Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding 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?
- BSB He has brought you near, you and all your fellow Levites, but you are seeking the priesthood as well.
- 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?
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 20:21–22He said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Command that these, my two sons, may sit, one on your right hand, and one on your left hand, in your Kingdom.”
- Num 3:10You shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.”
- Phil 2:3doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;
- Num 18:7You and your sons with you shall keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for that within the veil. You shall serve. I give you the service of the priesthood as a gift. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.”
- Prov 13:10Pride only breeds quarrels, but with ones who take advice is wisdom.
- Rom 12:10In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate to one another; in honor preferring one another;
- 3 Jn 1:9I wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, doesn’t accept what we say.
- Luke 22:24There arose also a contention among them, which of them was considered to be 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.