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'''Korah''' ([[Hebrew]] '''קֹ֔רַח''', "bald") (d. 2515 AM/1490/89 BC)<ref name=Ussher>James Ussher, ''The Annals of the World'', Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2003, pgh. 250</ref>) was a [[Levi (tribe)|Levite]] and [[Kohath]]ite. Tragically, he aspired to an office above his chosen station, and when he could not have that office, he made a mutiny against his cousin [[Moses]] and died for it. The Divine punishment for this mutiny included the deaths of two leading confederates ([[Dathan]] and [[Abiram]]), 250 ranking followers, and 14,700 adherents. ({{Bible ref|book=Numbers|chap=16}})

'''Korah''' ([[Hebrew]] '''קֹ֔רַח''', "bald") (d. 2515 AM/1490/89 BC<ref name=Ussher>James Ussher, ''The Annals of the World'', Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2003, pgh. 250</ref>) was a [[Levi (tribe)|Levite]] and [[Kohath]]ite. Tragically, he aspired to an office above his chosen station, and when he could not have that office, he made a mutiny against his cousin [[Moses]] and died for it. The Divine punishment for this mutiny included the deaths of two leading confederates ([[Dathan]] and [[Abiram]]), 250 ranking followers, and 14,700 adherents. ({{Bible ref|book=Numbers|chap=16}})

== The Mutiny ==

== The Mutiny ==

=== Korah's motives ===

=== Korah's motives ===

Korah was the son of [[Izhar]] and grandson of [[Kohath]]. He was therefore a member of the clan that had the authority and responsibility for transporting the [[ark of the covenant]] and the other [[Tabernacle]] furnishings. Only the priesthood was more sensitive than this duty. As the deaths of [[Nadab (son of Aaron)|Nadab]] and [[Abihu]] ought to have made clear, the penalty for improper performance of duty as a priest was death. Indeed the penalty for improper transport and handling of the Tabernacle furniture was also death.

Korah was the son of [[Izhar]] and grandson of [[Kohath]]. He was therefore a member of the clan that had the authority and responsibility for transporting the [[ark of the covenant]] and the other [[Tabernacle]] furnishings. Only the priesthood was more sensitive than this duty. As the deaths of [[Nadab (son of Aaron)|Nadab]] and [[Abihu]] ought to have made clear, the penalty for improper performance of duty as a priest was death. Indeed, the penalty for improper transport and handling of the Tabernacle furniture was also death.

But Korah was not satisfied. He wanted to act as a priest. To that end, he advanced what [[political science]] calls a [[populism|populist argument]]. He argued that no person in [[Israel]] was any more holy than any other person, and therefore the reservation of the priesthood to [[Aaron]] and his sons was unfounded and uncalled-for. Korah directed his argument to [[Moses]], in the belief that Moses had made the decision to establish the [[Aaronic priesthood]] to the exclusion of all other bloodlines. But his argument was clearly false, and his motive was self-aggrandizement, not a genuine concern for the welfare of the Israelites.<ref name=Olitzky/><ref name=Nickels/><ref name=ebibleteacher>"[http://www.ebibleteacher.com/children/lessons/OT/Exodus/korah.htm Korah Rebels, Moses Sins]." eBibleTeacher.com, n.d. Accessed December 6, 2008.</ref><ref name=Kabbalah>"[http://www.everburninglight.org/Korah.html Korah]." EverBurningLight.org, 2003. Accessed December 6, 2008.</ref><ref name=Smith>"[http://www.biblestudytools.net/Dictionaries/SmithsBibleDictionary/smt.cgi?number=T2613 Korah]." Smith's Bible Dictionary, n.d. Accessed December 6, 2008.</ref><ref name=chabad>"[http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/246641/jewish/Korahs-Rebellion.htm Korah's Rebellion]." Our Biblical Fathers, Chabad.org., n.d. Accessed December 6, 2008.</ref> Furthermore, this was a power struggle within the leadership, a far more dangerous source of trouble than a rebellion by an ordinary layman.<ref name=Nickels/>

But Korah was not satisfied. He wanted to act as a priest. To that end, he advanced what [[political science]] calls a [[populism|populist argument]]. He argued that no person in [[Israel]] was any more holy than any other person, and therefore the reservation of the priesthood to [[Aaron]] and his sons was unfounded and uncalled-for. Korah directed his argument to [[Moses]], in the belief that Moses had made the decision to establish the [[Aaronic priesthood]] to the exclusion of all other bloodlines. But his argument was clearly false, and his motive was self-aggrandizement, not a genuine concern for the welfare of the Israelites.<ref name=Olitzky/><ref name=Nickels/><ref name=ebibleteacher>"[http://www.ebibleteacher.com/children/lessons/OT/Exodus/korah.htm Korah Rebels, Moses Sins]." eBibleTeacher.com, n.d. Accessed December 6, 2008.</ref><ref name=Kabbalah>"[http://www.everburninglight.org/Korah.html Korah]." EverBurningLight.org, 2003. Accessed December 6, 2008.</ref><ref name=Smith>"[http://www.biblestudytools.net/Dictionaries/SmithsBibleDictionary/smt.cgi?number=T2613 Korah]." Smith's Bible Dictionary, n.d. Accessed December 6, 2008.</ref><ref name=chabad>"[http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/246641/jewish/Korahs-Rebellion.htm Korah's Rebellion]." Our Biblical Fathers, Chabad.org., n.d. Accessed December 6, 2008.</ref> Furthermore, this was a power struggle within the leadership, a far more dangerous source of trouble than a rebellion by an ordinary layman.<ref name=Nickels/>