1. Son of Izhar, a son of Kohath. He with Dathan and Abiram headed the rebellion against Moses and Aaron, saying that they took too much upon themselves, whereas all the people were holy. There were gathered to them two hundred and fifty princes of the congregation who were Levites. Dathan and Abiram were of the tribe of Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and were perhaps jealous of the ascendancy of the sons of Levi. Their complaint against Moses is different from that of the Levites, and insinuated that Moses aimed at being a prince over them. They were swallowed up with their families by an opening of the earth; whereas Korah and his company were devoured by the fire of the Lord. With these it was an ecclesiastical rebellion: “they strove against Jehovah” in His appointed priesthood. The whole rebellion was a type of opposition against the royalty and priesthood of Christ (Ex. 6:21,24; Num. 16:1-49; Num. 26:9-11; Num. 27:3; 1 Chron. 6:22,37; 1 Chron. 9:19).
Numbers 26:10 seems to say that Korah was swallowed up by the earth; but Numbers 16:32 speaks only of the “men that appertained unto Korah;” and in Deuteronomy 11:6 and Psalm 106:17-18 only Dathan and Abiram are named as being swallowed up. There was an exception in the case of Korah, in that his children were not included in the punishment (Num. 26:11). In Jude 11 he is called CORE. To his sons or descendants, who took part in “the service of song,” the following Psalms are inscribed: Psalm 42; 44-49, 84-85, 87-88.
2. Son of Esau and Aholibamah (Gen. 36:5, 14, 18; 1 Chron. 1:35).
3. Son of Eliphaz, a son of Esau (Gen. 36:16).
4. Son of Hebron (1 Chron. 2:43).