# (i: e ) Either, Korah and the 250 Princes, which may ſeem probable by comparing this with werſe 12, 25, 27. where we find Dathan and Abiram in another place, even in their rents, whither it 's I:kely they were gone by content to form and ſtrengthen their parry there, while Korah and the reſt went ro Moſes, Or, Korah Dathan and Abiram, ard the reſt, who were all together when Moſes ſpake thoſe words, verſe 5, 6, 7. but after that, Dathar' and Abiren r=tired to their Tents, and then Moſes ſent for Korah and the Lewites who had moreſpecial and more colourable pretences to the Prieſthood nd treats with them apart, and ſpeaks what is mentioned, werſe 8. 9, 10, 11. and then having diſpatched them, he ſends for Dathan and Abiram, verſe 12. that he might reaſon the caſe with them alſo apart & Againſt Aaron, to whom the Prieſthood was confined, and againſt Moſes, both becauſe this was done by his order, and becauſe before Aarons conſecration Moſes appropriated it to himſelf. For whatever cacy intended, they ſeem not now direly to ftrike at Moſes for his ſupreme civ1i] government, but only for his intereſt and influence in che diſpeſal of the Prieſthood, as may appear by the whole conrexr, and particularly by werſe 5,10, 15, &c. | By perpetuating the Prieſt- hood in your ſelves and family, with the excluſion of allothers from it- 92 4 kingdom of Priefts, an holy Nation, as they are called, Exod: 19: 6: a people ſeparated to the ſervice of God, and therefore no leſs fir to preſent themſelves before God, and to offer ſacrifice and incenſe for themſelves, than you are. » By his Tabernacle and cloud, the rokens of his ſpectal and gracious Preſence, and therefore ready to receive all their ſacrifices and ſervices from their own hands. o Thou Meſes, by preſcribing what Laws thou pleaſeſt about the Prieſthcod, and confining it to thy brother; and thou Aaron by uſurping it as thy peculiar priviiedge. 8
4 And when Moſes heard it, he fell upon his face p.
p Humbly begging thar God would dire& him and defend and vindicate him from this falſe and odious impuration. See Numb: 14: 5. Accordingly God anſwers his Prayers, and inſpires him with this follewing antwer to Korah, ard ſtrengthens him with new courage, and confidence of good ſucceſs,
5 And he ſpake unto Korah, and unto all his com- pany, ſaying, Even to morrow q the LORD will ſhew 2 B 2 Who
Chap.
+ Heb:
bore out.
* Gen:
4:4,5; * Atts
207 33;
"
at your peril. fore the LORD to morrow : and it ſhall be that the
ye take too much upon you, ye ſons of Levi.
XVI.
who are his; and who 3s holy, and will cauſe him r to | £ome near unto him 5: even him whom he hath choſen, will he cauſe to come near unto him z,
q Heb. in th! morning, the time appointed by men for admini-
ſtring juſtice,. Pſal: 108: 8: Fer: 21: 12: and choſen by God for that work, Pſal: 73: 34: Iſa: 47: 11; Zeph: 3:5. partly that Koyah 7 their cenſers.; and partly to give them ſpace repentance. » Or, and whom he will cauſe. ſome evident and miraculous token declare his and his miniſtery.
Some time is allowed, and his company might prepare themſelves and for conſideration and s (5. e.) He will by approbation of him
6 This do ; take ye cenſers « Korah, and all his
company :
u Since ye will be Prieſts, rake your cenſers, and a& as Prieſts,
7 And put fre therein, and put incenſe in them be-
man whom the LORD doth chooſe x, he ſhall be holy ;
x (7. e. ) Declare his choice and appointment of them for that
k. 8 And Moſes ſaid unto Korah, Hear, I pray you,
ye ſons of Levi. y Conſider what great Wickednels. | 9 Seemeth it but a ſmall thing unto you, that the God of Ifracl hath ſeparated you from the congregation of Iſrael, to bring you near to himſelf z, to do the ſervice. of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to ftand before
the congregation, to miniſter unto them 4, z Nearer than the other Tribes, though not ſo near as the Prieſts. a ( i.e.) In their ſtead and for their good. So they wete the ſervants both of God and of the Church, which was an high dignity,though not ſufficient for their ambitious minds. ro And he kath brought thee near zo him, and all thy brethren the ſons of Levi with thee : and ſeek ye the
prieſthood alſo b 2 .
b There being at this time but very few Prieſts, and the profits and priviledges belonging to them being many and great, they thought it but fir and reaſonable that they, or ſome of the chief of them, ſhould be admitted to a ſhare in their Work and Advan- tages. ;
11 For which cauſe $o:h thou and.all thy company
* are gathered together againſt the LORD «c : and what is Aaron that ye murmur againſt him 2?
c Whoſe Miniſter and choſen Servant Aaronis. You ſtrike at God ghrough Aaron's ſides, Compare 1 Sam: 8: 7; Luke 10. 16: John 13: 20,
12 And Moſes ſent to call Dathan and Abiram 4 the ſons of Eliab : which ſaid e, We will not come up f.
a4 To treat with them, and give them as he had done Korah and his company, a timely admonition. e Unto the meſſengers ſent to them by Moſes. f To Moſes his Tabernacle, whither the people uſed to go up for judgment, Men are faid in Scripture-phraſes to go up ro places of judgment. See Deut: 25: 7: Ruth 4:1: Exra 10; 7, 8+ Bur becauſe they would not now go »p, therefore they went down quick into the Pit, Verſe 3 3.
12 1s jt a ſmall thing that thou haft brought usup out of a'land that floweth with milk and honey g, to kill us in the wilderneſs, exceps thou make thy ſelf altoge- ther a prince over us ?
Z ( i: e: ) Out of Egypt, a place indeed of great plenty, but to them a place of torment and intolerable ſlavery. They invidiouſly and ſcctfingly uſe the ſame words wherewith God by Moſes com- mended the land of Canaan.
14 Moreover, thou haſt not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheri- tance of fields and vineyards, wilt thou + pur out the eyes of theſe men &? we will not come vp z.
h (i.e. ) Ofthoſe who are confederate with us, and of all the
ople who are of our mind : Wilt thou make them blind, or per- Fade them that they are blind, and that they do nor ſee whar is viſible to all that have eyes, to wit, that thou haſt deceived them, and broken thy faith and promiſe given to them? or wilt thou lead them about like blind men whither thou pleaſeſt, one rime towards Canaan, another time towards Egypt again? # We will not obey thy Summons, nor own thy Authority.