Numbers 26:11

KJV

Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.

KJV (with Strong's)

Notwithstanding the children {H1121} of Korah {H7141} died {H4191} not.

Complete Jewish Bible

(However, the sons of Korach did not die.)

Berean Standard Bible

However, the line of Korah did not die out.

American Standard Version

Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah died not.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 26:11 stands as a remarkable and poignant exception within the otherwise devastating account of divine judgment against the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. This concise verse, stating "Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not," provides a critical detail during the second census of Israel, revealing God's precise and discerning mercy amidst widespread destruction. It highlights a profound theological principle: while divine justice is absolute against open rebellion, God's judgment is not indiscriminate, demonstrating a selective preservation that transcends familial ties and offers a glimpse into His redemptive purposes.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Numbers 26:11 is situated within the second census of Israel, taken in the plains of Moab before their entry into the Promised Land. This census serves multiple purposes: to count the new generation eligible for the inheritance, to reorganize the tribes, and to underscore the fulfillment of God's promises despite the previous generation's failures. The mention of Korah's children here directly references the cataclysmic rebellion detailed in [Numbers 16](/numbers/16 "Numbers 16 - Korah's Rebellion"), where Korah, a Levite, along with Dathan and Abiram, challenged Moses' leadership and Aaron's priesthood. The immediate context of [Numbers 26](/numbers/26 "Numbers 26 - The Second Census") recounts the fate of the previous generation, noting who perished in the wilderness, making the survival of Korah's children a striking and deliberate contrast to the general narrative of judgment.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram occurred during Israel's wilderness wanderings, a period marked by frequent challenges to divine authority and Moses' leadership. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, corporate identity was strong, and the actions of a family head often carried consequences for the entire household. Therefore, the sparing of Korah's children would have been a profoundly counter-cultural act of divine discretion, challenging the expectation of inherited guilt. The census itself was a significant administrative and theological act, establishing the structure for the new nation and affirming God's covenant faithfulness. The specific mention of Levites (Korah was a Levite) and their roles was crucial, as they were set apart for service to the Tabernacle, making Korah's challenge to the priesthood particularly egregious.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Numbers and the Pentateuch. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Divine Justice and Mercy**. While God's justice is unwavering against rebellion and disobedience, as seen in the earth swallowing Dathan and Abiram ([Numbers 16:32](/numbers/16-32 "Numbers 16:32 - The Earth Swallows Them")) and fire consuming Korah and his associates ([Numbers 16:35](/numbers/16-35 "Numbers 16:35 - Fire Consumes 250 Men")), His mercy is precise and selective, targeting only the guilty. Secondly, it highlights **Individual Accountability**, a principle further developed in later biblical texts like [Deuteronomy 24:16](/deuteronomy/24-16 "Deuteronomy 24:16 - Individual Responsibility") and [Ezekiel 18:20](/ezekiel/18-20 "Ezekiel 18:20 - The Soul Who Sins Shall Die"), which explicitly state that children should not die for the sins of their parents. Lastly, the survival of Korah's lineage points to **Preservation and Future Hope**. Remarkably, descendants of Korah later became prominent temple musicians and gatekeepers, with eleven [Psalms attributed to the "sons of Korah"](/psalms/42 "Psalms of the Sons of Korah, beginning with Psalm 42") (e.g., [Psalm 42](/psalms/42 "Psalm 42 - As the Deer Pants"), [Psalm 84](/psalms/84 "Psalm 84 - How Lovely Is Your Dwelling Place")). This demonstrates God's redemptive power and His faithfulness to preserve a remnant for His purposes, even from the most unlikely or tainted origins.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Notwithstanding (וְלֹא, _ve-lo'_):** This conjunction, often translated as "but" or "and not," serves as a strong adversative here, emphatically introducing a contrasting fact. It signals a deliberate exception to the expected outcome, drawing immediate attention to the surprising preservation of Korah's children in the face of widespread judgment.
* **died not (מֵתוּ לֹא, _lo' metu'_):** This simple yet powerful negation uses the Hebrew particle _lo'_ ("not") with the verb _metu_ ("they died," perfect tense). The directness of the phrase underscores the definitive nature of their survival. It's not that they merely survived by chance, but that they were specifically exempted from the death that befell others involved in or associated with the rebellion.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Notwithstanding":** This opening word sets up a stark contrast to the preceding narrative of divine judgment and widespread death among the rebellious generation. It immediately signals that what follows is an exception to the rule, a deliberate act of divine discretion that defies the expected outcome of corporate punishment.
* **"the children of Korah died not":** This is the core statement of the verse, directly asserting the miraculous preservation of Korah's immediate descendants. Despite their father's prominent role in a severe rebellion that resulted in catastrophic divine judgment, his children were divinely spared. This highlights God's discerning justice, which differentiates between the guilty and the innocent, even within the same family unit, and His sovereign ability to preserve a remnant for His future purposes.

#### Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in Numbers 26:11 is **Contrast**. The verse stands in stark opposition to the preceding narrative of judgment and death, particularly the detailed account of Korah's rebellion in [Numbers 16](/numbers/16 "Numbers 16 - Korah's Rebellion"), where the earth swallowed Dathan and Abiram's households and fire consumed Korah and his associates. The phrase "Notwithstanding" explicitly signals this contrast, drawing the reader's attention to an unexpected and merciful exception. This contrast serves to emphasize God's precise and selective justice, demonstrating that His judgment is not indiscriminate but targets the guilty while extending mercy to those who may be associated with sin but are not themselves culpable. It also functions as a form of **Foreshadowing**, subtly hinting at the future role of Korah's descendants in Israel's worship, particularly in the Psalms, transforming a lineage associated with rebellion into one associated with praise.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 26:11 offers a profound theological insight into the nature of God's justice and mercy. It demonstrates that while God is absolutely holy and will judge sin decisively, His judgment is not a blind, sweeping force. Rather, it is discerning, precise, and capable of distinguishing between individuals, even within a family unit implicated in rebellion. This selective mercy points to a deeper principle of individual accountability before God, challenging the ancient cultural norm of collective punishment and affirming that each person stands before their Creator based on their own actions and heart. The preservation of Korah's children also foreshadows God's redemptive work, showing His capacity to bring forth good and even worship from unexpected and seemingly tainted origins, ensuring a future for those who remain faithful or are divinely chosen for His purposes.

* [Deuteronomy 24:16](/deuteronomy/24-16 "Fathers Shall Not Be Put to Death for Their Children")
* [Ezekiel 18:20](/ezekiel/18-20 "The Soul Who Sins Shall Die")
* [Psalm 84](/psalms/84 "How Lovely Is Your Dwelling Place, O Lord of Hosts!")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Numbers 26:11 serves as a powerful reminder of God's profound character, blending unwavering justice with precise, discerning mercy. In a world that often rushes to condemn or apply guilt by association, this verse calls us to recognize that God sees the heart and judges each individual according to their own standing before Him. It offers immense hope, assuring us that the sins of our ancestors or the failures of our communities do not automatically define our destiny. We are not bound by inherited condemnation if we are not personally complicit in rebellion. Instead, God's grace can break cycles of sin, preserve a remnant, and even raise up instruments of worship from the most unlikely backgrounds. This encourages us to seek personal righteousness and trust in God's perfect discernment, knowing that His mercy can extend even to those connected to great sin, offering a path to redemption and a new beginning for His glory.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the sparing of Korah's children challenge or affirm your understanding of God's justice and mercy?**
* **In what ways might we, in our own lives or communities, be tempted to apply "guilt by association," and how does this verse encourage us to think differently?**
* **Considering that descendants of Korah later became temple musicians, what does this tell us about God's ability to redeem and repurpose even the most challenging legacies?**

### FAQ
**Why were Korah's children spared when their father and others died in such a dramatic judgment?**

Answer: The text of [Numbers 26:11](/numbers/26-11 "The Children of Korah Died Not") explicitly states that "Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not," indicating a deliberate act of divine preservation. While the Bible does not provide an explicit reason, the most common theological interpretation is that Korah's children did not participate in their father's rebellion. This aligns with the principle of individual accountability, which is a recurring theme in the Old Testament, particularly emphasized in passages like [Deuteronomy 24:16](/deuteronomy/24-16 "Individual Responsibility") ("Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; each one shall be put to death for his own sin.") and [Ezekiel 18:20](/ezekiel/18-20 "The Soul Who Sins Shall Die") ("The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son."). Their survival underscores that God's judgment is precise and just, targeting the guilty while extending mercy to the innocent, even within the same family. Furthermore, their preservation was part of God's larger redemptive plan, as their descendants later became prominent temple musicians, composing several Psalms.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Numbers 26:11, though set in the Old Covenant, beautifully foreshadows the discerning justice and profound mercy embodied in Jesus Christ. The sparing of Korah's children, despite their lineage, points to a divine principle that transcends inherited guilt, finding its ultimate fulfillment in the New Covenant. Under the Old Covenant, the consequences of sin could often extend corporately, but Christ's sacrifice establishes a new basis for relationship with God: individual faith and spiritual lineage. Just as Korah's children were not condemned by their father's rebellion, so too, in Christ, believers are not condemned by the sin of Adam or the failures of their earthly heritage ([Romans 5:12-19](/romans/5-12 "Adam and Christ Compared")). Through faith in Jesus, we are declared righteous, not based on our physical ancestry or the merits of our parents, but on the perfect righteousness of Christ ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "He Who Knew No Sin Became Sin")). The "sons of Korah" later became worship leaders, and in a far greater way, all who are "in Christ" become a new spiritual lineage, a royal priesthood, called to offer spiritual sacrifices of praise and worship to God ([1 Peter 2:9](/1_peter/2-9 "A Chosen Race, a Royal Priesthood")). This verse, therefore, subtly anticipates the radical new covenant reality where judgment is borne by the sinless Lamb of God ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "Jesus, the Lamb of God")), and mercy is extended freely to all who believe, granting them a new identity and an eternal inheritance in Him ([Ephesians 1:3-14](/ephesians/1 "Spiritual Blessings in Christ")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Exodus 6:24

And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these [are] the families of the Korhites.

Psalms 48:1

¶ A Song [and] Psalm for the sons of Korah. Great [is] the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, [in] the mountain of his holiness.

1 Chronicles 6:22

The sons of Kohath; Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son,

1 Chronicles 6:28

And the sons of Samuel; the firstborn Vashni, and Abiah.

Psalms 47:1

¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.

Psalms 44:1

¶ To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, [what] work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

Psalms 45:1

¶ To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves. My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue [is] the pen of a ready writer.