ron might be found innocent before the people, Mo'ses had ordered him to march with Ko'rah and his company. But the consuming fire which destroyed the rebels did not harm the anointed High Priest of God.
By this stern judgment upon the rebels, the LORD made clear the upright character of Mo'ses and Aa'ron. He then directed Mo'ses to have the priest E-le-a'zar take the censers from the burning hands of the men who had been consumed, and to beat them into broad plates for a covering of the altar. This was a perpetual sign to Is'ra-el that no one outside the family of Aa'ron should ever assume the office of the priesthood.
