Numbers 16:20

Moses was commanded that he and Aaron should separate from the whole congregation (Numbers 16:21), but Moses interceded for God to spare the congregation, and God responded favorably, at the same time instructing Moses to warn the people, and that all should separate themselves from the polluted sanctuary just about to be taken over by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Moses at once warned the people, and the next verses show that they obeyed.

"Shall one man sin ...?" Who was this one man? "He was Korah, the leader of the rebellion."[11]

"Congregation ..." Smick pointed out that two different words in the Hebrew are rendered "congregation" in this verse (including Numbers 16:19),[12] indicating that the congregation that followed the summons of Korah to the tabernacle may have been much smaller than that of all Israel. Any considerable group of people may be called a congregation.

Moses certainly anticipated that Korah and his company would fail in their presumptuous efforts, but the absence of Dathan and Abiram made it expedient for Moses to dispose of that phase of the rebellion at a time when many may have supposed that Korah had indeed achieved "a victory." Thus, the sacred narrative introduced Moses' next action.