Numbers 16:15
And Moses was very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed one of them.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Moses’s anger flares not just over personal insult, but because the rebels are presumptuously offering a sacrifice to God, as if their rebellion could somehow be justified by divine approval. He declares his own innocence by stating he hasn't taken even a single donkey, emphasizing he's never profited from them, highlighting the baselessness of their accusations.
Korah, along with Dathan and Abiram, has stirred up a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, accusing them of usurping authority. Dathan and Abiram, from the tribe of Reuben, claim Moses led them out of Egypt only to die in the wilderness and unjustly withheld promised lands. In response to their bitter accusations, Moses, deeply angered, appeals to God to judge the rebels by their offering.
Moses' reaction here is intense. Was it just personal anger, or something more profound? This verse reveals a crucial distinction.
Righteous Indignation
Moses' anger in this verse isn't just about being personally insulted. While the rebels (Dathan and Abiram) accused him of oppression and seeking power (Numbers 16:13), Moses' primary concern is for God's honor.
This shows that true anger in the face of injustice is often rooted in a defense of what is right and holy, rather than just personal wounded pride.
The rebels presented their own 'test' for God. Moses, in his anger, responds with a powerful counter-plea.
Turning the Tables on Rebellion
The rebels, Dathan and Abiram, had essentially challenged Moses, demanding God Himself prove who was right by their offering (Numbers 16:7). Moses' response in verse 15 is a prayer that God would not validate their rebellion.
Understand the original words
minchah · Hebrew Noun
A gift, sacrifice, or tribute presented to God, intended as an act of worship, atonement, or devotion. It is acceptable to God only when offered with a sincere and repentant heart.
Moses' deep anger and his plea to God stem from a blatant rejection of God's established order and leadership. This rebellion wasn't just against Moses and Aaron, but a direct challenge to God Himself, occurring after years of witnessing God's faithfulness in the wilderness.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt through Moses, establishing His covenant with them.
c. 1446-1406 BC
Wilderness Wanderings
The Israelites journey through the Sinai wilderness for 40 years, experiencing divine guidance, provision, and frequent rebellion.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Korah's Rebellion Erupts
Korah, along with Dathan, Abiram, and 250 leaders, challenges Moses and Aaron's authority, questioning God's choice of leadership.
c. 1406 BC
Divine Judgment and Punishment
God vindicates Moses and Aaron through miraculous judgment, swallowing the rebels and consuming the offerers of incense with fire.
This passage echoes Moses' sentiment of anger against those who oppose God's established order, highlighting the danger of being against God rather than with Him.
1 Samuel 12:3Similar to Moses' defense here, Samuel also appeals to his integrity and lack of personal gain as evidence of his faithful service, challenging the people to find fault.
Jude 1:11This verse directly references the rebellion of Korah, framing it as a destructive path taken by those who oppose divinely appointed leadership and bring ruin upon themselves.
Galatians 5:17The 'struggle' between the flesh and the Spirit is evident in this narrative, where the rebellious desires of the flesh lead to open conflict against God's appointed leaders and order.
Romans 1:25This passage describes people who 'exchanged the truth about God for a lie' and 'worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator,' which resonates with the rebellion against God's chosen leaders in Numbers 16.
calvinNumbers 16:1-50: "Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:"
And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?
Congregatique sunt adversum Mosen et…
ellicottNumbers 16:15: "And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them."
(15) I have not taken one ass from them . . . — In answer to the accusation preferred against him in Numbers 16:13 , Moses vindicates himself from the charge of oppression or extortion.
Moses’s anger flares not just over personal insult, but because the rebels are presumptuously offering a sacrifice to God, as if their rebellion could somehow be justified by divine approval. He declares his own innocence by stating he hasn't taken even a single donkey, emphasizing he's never profited from them, highlighting the baselessness of their accusations.
Korah, along with Dathan and Abiram, has stirred up a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, accusing them of usurping authority. Dathan and Abiram, from the tribe of Reuben, claim Moses led them out of Egypt only to die in the wilderness and unjustly withheld promised lands. In response to their bitter accusations, Moses, deeply angered, appeals to God to judge the rebels by their offering.
Korah, along with Dathan and Abiram, has stirred up a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, accusing them of usurping authority. Dathan and Abiram, from the tribe of Reuben, claim Moses led them out of Egypt only to die in the wilderness and unjustly withheld promised lands. In response to their bitter accusations, Moses, deeply angered, appeals to God to judge the rebels by their offering.
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This moment shows a leader who, when challenged and wronged, doesn't just defend himself but appeals to God for a righteous judgment that upholds divine authority.
c. 1406 BC
Plague and Atonement
A plague breaks out among the Israelites who murmured against Moses and Aaron, but Aaron's intercession stops it.
"And Moses was very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed one of them.”" — Moses’s anger flares not just over personal insult, but because the rebels are presumptuously offering a sacrifice to God, as if their rebellion could somehow be justified by divine approval. He decl…
