Hebrew word · H7141

קֹ֫רַח

korach

Korah

This is a family line traced back three generations. In Hebrew narrative, a line this full marks a person's legal and religious standing: which tribe, which clan, and how close to the center.

Appears 37 times in 37 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.6.21;

son of: Izhar (H3324);

brother of: Nepheg (H5298), Zichri (H2147) and Shelomith (H8019A);

father of: Assir (H0617), Elkanah (H0511) and Ebiasaph (H0043)

§ Korah = "bald"

1) son of Izhar, grandson of Kohath, great grandson of Levi and leader of the rebellion of the Israelites against Moses and Aaron while in the wilderness; punished and died by an earthquake and flames of fire

2) the 3rd son of Esau by Aholibamah and one of the dukes of Edom

3) son of Eliphaz by Adah, duke of Edom, and nephew of 1

4) one of the 'sons' of Hebron

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Numbers 16:1

Range of meaning

This is a family line traced back three generations. In Hebrew narrative, a line this full marks a person's legal and religious standing: which tribe, which clan, and how close to the center.

Against the English

English versions all render the line accurately. What a modern reader misses is how pointed it is. Exodus 6:18–21 makes Izhar the brother of Amram, Moses' and Aaron's father, so Korah is their first cousin.

Used elsewhere in the period

Exodus 6:16–24 and 1 Chronicles 6:22–38 give the Kohathite family lines. Numbers 3:27–31 and 4:1–20 assign the Kohathites to carry the ark, table, lampstand and altars, but only after the priests have covered them, and the Kohathites may not look at them on pain of death. Numbers 26:11 notes that "the sons of Korah did not die," and the Korahites later appear as temple singers and gatekeepers (headings of Psalms 42, 44–49, 84–85, 87–88; 1 Chronicles 9:19).

Where it appears

Genesis · 4

  1. Genesis 36:5 קֹ֑רַח Korah

    and Oholibamah gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau, who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

  2. Genesis 36:14 קֹֽרַח׃ Korah

    These are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah (daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon) whom she bore to Esau: Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

  3. Genesis 36:16 קֹ֛רַח Korah

    Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. They are the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom, and they are the grandsons of Adah.

  4. Genesis 36:18 קֹ֑רַח Korah

    These are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: Chiefs Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. They are the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.

Exodus · 2

  1. Exodus 6:21 קֹ֥רַח [were] Korah

    The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.

  2. Exodus 6:24 קֹ֔רַח Korah

    The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These were the clans of the Korahites.

Numbers · 15

  1. Numbers 16:1 קֹ֔רַח Korah

    Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath son of Levi, along with some Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—conducted

    Here: The ringleader. He is a Levite of the Kohath clan and Aaron's first cousin (Exodus 6:18–21). The name sounds like the Hebrew word for "bald" (qērēaḥ), but the text makes nothing of that.

  2. Numbers 16:5 קֹ֜רַח Korah

    Then he said to Korah and all his followers, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will reveal who belongs to Him and who is holy, and He will bring that person near to Himself. The one He chooses He will bring near to Himself.

    Here: A Levite of the clan of Kohath (v.1), Moses' and Aaron's own cousin. He already had a sacred job (carrying the holiest objects, Num 4), so his challenge comes from inside the sanctuary staff.

  3. Numbers 16:6 קֹ֖רַח O Korah

    You, Korah, and all your followers are to do as follows: Take censers,

  4. Numbers 16:8 קֹ֑רַח Korah

    Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you sons of Levi!

  5. Numbers 16:16 קֹ֔רַח Korah

    And Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before the LORD tomorrow—you and they and Aaron.

  6. Numbers 16:19 קֹ֙רַח֙ Korah

    When Korah had gathered his whole assembly against them at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the glory of the LORD appeared to the whole congregation.

  7. Numbers 16:24 קֹ֖רַח Korah

    “Tell the congregation to move away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”

  8. Numbers 16:27 קֹ֛רֶח Korah

    So they moved away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Meanwhile, Dathan and Abiram had come out and stood at the entrances to their tents with their wives and children and infants.

  9. Numbers 16:32 לְקֹ֔רַח [belonged] to Korah

    and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households—all Korah’s men and all their possessions.

  10. Numbers 16:40 כְקֹ֙רַח֙ like Korah

    just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. This was to be a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his followers.

    Here: 'Like Korah,' the Levite of the Kohathite clan who led the challenge to Aaron's priesthood. The earth swallowed him (16:31–33).

  11. Numbers 16:49 קֹֽרַח׃ Korah

    But those who died from the plague numbered 14,700, in addition to those who had died on account of Korah.

  12. Numbers 26:9 קֹ֔רַח Korah

    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.

  13. Numbers 26:10 קֹ֖רַח Korah

    And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire consumed 250 men. They serve as a warning sign.

    Here: The Levite of the Kohath clan who led the challenge to Aaron's priesthood (Numbers 16:1–11). Here he is named only briefly, because this list is about the Reubenite clans.

  14. Numbers 26:11 קֹ֖רַח Korah

    However, the line of Korah did not die out.

  15. Numbers 27:3 קֹ֑רַח Korah

    “Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among the followers of Korah who gathered together against the LORD. Instead, he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons.

1 Chronicles · 5

  1. 1 Chronicles 1:35 וְקֹֽרַח׃ ס and Korah

    The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

  2. 1 Chronicles 2:43 קֹ֥רַח Korah

    The sons of Hebron: Korah, Tappuah, Rekem, and Shema.

  3. 1 Chronicles 6:22 קֹ֥רַח Korah

    The descendants of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son,

  4. 1 Chronicles 6:37 קֹֽרַח׃ Korah

    the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah,

  5. 1 Chronicles 9:19 קֹ֜רַח Korah

    Shallum son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his relatives from the Korahites were assigned to guard the thresholds of the Tent, just as their fathers had been assigned to guard the entrance to the dwelling of the LORD.

Psalms · 11

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.