THE REBELLION OF KORAH.

AT what period, or in what encampment the rebellion of Korah took place, the sacred history does not inform us. But it appears that the jealousy of this refractory Levite was excited at seeing Aaron and his family raised to the highest office in the priesthood. Having seduced Dathan and Abiram, who were heads of the tribe of Reuben, into a belief of their ruler's tyranny, and prevailed upon a vast number of the dissatisfied Israelites to join his party, he appeared at the head of his faction, and publicly accused Moses and Aaron of intrenching upon the liberties of the people. Moses, shocked at the charge, sent to Dathan and Abiram, who he supposed had been seduced into the conspiracy, with the hope of persuading them to return to their allegiance, but received from them a most insolent reply to his kind overtures of pacification. This so incensed him, that he appealed to God in justification of his own acts, and the Almighty immediately suggested the course he should pursue. In obedience to the Divine will he commanded Korah and his company to repair next morning before the tabernacle, each with his censer in his hand, two hundred and fifty censers, with fire in them and incense. This they accordingly did, accompanied by a vast multitude of their disaffected adherents. After the Lord had commanded Moses to bid the congregation separate themselves from the rebels, which was immediately done, "The earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them and they perished from among the congregation. And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them for they said, lest the earth swallow us up also. And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense."*