Numbers

Numbers 16:1–7

¹Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath son of Levi, along with some Reubenites — Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth — conducted ²a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 men of Israel renowned as leaders of the congregation and representatives in the assembly. ³They came together against Moses and Aaron and told them, “You have taken too much upon yourselves!^a For everyone in the entire congregation is holy, and the LORD is in their midst. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”

⁴When Moses heard this, he fell facedown. ⁵Then he said to Korah and all his followers, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will reveal who belongs to Him^b and who is holy, and He will bring that person near to Himself. The one He chooses He will bring near to Himself. ⁶You, Korah, and all your followers are to do as follows: Take censers, ⁷and tomorrow you are to place fire and incense in them in the presence of the LORD. Then the man the LORD chooses will be the one who is holy. It is you sons of Levi who have taken too much upon yourselves!”

Footnotes

a 16:3 Figuratively You have gone too far or You have appropriated too much authority to yourselves; similarly in verse 7
b 16:5 LXX God has visited and knows those who are His; cited in 2 Timothy 2:19|2TI 2:19

Read all of Numbers 16

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Numbers 16:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now Korah	קֹ֔רַח	qō·raḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7141 Korach
son	בֶּן־	ben-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1121 son
of Izhar	יִצְהָ֥ר	yiṣ·hār	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3324 Jitshar
the son	בֶּן־	ben-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1121 son
of Kohath	קְהָ֖ת	qə·hāṯ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6955 Kehath
son	בֶּן־	ben-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1121 son
of Levi	לֵוִ֑י	lê·wî	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3881 Levite
along with some Reubenites	רְאוּבֵֽן׃	rə·’ū·ḇên	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7205 Reuben
Dathan	וְדָתָ֨ן	wə·ḏā·ṯān	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1885 Dathan
and Abiram	וַאֲבִירָ֜ם	wa·’ă·ḇî·rām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H48 Abiram
sons	בְּנֵ֧י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
of Eliab	אֱלִיאָ֛ב	’ĕ·lî·’āḇ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H446 Eliab
and On	וְא֥וֹן	wə·’ō·wn	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H203 On
son	בֶּן־	ben-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1121 son
of Peleth	פֶּ֖לֶת	pe·leṯ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6431 Peleth
conducted	וַיִּקַּ֣ח	way·yiq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take

Numbers 16:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
a rebellion	וַיָּקֻ֙מוּ֙	way·yā·qu·mū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
against	לִפְנֵ֣י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
Moses	מֹשֶׁ֔ה	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
along with 250	חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים	ḥă·miš·šîm	Number - common plural	H2572 fifty
men	אַנְשֵׁי־	’an·šê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H582 man, mankind
of Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
renowned	שֵֽׁם׃	šêm	Noun - masculine singular	H8034 name
as leaders	נְשִׂיאֵ֥י	nə·śî·’ê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H5387 one lifted up
of the congregation	עֵדָ֛ה	‘ê·ḏāh	Noun - feminine singular	H5712 congregation
and representatives	קְרִאֵ֥י	qə·ri·’ê	Adjective - masculine plural construct	H7148 called, summoned
in the assembly	מוֹעֵ֖ד	mō·w·‘êḏ	Noun - masculine singular	H4150 appointed time, place, meeting

Numbers 16:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They came together	וַיִּֽקָּהֲל֞וּ	way·yiq·qā·hă·lū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6950 assemble as a קָהָל
against	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
Moses	מֹשֶׁ֣ה	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
and	וְעַֽל־	wə·‘al-	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5921 height
Aaron	אַהֲרֹ֗ן	’a·hă·rōn	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H175 Aaron
and told them	וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
too much	רַב־	raḇ-	Adverb	H7227 much, many, great
upon yourselves	לָכֶם֒	lā·ḵem	Preposition; second person masculine plural
For	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
everyone	כָל־	ḵāl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
in the entire	כֻּלָּ֣ם	kul·lām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3605 the whole, all
congregation	הָֽעֵדָה֙	hā·‘ê·ḏāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5712 congregation
is holy	קְדֹשִׁ֔ים	qə·ḏō·šîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H6918 sacred, holy
and the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
is in their midst	וּבְתוֹכָ֖ם	ū·ḇə·ṯō·w·ḵām	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H8432 midst
Why	וּמַדּ֥וּעַ	ū·mad·dū·a‘	Conjunctive waw; Interrogative	H4069 wherefore?
then do you exalt	תִּֽתְנַשְּׂא֖וּ	tiṯ·naś·śə·’ū	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H5375 lift, take, carry
yourselves above	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the assembly	קְהַ֥ל	qə·hal	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6951 assembly, convocation, congregation
of the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh

Numbers 16:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When Moses	מֹשֶׁ֔ה	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
heard this	וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע	way·yiš·ma‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8085 hear
he fell	וַיִּפֹּ֖ל	way·yip·pōl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5307 fall, lie
facedown	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height

Numbers 16:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then he said	וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר	way·ḏab·bêr	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1696 speak
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Korah	קֹ֜רַח	qō·raḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7141 Korach
and all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
his followers	עֲדָתוֹ֮	‘ă·ḏā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5712 congregation
Tomorrow morning	בֹּ֠קֶר	bō·qer	Noun - masculine singular	H1242 morning
the LORD	יְהוָ֧ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
will reveal	וְיֹדַ֨ע	wə·yō·ḏa‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H3045 know
who belongs	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
to Him	ל֛וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
and	וְאֶת־	wə·’eṯ-	Conjunctive waw; Direct object marker	H853 mark of the accusative
who is holy	הַקָּד֖וֹשׁ	haq·qā·ḏō·wōš	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H6918 sacred, holy
and He will bring that person near	וְהִקְרִ֣יב	wə·hiq·rîḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H7126 come near, approach
to Himself	אֵלָ֑יו	’ê·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H413 motion to
The one	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
He chooses	יִבְחַר־	yiḇ·ḥar-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H977 choose
He will bring near	יַקְרִ֥יב	yaq·rîḇ	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7126 come near, approach
to Himself	אֵלָֽיו׃	’ê·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H413 motion to

Numbers 16:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Korah	קֹ֖רַח	qō·raḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7141 Korach
and all	וְכָל־	wə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
your followers	עֲדָתֽוֹ׃	‘ă·ḏā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5712 congregation
are to do	עֲשׂ֑וּ	‘ă·śū	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H6213 do, make
as follows	זֹ֖את	zōṯ	Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this
Take	קְחוּ־	qə·ḥū-	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H3947 take
censers	מַחְתּ֔וֹת	maḥ·tō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H4289 fire-holder, censer, snuff-dish

Numbers 16:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
and tomorrow	מָחָ֔ר	mā·ḥār	Adverb	H4279 tomorrow, in time to come
you are to place	וּתְנ֣וּ	ū·ṯə·nū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H5414 give, put, set
fire	אֵ֡שׁ	’êš	Noun - common singular	H784 fire
and incense	קְטֹ֜רֶת	qə·ṭō·reṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H7004 smoke, odour of (burning) sacrifice, incense
in them	בָהֵ֣ן׀	ḇā·hên	Preposition-b; Pronoun - third person feminine plural
in the presence	לִפְנֵ֤י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
of the LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
Then the man	הָאִ֛ישׁ	hā·’îš	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
the LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
chooses	יִבְחַ֥ר	yiḇ·ḥar	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H977 choose
will be	וְהָיָ֗ה	wə·hā·yāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
the one	ה֣וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
who is holy	הַקָּד֑וֹשׁ	haq·qā·ḏō·wōš	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H6918 sacred, holy
It is you sons	בְּנֵ֥י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
of Levi	לֵוִֽי׃	lê·wî	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3878 Levi
who have taken too much	רַב־	raḇ-	Adverb	H7227 much, many, great
upon yourselves	לָכֶ֖ם	lā·ḵem	Preposition; second person masculine plural