Numbers 16:8 kjv
And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:
Numbers 16:8 nkjv
Then Moses said to Korah, "Hear now, you sons of Levi:
Numbers 16:8 niv
Moses also said to Korah, "Now listen, you Levites!
Numbers 16:8 esv
And Moses said to Korah, "Hear now, you sons of Levi:
Numbers 16:8 nlt
Then Moses spoke again to Korah: "Now listen, you Levites!
Numbers 16 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 16:3 | "You take too much upon yourselves...all in the congregation are holy" | Korah's false accusation of Moses and Aaron |
| Num 16:9 | "Is it too small a thing for you...He has chosen you to draw near" | Moses reminds Levites of their great privilege |
| Num 16:10 | "And would you seek the priesthood also?" | Moses exposes Korah's true ambition |
| Num 16:31-33 | ...the ground opened its mouth and swallowed them | Divine judgment on Korah and his followers |
| Num 26:9-10 | ...earth swallowed them...they perished | Recounting the judgment for Korah's rebellion |
| Jude 1:11 | "Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain...and perished in the rebellion of Korah." | New Testament warning against Korah's rebellion |
| Heb 5:4 | "And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was." | Priestly authority is by divine calling, not self-appointment |
| Exo 28:1 | "Bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons...that he may minister to Me as priest." | God's specific election of Aaron and his sons |
| Num 3:10 | "...whoever else comes near shall be put to death." | Strict prohibition on unauthorized persons approaching priesthood |
| Num 18:7 | "But you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood...no outsider shall come near you." | Exclusivity of Aaronic priesthood confirmed |
| 1 Sam 8:7 | "They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them." | Rebellion against God's appointed leader is rebellion against God |
| Rom 13:1-2 | "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities...whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed." | Submission to divinely established authority |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." | Warning against pride, characteristic of Korah's ambition |
| Isa 14:12-15 | "How you are fallen from heaven...I will ascend...I will make myself like the Most High" | Analogous fall due to seeking self-exaltation |
| Lev 10:1-2 | Nadab and Abihu...offered unauthorized fire...and fire came out from the Lord and consumed them. | Consequence of unauthorized service before God |
| 2 Chr 26:16-21 | When he was strong, he grew proud...King Uzziah...entered the temple to burn incense...leprosy broke out. | Judgment for usurping priestly duties |
| 1 Cor 12:4-6 | "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit...various kinds of service, but the same Lord." | Different spiritual gifts and roles within the body of Christ |
| Eph 4:11-12 | "He gave the apostles, the prophets...pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry." | God provides specific leadership roles for the church |
| Heb 13:17 | "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account." | Importance of submission to spiritual leadership |
| Deut 17:12 | "The man who acts presumptuously by not obeying the priest...or the judge, that man shall die." | Grave consequences for defying divine authority |
| Num 16:40 | "...to be a reminder to the people of Israel that no outsider...may come near to offer incense before the Lord." | Purpose of judgment was a lasting lesson |
| 1 Pet 5:5 | "Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves with humility." | Call to humility, counter to Korah's pride |
| Exo 19:6 | "you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." | Israel as a "priestly nation," providing context for Korah's misunderstanding |
Numbers 16 verses
Numbers 16 8 Meaning
Numbers 16:8 captures the commencement of Moses' direct and firm response to Korah's rebellion. Addressing Korah first, Moses immediately includes all the "sons of Levi," commanding them to "hear now." This imperative signals a call for urgent and serious attention, implying that the truth he is about to present will expose the error and ingratitude underlying their challenge to God's established order, specifically regarding their divinely appointed roles.
Numbers 16 8 Context
Numbers chapter 16 depicts one of the most significant challenges to God's established leadership in Israel during their wilderness wanderings. Immediately following a series of faithless complaints and rebellions that resulted in the wilderness decree (Num 13-14), Korah, a Levite, along with Dathan, Abiram, and On from the tribe of Reuben, and 250 prominent men from the congregation, rise in open defiance against Moses and Aaron. Their core accusation (Num 16:3) is that Moses and Aaron have overstepped their authority, implying that since all the congregation is holy, they should all have direct access and equal status, thereby removing the need for a specially designated priesthood or leader. Numbers 16:8 is Moses' initial, measured but forceful response to this challenge, addressing Korah directly and then broadening his appeal to the very Levites whom Korah was influencing. It sets the stage for Moses to delineate God's true arrangement of authority and service within Israel, contrasting it with the rebellious ambition driving Korah's faction.
Numbers 16 8 Word analysis
- And Moses said (וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה - vayyō’mer mōšeh): This common narrative opening signals a new, significant declaration by Moses, spoken as God's representative. It conveys his authoritative posture in response to the rebellion.
- to Korah (אֶל-קֹרַח - ʾel-Qōraḥ): Moses directs his words immediately to the principal instigator of the challenge, emphasizing that the confrontation is direct and specific. This initial focus highlights Korah's personal responsibility for stirring up discontent.
- Hear now (שִׁמְעוּ-נָא - šimʿū-nāʾ):
- Šimʿū (שְׁמַע - imperative plural of shama): This command translates to more than just "listen." In a biblical context, "hear" often implies "heed," "pay close attention," and crucially, "obey." Moses demands a serious and thoughtful reception of his words.
- Nāʾ (נָא): This untranslatable Hebrew particle functions to add urgency, entreaty, or emphasis. It transforms the command into a solemn plea for immediate, serious consideration and obedience. It highlights the gravity of the moment.
- you sons of Levi (בְּנֵי לֵוִי - bĕnê lēwî):
- Bĕnê (בְּנֵי): Literally "sons of," designating descendants and members of the tribe.
- Lēwî: Levi, the tribe from which Aaron's priestly lineage and the Levites (consecrated for Tabernacle service) descended. Moses addresses the Levites because Korah himself was a prominent Levite. By speaking to "you sons of Levi," Moses isolates the heart of Korah's unique challenge – leveraging their existing closeness to God to argue for an even higher, unauthorized status. It points out the deep ingratitude of the Levites in coveting the priesthood, when they were already uniquely privileged with Tabernacle service. This also anticipates Moses' forthcoming argument about their already high calling and how Korah’s pursuit of the priesthood is an attempt to usurp God’s divine appointments.
Numbers 16 8 Bonus section
The immediate focus on the "sons of Levi" by Moses underscores a crucial aspect of the rebellion: Korah's error was not simply desiring to serve God, but desiring a specific role (the priesthood) that God had exclusively reserved for the lineage of Aaron. The Levites were already uniquely chosen among all the tribes to "draw near" to the Tabernacle for sacred service (transporting, caring for sacred articles, assisting the priests). Their discontent was born of envy, wanting what was not divinely appointed for them, despite already holding an honorable and sacred position. This incident serves as a foundational Old Testament lesson on the importance of divine order, respect for God-appointed authority, and contentment in the spiritual gifts and roles one is given, rather than coveting another's calling. The dramatic divine judgment that follows this rebellion solidifies these lessons for all generations.
Numbers 16 8 Commentary
Numbers 16:8 marks the decisive turning point in the Korah rebellion. Instead of merely asserting his authority, Moses responds with a strategy rooted in divine revelation, inviting the rebellious Levites to hear a truth that exposes their pride and ingratitude. His direct address to "Korah" and immediate broadening to "you sons of Levi" reveals a recognition of Korah's unique position as a leading Levite orchestrating discontent within his tribe, manipulating their legitimate, though subordinate, access to the Tabernacle. The forceful "Hear now" conveys the immense weight of the divine truths Moses is about to unpack. He aims not just to rebuke, but to reveal God's explicit and unchangeable order for Tabernacle service and priesthood, reminding them of the extraordinary privilege they already possessed. This verse, therefore, sets the foundational argument that divine service is by explicit divine appointment and specific roles, not by human ambition or an egalitarian claim that denies God’s distinctions.