CORE (Heb. qôrah = “baldness”). — The best-known of the biblical figures of this name, the first of whom is a son of Esau (Gen. 36:5, 14), is a contemporary of Moses (Ex. 6:21, 24; I Par. 6:37), from the family of Levi, of whom he was a great-grandson. C. fomented a rebellion in the wilderness against Moses (Num. 16:1 ff.). Apparently, it was a reaction against the institution of the Aaronic priesthood (v. ARONNE).
C. made himself the spokesman for the discontent of the various descendants of Levi against Aaron, of the same tribe, because he had been consecrated, together with his sons, as a priest with hereditary rights, whereas the other Levites had been declared subordinate attendants in the functions of worship. Some descendants of Reuben also took part in the revolt; perhaps recalling the original primogeniture of their ancestor, they were now displeased with the ascendancy of Moses and Aaron, who belonged to the tribe of Levi. Among the Reubenites, those who appear in the forefront as
accomplices were Dathan and Abiron (Num. 16:1). The rebels immediately organized a cult different from that prescribed by Moses, probably with the intention of restoring practices that had preceded the reform. In the ideological struggle, God intervened directly in favor of Moses, causing the rebels to be swallowed up by the earth as it opened beneath them (Num. 16:25-34). The episode remained famous in Jewish tradition (in addition to the detailed account in Num. 16:1-50, cf. Ps. 105:17; Dent. 11:6; Eccl. 45:22; Sap. 18:20-25; Ind. 11).
C.’s sons were spared the terrible punishment. Their descendants held an honored place in the ritual functions of the Solomonic Temple (cf. I Par. 9:19; 26:1, 19). The Korahites are mentioned up to the time of Iosephat (II Par. 20:19). They were predominantly singers (cf. I Par. 6:37). A series of psalms (41, 43-48, 83, 84, 86, 87) is attributed to them.