Midrash for Numbers 16:30

Another matter: “Dead flies spoil [yavish] and froth [yabia] a perfumer’s oil” refers to the congregation of Koraḥ. Yesterday they were vilifying [mavishin] Moses and saying: Moses is not a true prophet, Aaron is not the High Priest, and Torah is not from Heaven, and today²After they were swallowed by the ground, Koraḥ and his congregation declared, from the depths of the earth, that Moses had been correct (see Bemidbar Rabba 18:20; Bava Batra 74a). they are expressing [mabi’im] matters before Moses and saying: Moses is a true prophet, Aaron is the High Priest, and Torah is from Heaven. “Weightier than wisdom, than honor” – this is prophecy; “a little folly”³This is expounded to refer to the punishment of Koraḥ and his congregation, which they received due to their folly. – this is the decree of Moses, who said: “But if the Lord will create a creation [and the ground will open its mouth and swallow them up…then you will know that these men have despised the Lord]” (Numbers 16:30).
Another matter: “Dead flies spoil and froth a perfumer’s oil…” refers to Do’eg and Aḥitofel. Yesterday, they were vilifying David with their words and saying: His lineage is flawed; does he not descend from Ruth the Moavite? Today they are expressing matters and are ashamed. “Weightier than wisdom, than honor” – this is the prophecy of David.⁴David’s former antagonists eventually admitted that he was a worthy king and prophet. “A little folly” – “You, God, bring them down to the pit of destruction…” (Psalms 55:24).
Another matter: “Dead flies spoil and froth a perfumer’s oil…” is speaking of the generation of Elijah, who would vilify him with their words and say: “Baal, answer us” (I Kings 18:26). Today they are expressing matters and saying: “The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God” (I Kings 18:39). “Weightier than wisdom, than honor” – this is prophecy, this is the prophecy of Elijah. “A little folly” – “Elijah took them down to the Kishon Stream and slaughtered them” (I Kings 18:40).

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This is one of the three prophets who spoke in this way: Elijah, Micah, and Moses.¹⁴ySahn. 10:1 (28a); Numb. 18:12, cont. Now in the case of Elijah, what did he say? (I Kings 18:36–37): O LORD, GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND ISRAEL, LET IT BE KNOWN TODAY THAT YOU ARE GOD IN ISRAEL, THAT I AM YOUR SERVANT, AND THAT I HAVE DONE ALL THESE THINGS AT YOUR BIDDING. ANSWER ME O LORD, ANSWER ME, SO THAT THIS PEOPLE MAY KNOW THAT YOU, O LORD, ARE GOD. But if you do not answer me, I will say (ibid., cont.): AND YOU HAVE TURNED THEIR HEARTS BACK. So also in the case of Micah (identified here with Micaiah). What did he say to Ahab (in I Kings 22:28)? IF YOU RETURN IN PEACE, then I will say (ibid. cont.): THE LORD HAS NOT SPOKEN THROUGH ME. And Moses also said (in Numb. 16:29): IF THESE DIE A NATURAL DEATH …, then I will say (ibid. cont.): THE LORD DID NOT SEND ME. The Holy One said to him: Moses, what do you want? Moses said to him: Sovereign of the World, (in Numb. 16:30): BUT IF THE LORD CREATES <SOMETHING NEW>…. If you have created a mouth to the earth from the beginning of the creation of the world, well and good; but if not, let the Lord create a mouth now. The Holy One said to him: But you have so spoken (in Job 22:28): WHEN YOU DECREE SOMETHING, IT SHALL COME TO PASS FOR YOU; AND LIGHT SHALL SHINE UPON YOUR WAYS.