Three Rebellious Leaders

Numbers 16:1-35

Numbers 16
1
Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of the LORD. You and Aaron are to present your censers
Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons also.” 18So each man took his censer, put fire and incense
of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent 2and in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to
rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite the Tent of Meeting. 19When Korah had gathered all his
men, well-known community leaders who had been followers in opposition to them at the entrance to the
appointed members of the council. 3They came as a Tent of Meeting, the glory of the LORD appeared to the
group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, entire assembly. 20The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
21
“You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, “Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an
every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why end to them at once.”
then do you set yourselves above the LORD’S 22
But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and cried out,
assembly?” “O God, God of the spirits of all mankind, will you be
4
When Moses heard this, he fell facedown. 5Then he angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins?”
said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the 23
Then the LORD said to Moses, 24“Say to the
LORD will show who belongs to him and who is holy, assembly, ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan
and he will have that person come near him. The man he and Abiram.’”
chooses he will cause to come near him. 6You, Korah, 25
Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and
and all your followers are to do this: Take censers 7and the elders of Israel followed him. 26He warned the
tomorrow put fire and incense in them before the LORD. assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked
The man the LORD chooses will be the one who is holy.
men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you
You Levites have gone too far!”
8
will be swept away because of all their sins.” 27So they
Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites! moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and
9
Isn’t it enough for you that the God of Israel has Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had come out and were
separated you from the rest of the Israelite community standing with their wives, children and little ones at the
and brought you near himself to do the work at the entrances to their tents.
LORD’S tabernacle and to stand before the community 28
Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that
and minister to them? 10He has brought you and all your
the LORD has sent me to do all these things and that it
fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get
was not my idea: 29If these men die a natural death and
the priesthood too. 11It is against the LORD that you and experience only what usually happens to men, then the
all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron
LORD has not sent me. 30But if the LORD brings about
that you should grumble against him?”
12
something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and
Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and
sons of Eliab. But they said, “We will not come! 13Isn’t it they go down alive into the grave, then you will know
enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing that these men have treated the LORD with contempt.”
with milk and honey to kill us in the desert? And now 31
As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground
you also want to lord it over us? 14Moreover, you haven’t
under them split apart 32and the earth opened its mouth
brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or and swallowed them, with their households and all
given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you Korah’s men and all their possessions. 33They went down
gouge out the eyes of these men? No, we will not come!” alive into the grave, with everything they owned; the
15
Then Moses became very angry and said to the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone
LORD, “Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so from the community. 34At their cries, all the Israelites
much as a donkey from them, nor have I wronged any of around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to
them.” swallow us too!”
16
Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers 35
And fire came out from the LORD and consumed
are to appear before the LORD tomorrow—you and they the 250 men who were offering the incense.
and Aaron. 17Each man is to take his censer and put
incense in it—250 censers in all—and present it before
 Three Rebellious Leaders
Numbers 16:1-35

Possible
Points
My
Points
Questions
5 1.) What was one reason why the three leaders
were upset with Moses? (Verse 3)
5 2.) How many other men were upset with
Moses besides the three leaders?
5 3.) What happened to the three rebellious
leaders and their followers? (Verses 31-35)
5 4.) Why do you think God destroyed the men?

Possible
Points
My
Points
Memory Verse
“Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join
10 with the rebellious.”
Proverbs 24:21

Possible
Points
My
Points
Home Connection Parent/Guardian
Signature
5 I have read, or been read, the passage
of scripture for this week.
5 I have answered the questions aloud to
an adult at home this week.
10 I have recited the memory verse out
loud to an adult at home this week.

Total
Points
Club Connection

Leader’s Signature __________________________ Date ___/___/___

Three Rebellious Leaders
Numbers 16:1-35

Picture from The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes by Kenneth N. Taylor. Moody Press: Copyright © 1956.
Three Rebellious Leaders
Numbers 16:1-35

Three leaders and 250 Israelites challenge the authority of Moses

 Three Rebellious Leaders
Numbers 16:1-35

Craft/Activity: Puzzles
Students will color and cut up puzzles to remind them that three leaders and 250 men challenged Moses’
authority over them.

Materials
1. 67 Lb. White Cardstock
2. Puzzle Pattern
3. Scissors
4. Crayons, Markers, or Colored Pencils
5. Plastic Bags or Paper Clips

Directions
1. Make copies of the puzzle pattern for each student onto 67 lb cardstock.
2. Have students color the puzzle with crayons, markers, or colored pencils.
3. Instruct students to cut the puzzle into pieces on the thick, solid black lines.
4. Once students have cut their puzzles into pieces, have them race one another to put them back
together.
5. Put all pieces of the puzzle into a plastic baggy or clip pieces together with a paper clip when
finished.

For Discussion
As students are coloring and cutting their puzzles into pieces remind them that Moses was chosen by God to
lead the Israelites. The three leaders that opposed Moses, as well as the 250 men that followed them, were
questioning Moses’ leadership as well as God’s selection of Moses as leader. The Lord showed, by
destroying the rebellious people, that he is sovereign and that Moses was still the chosen leader. Help
students realize that we are not to rebel against those in authority over us.

Time Needed to Complete:

Approximately 15 minutes

Memory Verse

“Fear the Lord and the King, my son, and do not join with the
rebellious.” Proverbs 24:21
Three Rebellious Leaders
Numbers 16:1-35

Today’s bible story was

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The memory verse means

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Memory Verse:
“Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with
the rebellious.”
Proverbs 24:21
 The Bible Times Herald
A Special Report on Numbers 16:1-35

THREE REBELLIOUS QUESTIONS

LEADERS
Moses and Aaron 1. What did the three rebellious leaders
continued to lead the complain about?
Israelite people. 2. How many other leaders complained
Three leaders named also?
Korah, Dathan, and 3. Why was the Lord upset with the
Abiram decided that leaders?
they did not like the
fact the Moses and 4. Why do you think the Lord destroyed
Aaron were leading the leaders?
them. The three
rebellious leaders
also gathered 250 MEMORY VERSE
other leaders to oppose Moses and Aaron.
They asked Moses and Aaron, “Why do you “Fear the LORD and the king, my son,
set yourselves above us?” and do not join with the rebellious.”
Moses was sad when he heard this because Proverbs 24:21
God had chosen him and Aaron to lead the
people.
The leaders complained that they were
living in a desert where life was difficult.
CROSS OFF THE
Moses told Korah and his followers to take
their censers (covered containers), put incense
LETTERS
in them, and present them before the Lord. Cross out every other letter. Write the
The Lord saw all the leaders gathered outside remaining letters on the lines below to reveal
the Tent of Meeting with their censers. the hidden message.
The Lord was angry with the leaders. He
told Moses and Aaron to tell the people to step
away from the tents of the three wicked
TQHPRTEQEULLESAQ
leaders. DHESRVSICJOHMDPA
The Lord was very upset with the leaders
for rebelling against Moses and Aaron. He LVAXIENQELD
caused the earth to open up and swallow the
leaders’ homes, families, and everything that
T __ __ __ __
they owned.
The Lord sent fire which burned up the __ __ __ __ __ __ __
other 250 leaders who also complained!
To find out more, read Numbers 16:1-35 in
your Bible.
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
Take-home Activity Sheet