Read Num 16:1-28:32 at Bible Gateway.
num 16:1-18:32, messianic significance of korah 2013 jun 08
num 16:1-18:32, korah paragraph divisions and chiastic structures 2012 jun 23
num 17-18, korah’s rebellion in context 2011 mar 09
the teaching tools of scripture
The chiastic structure formed by torah portion korah:
1a) Num 16:1-50 {sx3+p+s+p} Rebellion against the priesthood of Aaron + sons:
1a) Num 16:1-39, Rebellion + judgment of the leaders:
– 1) Num 16:1-19 {s} Rebellion of Korah + 250 leaders;
– 2) Num 16:20-21, YHVH commands Moses + Aaron to separate from the congregation;
– 3) Num 16:22 {s} Moses + Aaron fell on their faces in intercession;
– 4) Num 16:23-35 {s} Moses explains YHVH’s wrath + judgement upon Korah;
– 5) Num 16:36-39, Consecrated censors to be made into a covering for the incense altar;
central axis) Num 16:40 {p} No outsider who is not of Aaron shall come near to offer incense;
2a) Num 16:41-50 {p} Rebellion + judgment of the congregation:
– 1) Num 16:41-43 {p}, Rebellion of all the congregation of Israel;
– 2) Num 16:44-45a, YHVH commands Moses + Aaron to separate from the congregation;
– 3) Num 16:45b, Moses + Aaron fell on their faces (in intercession);
– 4) Num 16:46, Moses explains YHVH’s wrath + plague upon Israel;
– 5) Num 16:47-50 {p} Aaron’s censor made atonement (covering) for Israel.
central axis) Num 17:1-11 {p+p} Aaron’s rod that budded:
1a) Num 17:1, The LORD commanded Moses;
1b) Num 17:2-5, Twelve rods of the heads of father’s houses;
– 1) Num 17:2-4, Twelve rods to be placed before the Testimony;
– 2) Num 17:5a, The rod of him chosen as priest will bud;
– 3) Num 17:5b, YHVH to rid Himself of the complaints of the children of Israel;
1c) Num 17:6, Each man gave his rod;
1d) Num 17:7, Moses placed the rods before the LORD;
central axis) Num 17:8, “Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds;”
2d) Num 17:9a, Moses brought out the rods from before the LORD;
2c) Num 17:9b {p} Each man took his rod;
2b) Num 17:10, One rod of Aaron the head of Levi;
– 1) Num 17:10a, Aaron’s rod placed before the Testimony;
– 2) Num 17:10b, The rod that budded kept as a sign;
– 3) Num 17:10c, That complaints may be put away from YHVH;
2a) Num 17:11 {p} Moses did just as the LORD commanded.
2a) Num 17:12-18:32 {s+p+s+p+p} Aaron + sons to attend to priesthood + sanctuary/ Levites to attend to the work of the tabernacle of meeting:
1a) A Num 17:12-18:7 {s+p} The outsider who comes near shall be put to death:
1a) Num 17:12-13 {s} Whoever comes near must die;
1b) Num 18:1, Aaron + sons to bear iniquity of sanctuary + priesthood;
1c) Num 18:2-4, Levites attend to needs of Aaron and sons + tabernacle;
central axis) Num 18:5, “And you shall attend to the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the altar, that there may be no more wrath of the children of Israel;”
2c) Num 18:6, Levites a gift to Aaron + sons to do the work of the tabernacle;
2b) Num 18:7a, Priesthood a gift to Aaron + sons to attend to priesthood + sanctuary;
2a) Num 18:7b {p} The outsider who comes near shall be put to death.
1b) Num 18:8-20 {s} The holy gifts of the children of Israel belong to Aaron + sons:
1a) Num 18:8-10, I have given the holy gifts of the children of Israel to you as your portion forever;
1b) Num 18:11, The heave offering is yours;
1c) Num 18:12-13, The firstfruits are yours;
central axis) Num 18:14, Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours;
2c) Num 18:14-18, The firstborn shall be yours;
2b) Num 18:19, The heave offerings are yours;
2a) Num 18:20 {s} You shall have no inheritance or portion in Israel, for I am your portion and your inheritance;
1c) Num 18:21-24 {p} The tithes of Israel are Levi’s inheritance:
1a) Num 18:21, The tithes of Israel are Levi’s inheritance;
1b) Num 18:22a, The children of Israel shall not come near (have no portion in) the tabernacle of meeting;
1c) Num 18:22b, Lest they bear sin and die;
central axis) Num 18:23a, But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting;
2c) Num 18:23b, They shall bear their iniquity;
2b) Num 18:23c, Among the children of Israel the Levites shall have no inheritance;
2a) Num 18:24 {p} The tithes of the children of Israel I have given to the Levites as an inheritance.
2c) Num 18:25-32a, The tithe of the Levites are Aaron + sons’ inheritance:
1a) Num 18:25-26, The Levites shall offer up a tenth of the tithe as a heave offering;
1b) Num 18:27, The heave offering shall be reckoned to the Levite as the grain and wine;
1c) Num 18:28a, They shall offer the heave offering to the Lord from the tithes they receive from the children of Israel;
central axis) Num 18:28b, You shall give the Lords’s heave offering from it to Aaron the priest;
2c) Num 18:29, Of everything the Levites shall receive as gifts, they shall offer up every heave offering due to the Lord;
2b) Num 18:30, When they have lifted up the best, it shall be reckoned as the produce of the threshing floor and winepress;
2a) Num 18:31-32a, The Levites shall bear no sin in eating the tithe, when they have lifted up the best of it.
2b) Num 18:32b, But you shall not profane the holy gifts of the children of Israel;
2a) Num 18:32c {p} Lest you die.
For the longest time I could not understand how torah portion korah could form a single chiastic structure. But the two halves of the structure, surrounding the central axis of the Lord’s choosing of Aaron through his rod that budded and put forth blossoms and ripe almonds, pair. The key which unlocked the structure for me, is the repeating phrase, “the work of the tabernacle of meeting.”
Let’s start with the back half of the structure. This phrase repeats again and again in the paragraphs of Num 18:
They shall be joined with you and attend to the needs of the tabernacle of meeting, for all the work of the tabernacle; but an outsider shall not come near you. Num 18:4
Behold, I Myself have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel; they are a gift to you, given by the Lord, to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting. Num 18:6
“Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting. Num 18:21
But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a statute forever, throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. Num 18:23
You may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is your reward for your work in the tabernacle of meeting. Num 18:31
This repetition helped me to see that all the section following Aaron’s rod that budded had something to do with the Levites’ work and service in the tabernacle of meeting.
What about Korah’s rebellion? Moses has this interesting response to Korah’s complaint:
Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to serve them; and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also? Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord. And what is Aaron that you complain against him?” Num 16:8-11
Korah wanted greater honor for himself than he was given, even though he had already been given the honor of the work of the tabernacle. He was seeking the priesthood also. However, not being of Aaron or his sons, when he drew near the tabernacle, not to do the work of the tabernacle but to offer incense, he perished as an outsider who drew near.
The priesthood is a gift given to Aaron and his sons, to attend to its duties, that no more wrath come upon the children of Israel (Num 18:5). This messianic prophecy is revealing that the High Priest of our confession, Messiah Yeshua, attended to His priesthood of offering His own blood inside the Holy of Holies in heaven, that no more wrath come upon us all who receive the service of His priesthood. You see, God does not desire to execute wrath, but mercy, acceptance, and forgiveness.
The priesthood is in fact a gift given to the children of Israel. The priesthood of Aaron and his sons is a shadow of the High Priesthood of Messiah Yeshua, a Holy Gift given to the children of Israel. The lesson of korah is the gospel of grace preached from Torah: Do not profane the Holy Gift given to the children of Israel (who are any who circumcise their hearts toward to the Lord God), lest you die. Instead, receive the Holy Gift poured out to you from the Father’s own heart of love, and live. ♥
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