Sons of Korah: Their Role in Worship and Psalms

INTRODUCTION

The book of psalms is a collection of sacred poems suitable for private devotions or for use in worship. In Israel’s temple liturgy psalms were often sung to musical accompaniment, especially on stringed instruments. Almost half of the psalms are traditionally ascribed to David but some other contributors are also named. These authors or collectors are Moses (90), Solomon (72; 127), Asaph (50; 73-83), Heman the Ezrahite (88), Ethan the Ezrahite (89) and the Sons of Korah.

KORAH

Four people named Korah are mentioned in the Bible.

Edomite – Korah, son of Esau and Oholibamah (Gen 36:5, 14, 18; 1 Chron 1:35).

Edomite – Korah, son of Eliphaz and grandson of Esau (Gen 36:16).

Judahite (Num 13:6) – Korah, son of Hebron and a descendant of Caleb (1 Chron 2:43).

Levite – Korah, son of Izhar, known for rebellion against Moses (Exod 6:21, 24; Num 16:1; 1 Chron 6:22)

KORAH’S REBELLION

Numbers chapter 16 treats the rebellion of Korah the Levite in some detail. In the New Testament this event is briefly referred to as’ ‘the gainsaying of Korah’ (Jude 1:11). He and three Reubenites called Dathan, Abiram and On assembled with 250 Israelite community leaders to protest against Moses’s leadership.

Korah was a cousin of Moses; their fathers Amran and Izhar were brothers (Exod 6:18-21; 1 Chron 6:18-22). As a Levite and member of the Kohathite clan Korah already had significant responsibilities relating to the transport of YHWH’s portable sanctuary known as the tabernacle (Num 4:1-20; 7:9; 10:21; 16:9) but he resented the fact that only Aaron and his descendants were chosen to function as priests (Num 16:10). He falsely argued that all the people were holy (Num 16:3) and that each one could therefore approach YHWH on his own terms. He may also have been jealous that Moses appointed another cousin, Elizaphan, a son of Uzziel the youngest son of Kohath (Exod 6:22), to headship of the Kohathite clan (Num 3:30).

Korah and his associates contended that Moses and Aaron had led the Israelites out of Egypt only to exalt themselves and lord it over the people (Num16:3). In response, Moses pointed out that rejection of God’s appointed leaders and the Aaronic priesthood amounted to rebellion against YHWH and proposed a contest (Num 16:16) that would validate his claim to leadership and Aaron’s to priesthood. The dissenters were to offer incense before YHWH and see what would happen then. Korah, Dathan and Abiram did so with the result that:
the ground cleaved asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. Numbers 16:31-35

A later passage, however, stresses that, unlike those of Dathan and Abiram, the children (sons) of Korah were not punished: Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not. Numbers 26:11

LATER HISTORY OF THE KOHATHITES AND KORHITES

When Israel entered the promised land the Kohathites were allocated Levitical cities in the tribal territories of Judah (Josh 21:4), Ephraim, Dan and Manasseh. They do appear to have settled among the tribes in Judah (1 Chron 6:54-55), Ephraim (1 Chron 6:66-69) and Manasseh (1 Chron 6:70) but not in Dan.

Descendants of Korah are later listed as soldiers and also as bakers, singers, musicians and doorkeepers in the Tabernacle and Temple.

Soldiers

1 Chron 12:6

Bakers

1 Chron 9:31-32

Singers & musicians

Heman, a singer – 1 Chron 6:1-38
Heman’s 14 sons, singers and musicians – 1 Chron 25:4-6
Kohathite and Korhite singers – 2 Chron 20:19 in Jehoshaphat’s time.

Doorkeepers

1 Chron 9:17-23; Neh 11:19 after the exile (cf. Ezra 2:42; Neh 7:45).
1 Chron 26:1,19 in David’s time.
Psa 84:10

THE SONS OF KORAH IN PSALM TITLES

The literal ‘sons of Korah’ the Levite are named in Exod 6:24: And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites. These are not the men referred to in the titles of some psalms. However, since in the Bible the expression ‘sons of Korah,’ apart from psalm titles, only refers to the progeny of Korah the Levite (Exod 6:24; Num 26:11) it is generally accepted that in the psalm titles ‘sons of Korah’ refers to later descendants of the infamous Korah the Levite and not to descendants of the Edomite and Judahite Korahs listed above.

Basing their ideas on the references to the Korhites as Levitical singers and musicians (see above references) many commentators argue that there must have been a temple guild of singers and musicians known as ‘the sons of Korah’ and contend that the Korah psalm titles refer to this group.

The relevant psalm titles include the phrase ‘for the sons of Korah’ where the prefix (lamed) means ‘to’, ‘for’ or ‘belonging to.’ These psalms may therefore have been composed a) by them, or b) for their use, or c) in their style. The titles may indicate that perhaps the Korah psalms are from the collection of the sons of Korah, or were given to the sons of Korah to be set to music. Most likely authorship is also implied, i.e. they composed them as well as collecting and singing them.

Ten psalms are directly attributed to the sons of Korah.

Psalm 42 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN, MASCHIL, FOR THE SONS OF KORAH.
Psalm 44 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN FOR THE SONS OF KORAH, MASCHIL.
Psalm 45 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN UPON SHOSHANNIM, FOR THE SONS OF KORAH, MASCHIL, A SONG OF LOVES.
Psalm 46 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN FOR THE SONS OF KORAH, A SONG UPON ALAMOTH.
Psalm 47 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN, A PSALM FOR THE SONS OF KORAH.
Psalm 48 A SONG AND PSALM FOR THE SONS OF KORAH.
Psalm 49 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN, A PSALM FOR THE SONS OF KORAH.
Psalm 84 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN UPON GITTITH, A PSALM FOR THE SONS OF KORAH.
Psalm 85 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN, A PSALM FOR THE SONS OF KORAH.
Psalm 87 A PSALM OR SONG FOR THE SONS OF KORAH.

One psalm (Psalm 88) is jointly attributed to the sons of Korah and Heman the Ezrahite: A SONG OR PSALM FOR THE SONS OF KORAH, TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN UPON MAHALATH LEANNOTH, MASCHIL OF HEMAN THE EZRAHITE.

OBSERVATIONS

Psalm 43 has no title. Some scholars view Psalms 42 and 43 as one split psalm and thus attribute Psalm 43 to the sons of Korah also.

The Korah psalms 42 and 44-49 are in a group of psalms that has come to be known as the Elohistic Psalter (Pss 42-83). These psalms primarily use the divine name Elohim to refer to God.

The Korah psalms 84-85 and 87-88 are Yahwistic. They prefer the divine name YHWH (Yahweh, the LORD).

The Korah psalms include a rich variety of psalm types, for example:

Zion psalm – 46, 48, 87
Individual lament – 88
Communal lament – 44, 85
Wisdom psalm – 45, 49
Sanctuary psalm – 42/43, 84