“Must You Men Also Try to Secure the Priesthood?”

8. (a) Who was Korah? (b) What might have caused Korah to begin viewing the priests from a purely human standpoint?

⁸ Korah was not the head of the paternal house of Levi, nor was he the head of the families of the Kohathites. (Numbers 3:30, 32) Nevertheless, he was a respected chieftain in Israel. Korah’s duties might have brought him into close association with Aaron and his sons. (Numbers 4:18, 19) Seeing firsthand the imperfections of these men, Korah might have reasoned: ‘These priests are decidedly imperfect, yet I am expected to be in subjection to them! Not long ago Aaron made a golden calf. Worshiping that calf caused our people to fall into idolatry. Now Aaron, Moses’ brother, is serving as high priest! What favoritism! And what of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu? Why, they showed such gross disrespect for their privileges of service that Jehovah had to put them to death!’a (Exodus 32:1-5; Leviticus 10:1, 2) Whatever Korah’s reasoning might have been, it is clear that he began to view the priesthood from a human standpoint. That led to his rebellion against Moses and Aaron and, ultimately, against Jehovah.​—1 Samuel 15:23; James 1:14, 15.

9, 10. What accusation did Korah and his fellow rebels make against Moses, and why should they have known better?

⁹ Being a man of influence, it was not difficult for Korah to rally to himself others of like mind. He, along with Dathan and Abiram, found 250 sympathizers​—all chieftains of the assembly. Together they approached Moses and Aaron and said: “The whole assembly are all of them holy and Jehovah is in their midst. Why, then, should you lift yourselves up above the congregation of Jehovah?”​—Numbers 16:1-3.

¹⁰ The rebels should have known better than to challenge Moses’ authority. Not long before, Aaron and Miriam had done just that. Why, they had even used reasoning similar to that of Korah! According to Numbers 12:1, 2, they asked: “Is it just by Moses alone that Jehovah has spoken? Is it not by us also that he has spoken?” Jehovah was listening. He commanded Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to assemble at the entrance of the tent of meeting so that He could indicate his choice of leader. Then, in unambiguous terms Jehovah said: “If there came to be a prophet of yours for Jehovah, it would be in a vision I would make myself known to him. In a dream I would speak to him. Not so my servant Moses! He is being entrusted with all my house.” Following that, Jehovah temporarily struck Miriam with leprosy.​—Numbers 12:4-7, 10.

11. How did Moses deal with the situation involving Korah?

¹¹ Korah and those who sided with him must have been aware of that incident. Their rebellion was inexcusable. Still, Moses tried patiently to reason with them. He urged them to be more appreciative of their privileges, saying: “Is it such a little thing for you men that the God of Israel has separated you men from the assembly of Israel to present you to himself?” No, it was not “a little thing”! The Levites already had so much. What more could they desire? Moses’ further words exposed the reasonings of their heart: “Must you men also try to secure the priesthood?”b (Numbers 12:3; 16:9, 10) How, though, did Jehovah react to this rebellion against godly authority?

Israel’s Judge Intervenes

12. On what did Israel’s continued good relationship with God depend?

¹² When Jehovah gave the Law to Israel, he told the people that if they were obedient, they would become “a holy nation” and that the nation could remain holy as long as they accepted Jehovah’s arrangement. (Exodus 19:5, 6) Now, with an open rebellion afoot, it was time for Israel’s Judge and Statute-giver to intervene! Moses said to Korah: “You and all your assembly, be present before Jehovah, you and they and Aaron, tomorrow. And take each one his fire holder, and you men must put incense upon them and present each one his fire holder before Jehovah, two hundred and fifty fire holders, and you and Aaron each his fire holder.”​—Numbers 16:16, 17.

13. (a) Why was it presumptuous on the part of the rebels to offer incense before Jehovah? (b) How did Jehovah deal with the rebels?

¹³ According to God’s Law, only the priests could offer incense. The very idea of a nonpriestly Levite offering incense before Jehovah should have shaken those rebels to their senses. (Exodus 30:7; Numbers 4:16) Not so Korah and his supporters! The next day he “got all the assembly together against [Moses and Aaron] at the entrance of the tent of meeting.” The record tells us: “Jehovah now spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: ‘Separate yourselves from the midst of this assembly, that I may exterminate them in an instant.’” But Moses and Aaron pleaded for the lives of the people to be spared. Jehovah consented to their pleas. As for Korah and his crowd, “a fire came out from Jehovah and proceeded to consume the two hundred and fifty men offering the incense.”​—Numbers 16:19-22, 35.c

14. Why did Jehovah take firm action against the assembly of Israel?

¹⁴ Strangely enough, the Israelites who saw how Jehovah dealt with the rebels still did not learn their lesson. “The next day the whole assembly of the sons of Israel began to murmur against Moses and Aaron, saying: ‘You men, you have put Jehovah’s people to death.’” The Israelites were taking the side of the conspirators! Finally, Jehovah’s patience came to an end. No one​—not even Moses or Aaron—​could intercede for the people now. Jehovah caused a scourge to afflict the disobedient ones, “and those dead from the scourge amounted to fourteen thousand seven hundred, aside from those dead on account of Korah.”​—Numbers 16:41-49.

15. (a) For what reasons should the Israelites have accepted without hesitation the leadership of Moses and Aaron? (b) What has this account taught you about Jehovah?

¹⁵ It was so unnecessary for all those people to lose their lives. If only they had reasoned matters out. They could have asked themselves such questions as: ‘Who appeared before Pharaoh at the risk of their lives? Who demanded that the Israelites be set free? Who alone was invited to ascend Mount Horeb after Israel’s deliverance to speak face-to-face with God’s angel?’ Surely the remarkable record of Moses and Aaron gave proof of their loyalty to Jehovah and their love for the people. (Exodus 10:28; 19:24; 24:12-15) Jehovah took no pleasure in putting the rebels to death. Still, when it became evident that the people were going to persist in their rebellion, he took decisive action. (Ezekiel 33:11)