He has brought you near, you and all your fellow Levites, but you are seeking the priesthood as well.
Parallel translations
- WEB and that he has brought you near, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? Do you seek the priesthood also?
- KJV And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?
- NKJV and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also?
- NASB and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? But are you seeking the priesthood as well?
- NLT Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God had brought the Levites near, yet now they sought the priesthood as well. Their rebellion was rooted in covetous discontent.
Overview
Moses exposes the heart of the rebellion: not satisfied with their privileged nearness to God, they craved the priestly office too. This grasping for what God had not given reveals the sin of envy and pride. It stands in contrast to Christ, who did not grasp at status but humbled himself in obedience to the Father (Philippians 2:5-8).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Matt 20:21–22“What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.”
- Num 3:10So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”
- Phil 2:3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
- Num 18:7But only you and your sons shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and what is inside the veil, and you are to perform that service. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but any outsider who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.”
- Prov 13:10Arrogance leads only to strife, but wisdom is with the well-advised.
- Rom 12:10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.
- 3 Jn 1:9I have written to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction.
- Luke 22:24A dispute also arose among the disciples as to which of them would be considered the greatest.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 16:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.