Kohathites Chapter 7 Unmasking II

Easton’s Bible Dictionary Kohathites

KOHATHITES—the descendants of Kohath. They formed the first of the three divisions of the Levites (Ex. 6:16, 18; Num. 3:17). In the journeyings of the Israelites they had the charge of the most holy portion of the vessels of the tabernacle, including the ark (Num. 4). Their place in the marching and encampment was south of the tabernacle (Num. 3:29, 31). Their numbers at different times are specified (3:28; 4:36; 26:57, 62). Samuel was of this division.

KORAH—ice, hail. (1.) The third so

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Kohath

KOHATH (Kōʹ hăth) Personal name of unknown meaning. The second son of Levi (Gen. 46:11) and father of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel (Exod. 6:18) who became the heads of the Kohathite branch of the Levitical priesthood. Kohath went to Egypt with Levi (his father) and Jacob (his grandfather) (Gen. 46:11), had a sister named Jochebed (Exod. 6:20), and died at the age of 133 (Exod. 6:18)

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Kohathites

KOHATHITES (Kōʹ hăth·īts) Descendants of Kohath, the son of Levi (Exod. 6:16). Since Kohath was the grandfather of Aaron, Moses, and Miriam (Exod. 6:20; Num. 26:59), the Kohathites were considered the most important of the three major Levitical families (that is, Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites). The Kohathites were further divided into four branches according to the four sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel (Exod. 6:18; Num. 3:19; 1 Chron. 6:1–3, 16, 18, 33, 38; 23:6, 12–13, 18–20; 26:23).

The Kohathites were active throughout Israel’s history. The Kohathites, along with the Gershonites and Merarites, were placed around the tabernacle and were charged with caring for and moving it. The Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle and were responsible to care for and move the ark, table, lamp-stand, altars, vessels of the sanctuary, and the screen (Num. 3:29–31). The Kohathites could not touch these objects and could move them only after they had been properly prepared by Aaron and his sons. The result of attempting to move these objects without their first being fit with poles for carrying was death (Num. 4:15, 17–20; 7:9; cp. 1 Sam. 5–6; 2 Sam. 6:6–11).

After the conquest, Kohathites descended from Aaron received 13 cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin (Josh. 21:4, 9–19; 1 Chron. 6:54–60). The remaining Kohathites received 10 cities from the tribes of Dan, Ephraim, and Manasseh (Josh. 21:5, 20–26; 1 Chron. 6:61, 66–70). One of the latter 10 was Shechem, a city of refuge.

David appointed 120 Kohathites under the leadership of Uriel to bring the ark to Jerusalem (1 Chron. 15:5). When Jehoshaphat sought deliverance from the Moabites and Ammonites, the Kohathites led the people in prayer and praise (2 Chron. 20:19). Mahath and Joel of the Kohathites helped in the purification of Israel’s worship during the time of Hezekiah (2 Chron. 29:12). During Josiah’s religious reforms, two Kohathite priests (Zechariah and Meshullam) helped supervise the work (2 Chron. 34:12).

When the Israelites returned from the exile, some of the Kohathites were placed in charge of preparing the showbread every Sabbath (1 Chron. 9:32). See Amram; Cities of Refuge; Gershonites; Kohath; Levites; Levitical Cities; Merarites.

New Living Translation Chapter 16

One day Korah son of Izhar, a descendant of Kohath son of Levi, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben. 2 They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders of the community, all prominent members of the assembly. 3 They united against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the LORD, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the LORD’s people?”

4 When Moses heard what they were saying, he fell face down on the ground. 5 Then he said to Korah and his followers, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will show us who belongs to him* and who is holy. The LORD will allow only those whom he selects to enter his own presence. 6 Korah, you and all your followers must prepare your incense burners. 7 Light fires in them tomorrow, and burn incense before the LORD. Then we will see whom the LORD chooses as his holy one. You Levites are the ones who have gone too far!”

The Six Times that Moses Fell on His Face

1. When God would have destroyed the people at Sinai because of idolatry ( with )

Deuteronomy 9:18 NLT

“Then, as before, I threw myself down before the Lord for forty days and nights. I ate no bread and drank no water because of the great sin you had committed by doing what the Lord hated, provoking him to anger.

Exodus 32 NLT

When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.” So Aaron said, “Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.” All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!” Aaron saw how excited the people were, so he built an altar in front of the calf. Then he announced, “Tomorrow will be a festival to the Lord!” The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry. The Lord told Moses, “Quick! Go down the mountain! Your people whom you brought from the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to live! They have melted down gold and made a calf, and they have bowed down and sacrificed to it. They are saying, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.’ ” Then the Lord said, “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation.” But Moses tried to pacify the Lord his God. “O Lord!” he said. “Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand? Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth’? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people! Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’ ” So the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people. Then Moses turned and went down the mountain. He held in his hands the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. These tablets were God’s work; the words on them were written by God himself. When Joshua heard the boisterous noise of the people shouting below them, he exclaimed to Moses, “It sounds like war in the camp!” But Moses replied, “No, it’s not a shout of victory nor the wailing of defeat. I hear the sound of a celebration.” When they came near the camp, Moses saw the calf and the dancing, and he burned with anger. He threw the stone tablets to the ground, smashing them at the foot of the mountain. He took the calf they had made and burned it. Then he ground it into powder, threw it into the water, and forced the people to drink it. Finally, he turned to Aaron and demanded, “What did these people do to you to make you bring such terrible sin upon them?” “Don’t get so upset, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know how evil these people are. They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.’ So I told them, ‘Whoever has gold jewelry, take it off.’ When they brought it to me, I simply threw it into the fire—and out came this calf!” Moses saw that Aaron had let the people get completely out of control, much to the amusement of their enemies. So he stood at the entrance to the camp and shouted, “All of you who are on the Lord’s side, come here and join me.” And all the Levites gathered around him. Moses told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Each of you, take your swords and go back and forth from one end of the camp to the other. Kill everyone—even your brothers, friends, and neighbors.” The Levites obeyed Moses’ command, and about 3,000 people died that day. Then Moses told the Levites, “Today you have ordained yourselves for the service of the Lord, for you obeyed him even though it meant killing your own sons and brothers. Today you have earned a blessing.” The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a terrible sin, but I will go back up to the Lord on the mountain. Perhaps I will be able to obtain forgiveness for your sin.” So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a terrible sin these people have committed. They have made gods of gold for themselves. But now, if you will only forgive their sin—but if not, erase my name from the record you have written!” But the Lord replied to Moses, “No, I will erase the name of everyone who has sinned against me. Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about. Look! My angel will lead the way before you. And when I come to call the people to account, I will certainly hold them responsible for their sins.” Then the Lord sent a great plague upon the people because they had worshiped the calf Aaron had made.

2. When they rebelled at Kadesh-barnea ( with )

Deuteronomy 9:25 NLT

“That is why I threw myself down before the Lord for forty days and nights—for the Lord said he would destroy you.

Numbers 14:5 NLT

Then Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground before the whole community of Israel.

3. When Korah and his company rebelled and accused Moses and Aaron of wrongdoing ()

Numbers 16:4 NLT

When Moses heard what they were saying, he fell face down on the ground.

4. When God determined to destroy the people because of Korah's rebellion ()

Numbers 16:22 NLT

But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. “O God,” they pleaded, “you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Must you be angry with all the people when only one man sins?”

5. When God determined to destroy the people who rebelled because of His judgments upon the 250 princes ()

Numbers 16:45 NLT

“Get away from all these people so that I can instantly destroy them!” But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground.

6. When Israel rebelled against Moses because of no water ()

Numbers 20:6 NLT

Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to them,

Dake's Annotated Reference Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments of the Authorized or King James Version Text.

Numbers 16:8

Numbers 16:8–22 NLT

Then Moses spoke again to Korah: “Now listen, you Levites! Does it seem insignificant to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the community of Israel to be near him so you can serve in the Lord’s Tabernacle and stand before the people to minister to them? Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well? The Lord is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?” Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they replied, “We refuse to come before you! Isn’t it enough that you brought us out of Egypt, a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us here in this wilderness, and that you now treat us like your subjects? What’s more, you haven’t brought us into another land flowing with milk and honey. You haven’t given us a new homeland with fields and vineyards. Are you trying to fool these men? We will not come.” Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “Do not accept their grain offerings! I have not taken so much as a donkey from them, and I have never hurt a single one of them.” And Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers must come here tomorrow and present yourselves before the Lord. Aaron will also be here. You and each of your 250 followers must prepare an incense burner and put incense on it, so you can all present them before the Lord. Aaron will also bring his incense burner.” So each of these men prepared an incense burner, lit the fire, and placed incense on it. Then they all stood at the entrance of the Tabernacle with Moses and Aaron. Meanwhile, Korah had stirred up the entire community against Moses and Aaron, and they all gathered at the Tabernacle entrance. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to the whole community, and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Get away from all these people so that I may instantly destroy them!” But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. “O God,” they pleaded, “you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Must you be angry with all the people when only one man sins?”

1. Korah wasn’t satisfied with what God had chosen him to do, he wanted what he wasn’t qualified for. (vs 9-10)

2. When God choses a leader and you feel you are called to complain about them, it’s really the Lord your revolting against. (vs 11 The Lord is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?” )

1 Samuel 8:4–7 NLT

Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.” Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.

11 The Lord is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?”

3. Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram and they where so arrogant they refused to come before the Lords Leader… (verse 12)

3. Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram and they where so arrogant they refused to come before the Lords Leader… (verse 12)

3. Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram and they where so arrogant they refused to come before the Lords Leader… (verse 12)

4. Korah stirred up the entire community against Moses and Aaron..

20 and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 21 “Get away from all these people so that I may instantly destroy them!”

22 But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. “O God,” they pleaded, “you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Must you be angry with all the people when only one man sins?”

Numbers 16:23–36 NLT

And the Lord said to Moses, “Then tell all the people to get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.” So Moses got up and rushed over to the tents of Dathan and Abiram, followed by the elders of Israel. “Quick!” he told the people. “Get away from the tents of these wicked men, and don’t touch anything that belongs to them. If you do, you will be destroyed for their sins.” So all the people stood back from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Then Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrances of their tents, together with their wives and children and little ones. And Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things that I have done—for I have not done them on my own. If these men die a natural death, or if nothing unusual happens, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord does something entirely new and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and all their belongings, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have shown contempt for the Lord.” He had hardly finished speaking the words when the ground suddenly split open beneath them. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned. So they went down alive into the grave, along with all their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished from among the people of Israel. All the people around them fled when they heard their screams. “The earth will swallow us, too!” they cried. Then fire blazed forth from the Lord and burned up the 250 men who were offering incense. And the Lord said to Moses,

Numbers 16:23–31 NLT

And the Lord said to Moses, “Then tell all the people to get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.” So Moses got up and rushed over to the tents of Dathan and Abiram, followed by the elders of Israel. “Quick!” he told the people. “Get away from the tents of these wicked men, and don’t touch anything that belongs to them. If you do, you will be destroyed for their sins.” So all the people stood back from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Then Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrances of their tents, together with their wives and children and little ones. And Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things that I have done—for I have not done them on my own. If these men die a natural death, or if nothing unusual happens, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord does something entirely new and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and all their belongings, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have shown contempt for the Lord.” He had hardly finished speaking the words when the ground suddenly split open beneath them.

Numbers 16:23

: 23-

God required Moses to remove the people from tents of Korah, Dathan, And Abiram

New Living Translation Chapter 16

26 “Quick!” he told the people. “Get away from the tents of these wicked men, and don’t touch anything that belongs to them. If you do, you will be destroyed for their sins.

2. The Earth Spoke

32 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned. 33 So they went down alive into the grave, along with all their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished from among the people of Israel.

New Living Translation Chapter 16

35 Then fire blazed forth from the LORD and burned up the 250 men who were offering incense.

3. The Spirit Of Rebellion is Contagious

Numbers 16:41–50 NLT

But the very next morning the whole community of Israel began muttering again against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the Lord’s people!” As the community gathered to protest against Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the Tabernacle and saw that the cloud had covered it, and the glorious presence of the Lord appeared. Moses and Aaron came and stood in front of the Tabernacle, and the Lord said to Moses, “Get away from all these people so that I can instantly destroy them!” But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. And Moses said to Aaron, “Quick, take an incense burner and place burning coals on it from the altar. Lay incense on it, and carry it out among the people to purify them and make them right with the Lord. The Lord’s anger is blazing against them—the plague has already begun.” Aaron did as Moses told him and ran out among the people. The plague had already begun to strike down the people, but Aaron burned the incense and purified the people. He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague stopped. But 14,700 people died in that plague, in addition to those who had died in the affair involving Korah. Then because the plague had stopped, Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

Numbers 16:41-

4. The Lord’s Conflict Resolution

Numbers 17:1–11 NLT

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to bring you twelve wooden staffs, one from each leader of Israel’s ancestral tribes, and inscribe each leader’s name on his staff. Inscribe Aaron’s name on the staff of the tribe of Levi, for there must be one staff for the leader of each ancestral tribe. Place these staffs in the Tabernacle in front of the Ark containing the tablets of the Covenant, where I meet with you. Buds will sprout on the staff belonging to the man I choose. Then I will finally put an end to the people’s murmuring and complaining against you.” So Moses gave the instructions to the people of Israel, and each of the twelve tribal leaders, including Aaron, brought Moses a staff. Moses placed the staffs in the Lord’s presence in the Tabernacle of the Covenant. When he went into the Tabernacle of the Covenant the next day, he found that Aaron’s staff, representing the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, budded, blossomed, and produced ripe almonds! When Moses brought all the staffs out from the Lord’s presence, he showed them to the people. Each man claimed his own staff. And the Lord said to Moses: “Place Aaron’s staff permanently before the Ark of the Covenant to serve as a warning to rebels. This should put an end to their complaints against me and prevent any further deaths.” So Moses did as the Lord commanded him.

:

Rebellious: difficult to control; unmangeable

New Living Translation Jude

11 What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.

New Living Translation Chapter 2

3 Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness* is revealed—the one who brings destruction.

The Concise Dictionary of Christian Theology Rebellion

Rebellion One of the biblical words for sin; it stresses unwillingness to submit to the power and authority of God.

New Topical Textbook Rebellion against God

Rebellion Against God

1. Forbidden. Nu 14:9; Jos 22:19.

2. Provokes God. Nu 16:30; Ne 9:26.

3. Provokes Christ. Ex 23:20, 21; 1 Co 10:9.

4. Vexes the Holy Spirit. Isa 63:10.

5. Exhibited in

a. Unbelief. De 9:23; Ps 106:24, 25.

b. Rejecting his government. 1 Sa 8:7; 15:23.

c. Revolting from him. Isa 1:5; 31:6.

d. Despising his law. Ne 9:26.

e. Despising his counsels. Ps 107:11.

f. Distrusting his power. Eze 17:15.

g. Murmuring against him. Nu 20:3, 10.

h. Refusing to hearken to him. De 9:23; Eze 20:8; Zec 7:11.

i. Departing from him. Isa 59:13.

j. Rebellion against governors appointed by him. Jos 1:18.

k. Departing from his precepts. Da 9:5.

l. Departing from his instituted worship. Ex 32:8, 9; Jos 22:16–19.

m. Sinning against light. Job 24:13; Joh 15:22; Ac 13:41.

n. Walking after our own thoughts. Isa 65:2.

6. Connected with

a. Stubbornness. De 31:27.

b. Injustice and corruption. Isa 1:23.

c. Contempt of God. Ps 107:11.

d. Man is prone to. De 31:27; Ro 7:14–18.

e. The heart is the seat of. Jer 5:23; Mt 15:18, 19; Heb 3:12.

7. They who are guilty of

a. Aggravate their sin by. Job 34:27.

b. Practise hypocrisy to hide. Ho 7:14.

c. Persevere in. De 9:7, 24.

d. Increase in, though chastised. Isa 1:5.

e. Warned not to exalt themselves. Ps 66:7.

f. Denounced. Isa 30:1.

g. Have God as their enemy. Isa 63:10.

h. Have God’s hand against them. 1 Sa 12:15; Ps 106:26, 27.

i. Impoverished for. Ps 68:6.

j. Brought low for. Ps 107:11, 12.

k. Delivered into the hands of enemies on account of. Ne 9:26, 27.

l. Cast out in their sins for. Ps 5:10.

m. Cast out of the church for. Eze 20:38.

n. Restored through Christ alone. Ps 68:18.

8. Heinousness of. 1 Sa 15:23.

9. Guilt of

a. Aggravated by God’s fatherly care. Isa 1:2.

b. Aggravated by God’s unceasing invitations to return to him. Isa 65:2.

c. To be deprecated. Jos 22:29.

d. To be confessed. La 1:18, 20; Da 9:5.

10. God alone can forgive. Da 9:9.

11. God is ready to forgive. Ne 9:17.

12. Religious instruction designed to prevent. Ps 78:5, 8.

13. Promises to those who avoid. De 28:1–13; 1 Sa 12:14.

14. Forgiven upon repentance. Ne 9:26, 27.

15. Ministers

a. Cautioned against. Eze 2:8.

b. Sent to those guilty of. Eze 2:3–7; 3:4–9; Mr 12:4–8.

c. Should warn against. Nu 14:9.

d. Should testify against. Isa 30:8, 9; Eze 17:12; 44:6.

e. Should remind their people of past. De 9:7; 31:27.

16. Punishment for. Le 26:14–39; 1 Sa 12:15; Isa 1:20; Jer 4:16–18; Eze 20:8, 38.

17. Punishment for teaching. Jer 28:16.

18. Ingratitude of-Illustrated. Isa 1:2, 3.

19. Exemplified

a. Pharaoh. Ex 5:1, 2.

b. Korah &c. Nu 16:11.

c. Moses and Aaron. Nu 20:12, 24.

d. Israelites. De 9:23, 24.

e. Saul. 1 Sa 15:9, 23.

f. Jeroboam. 1 Ki 12:28–33.

g. Zedekiah. 2 Ch 36:13.

h. Kingdom of Israel. Ho 7:14; 13:16.