Bible Strands
Numbers 16:2
a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 men of Israel renowned as leaders of the congregation and representatives in the assembly.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Korah’s faction and 250 respected Israelite leaders confront Moses at the height of their organized rebellion against his authority.
The words — וַיּקֻמוּ (va.ya.ku.mu) denotes the physical and political act of rising up, while חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם (cha.mishim u.ma.tayim) specifies the exact count of the assembled men.
The thread — The rebellion and the named conspirators resurface in Numbers 26:9 as a recorded warning against congregation-led defiance. The pattern of exposed rebellion and divine judgment echoes the narrative structure in Ezekiel 23:10.
Why it lands — The text records the factual assembly of prominent men against Moses before any theological debate begins. It demands recognition that organized opposition often begins with the mobilization of respected insiders rather than open hostility.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
Cross-references
- Numbers 26:9 and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. It was Dathan and Abiram, chosen by the congregation, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron with the followers of Korah who rebelled against the LORD.
- Ezekiel 23:10 They exposed her nakedness, seized her sons and daughters, and put her to the sword. Thus she became a byword among women, and they executed judgment against her.
- Genesis 6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and afterward as well—when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown.
- Numbers 1:16 These men were appointed from the congregation; they were the leaders of the tribes of their fathers, the heads of the clans of Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 5:24 These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were mighty men of valor, famous men, and heads of their families.
- 1 Chronicles 12:30 From Ephraim: 20,800 mighty men of valor, famous among their own clans.
- Ezekiel 16:14 Your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect in the splendor I bestowed on you, declares the Lord GOD.