Numbers 16:5

And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company.—The words seem to have been addressed only to Korah and his company, not to Dathan and Abiram, who do not appear to have been present on this occasion. (See Numbers 16:12, where Moses is represented as sending for Dathan and Abiram.)

Even to-morrow.—Literally, In the morning. It may be that On and also the sons of Korah profited by this suspension of the judgment which was about to overtake those who persisted in their rebellion.

Benson Commentary

Numbers 16:5. To-morrow — Hebrew, In the morning; the time appointed by men for administering justice, and chosen by God for that work. Some time is allowed, partly that Korah and his company might prepare themselves and their censers; and partly to give them space for consideration and repentance. He will cause him — He will, by some evident token, declare his approbation of him and his ministry.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

16:1-11 Pride and ambition occasion a great deal of mischief both in churches and states. The rebels quarrel with the settlement of the priesthood upon Aaron and his family. Small reason they had to boast of the people's purity, or of God's favour, as the people had been so often and so lately polluted with sin, and were now under the marks of God's displeasure. They unjustly charge Moses and Aaron with taking honour to themselves; whereas they were called of God to it. See here, 1. What spirit levellers are of; those who resist the powers God has set over them. 2. What usage they have been serviceable. Moses sought instruction from God. The heart of the wise studies to answer, and asks counsel of God. Moses shows their privileges as Levites, and convicts them of the sin of undervaluing these privileges. It will help to keep us from envying those above us, duly to consider how many there are below us.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

All the congregation are holy - Compare the marginal reference. Korah's object was not to abolish the distinction between the Levites and the people, but to win priestly dignity for himself and his kinsmen Numbers 16:10. This ultimate design is masked for the present in order to win support from the Reubenites by putting forward claims to spiritual equality on behalf of every Israelite.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5-11. he spake unto Korah and unto all his company—They were first addressed, not only because they were a party headed by his own cousin and Moses might hope to have more influence in that quarter, but because they were stationed near the tabernacle; and especially because an expostulation was the more weighty coming from him who was a Levite himself, and who was excluded along with his family from the priesthood. But to bring the matter to an issue, he proposed a test which would afford a decisive evidence of the divine appointment.

Even to-morrow—literally, "in the morning," the usual time of meeting in the East for the settlement of public affairs.

the Lord will show who are his, … even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him—that is, will bear attestation to his ministry by some visible or miraculous token of His approval.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

To-morrow, Heb. in the morning, the time appointed by men for administering justice, Psalm 101:8 Jeremiah 21:12; and chosen by God for that work, Psalm 73:14 Isaiah 47:11 Zephaniah 3:5. Some time is allowed, partly that Korah and his company might prepare themselves and their censers; and partly to give them space for consideration and repentance.

And will cause him, or, and whom he will cause. To come near unto him, i.e. he will by some evident and miraculous token declare his approbation of him and his ministry.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he spake unto Korah, and unto all his company,.... The two hundred fifty princes that were with him; what follows was said to them apart from Dathan and Abiram, who seem not to be present at this time; and this was after Moses had finished his prayer to God, and had received instructions from him, by an impulse on his mind, what he should say unto them, and was now risen up from the earth he fell upon:

saying, even tomorrow the Lord will show who are his; his priests, whom he had chosen, and put into that office; this he would make known so clearly and plainly, that there would be no room left to doubt of it, and which was revealed to Moses while upon his face in prayer to God:

and who is holy; or whom he has separated to such an holy office and service:

and will cause him to come near unto him; and do his work as a priest, without fear of danger, and without any hurt, which is suggested would befall others; and they may expect it, who intrude themselves into such an office, and engage their hearts in a bold audacious manner, to draw nigh to God in it:

even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him: meaning Aaron with his sons, whom the Lord would make to appear that he had chosen, and put into the office of priesthood, and that it was not what Moses did of himself.

Geneva Study Bible

And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath {c} chosen will he cause to come near unto him.

(c) To be the priest and to offer.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. the Lord will shew who are his] LXX. ἔγνω ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς ὄντας αὐτοῦ (‘God knoweth those who are his’) is quoted in 2 Timothy 2:19, with the substitution of Κύριος for Θεός.

and will cause him &c.] R.V. marg. is less probable.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 5. - He spake unto Korah. That Korah was the mainspring of the conspiracy is evident (cf. verse 22; Numbers 27:3; Jude 1:11 b). It may well be that his position as a prominent Levite and a relation of Moses gave him great influence with men of other tribes, and earned him a great name for disinterestedness and liberality in advocating the rights of all Israel, and in denouncing the exclusive claims and privileges by which he himself (as a Levite) was benefited. It is often assumed that Korah was secretly aiming at the high-priesthood, but of this, again, there is not a shadow of proof; his error was great enough, and his punishment sore enough, without casting upon him these unfounded accusations. It would be more in accordance with human nature if we supposed that Korah was in his way sincere; that he had really convinced himself, by dint of trying to convince others, that Moses and Aaron were usurpers; that he began his agitation without thought of advantage of himself; that, having gained a considerable following and much popular applause, the pride of leadership and the excitement of conflict led him on to the last extremity. The Lord will show who are his. אֶת־אַשֶׁר־לוּ, the meaning of which is defined by the following words, "whom he hath chosen." Moses refers the matter to the direct decision of the Lord; as that decision had originated the separate position of Aaron, that should also vindicate it. Numbers 16:5

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

When Moses heard these words of the rebels, he fell upon his face, to complain of the matter to the Lord, as in Numbers 14:5. He then said to Korah and his company, "To-morrow Jehovah will show who is His and holy, and will let him come near to Him, and he whom He chooseth will draw near to Him." The meaning of לו אשׁר is evident from בּו יבחר אשׁר. He is Jehovah's, whom He chooses, so that He belongs to Him with his whole life. The reference is to the priestly rank, to which God had chosen Aaron and his sons out of the whole nation, and sanctified them by a special consecration (Exodus 28:1; Exodus 29:1; Leviticus 8:12, Leviticus 8:30), and by which they became the persons "standing near to Him" (Leviticus 10:3), and were qualified to appear before Him in the sanctuary, and present to Him the sacrifices of the nation.