Midrash su I Cronache 25:5

“He severed in his enflamed wrath all the horn of Israel; He retracted His right hand from before the enemy. He burned in Jacob like flaming fire, consuming all around” (Lamentations 2:3).
“He severed in his enflamed wrath all the horn of Israel.” There are ten horns: the horn of Abraham, the horn of Isaac, the horn of Joseph, the horn of Moses, the horn of Torah, the horn of priesthood, the horn of Levites, the horn of prophecy, the horn of the Temple, the horn of Israel, and some say, the horn of the Messiah.
The horn [keren] of Abraham, as it is stated: “My beloved had a vineyard in a fruitful corner [keren]” (Isaiah 5:1).⁷⁷The Sages identify the term “beloved” in the verse as referring to Abraham. See, similarly, Eikha Rabba Prologue 24; Eikha Rabba 1:1. The horn of Isaac, as it is stated: “Caught in the thicket by its horns” (Genesis 22:13). The horn of Joseph, as it is stated: “His horns are the horns of aurochs” (Deuteronomy 33:17). The horn of Moses, as it is written: “The skin of his face was radiant [karan]” (Exodus 34:29). The horn of Torah, as it is written: “Rays [karnayim] from His hand to him” (Habakkuk 3:4). The horn of priesthood, as it is written: “His horn is raised high in honor” (Psalms 112:9).⁷⁸This verse refers to honor [kavod], a term used particularly in regard to priests; see, e.g., Exodus 28:2, 40 (Maharzu). The horn of the Levites, as it is stated: “All of these were sons of Heiman, the king's seer in matters of God, to raise the horn” (I Chronicles 25:5).⁷⁹The reference is to a family of Levites. The horn of prophecy, as it is written: “My horn is exalted in the Lord” (I Samuel 2:1). The horn of the Temple, as it is written: “From the horns of the aurochs; answer me (Psalms 22:22).⁸⁰The midrash elsewhere (Midrash Tehillim 102) relates that David prayed to God that He save him from an auroch, and promised to build the Temple in return (Maharzu). The horn of Israel, as it is stated: “He raised a horn for His people” (Psalms 148:14). And some say the horn of the Messiah, as it is stated: “Exalt the horn of His anointed one” (I Samuel 2:10).⁸¹The word Messiah [mashiaḥ] literally means “anointed one.”
All of them were placed on the heads of the Israelites, and when they sinned they were taken from them. That is what is written: “He severed in His enflamed wrath all the horn of Israel.” They were given to the nations of the world. That is what is written: “Concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other that arose, and before which three fell” (Daniel 7:20), and it is written thereafter: “And the ten horns: From this kingdom, ten kings will arise, and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the earlier ones, and he will subdue three kings” (Daniel 7:24). When Israel repents, the Holy One blessed be He will restore them to their place. That is what is written: “All the horns of the wicked I will sever, while the horns of the righteous shall be raised” (Psalms 75:11). The horns that the Righteous One of the world severed, when will He restore them to their place? When the Holy One blessed be He exalts the horn of His anointed one, as it is written: “He will give strength to His king and exalt the glory of His anointed one” (I Samuel 2:10).
“He retracted His right hand from before the enemy.” Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon: When iniquities were the cause and the enemies entered Jerusalem, they took the mighty of Israel and bound their hands behind them. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I wrote in the Torah: “I will be with him in distress” (Psalms 91:15), and now My children are wallowing in distress and I am in comfort?’ As it were, “He retracted His right hand.”⁸²The Hebrew phrase in the verse, usually translated “He retracted His right hand,” can also be translated “He put His right hand behind Him.” God does not respond to the atrocities and indignities committed by the enemy to His people, as though His hands are tied behind His back.
Ultimately He revealed it to Daniel. That is what is written: “But you, go to the end” (Daniel 12:13). [Daniel] said to Him: ‘To give an accounting?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “And rest” (Daniel 12:13). He said to Him: ‘Will I rest forever?’ He said to him: “You will stand” (Daniel 12:13). He said to Him: ‘With whom, with the righteous or with the wicked?’ He said: “To your fate” (Daniel 12:13), with the righteous. He said to Him: ‘“At the end of days [hayamim]” (Daniel 12:13),⁸³This is when all the dead, righteous and wicked, will arise for judgment. or at the end of the right hand [hayamin]?’⁸⁴This is when God will reveal His right hand and bring salvation to the righteous. He said to him: ‘To the end of the right hand; that right hand that is subjugated. I put an end to My right hand.⁸⁵I put an end to the restrictions on My right hand. When I redeem My children, I will have redeemed My right hand.’ That is what David said: “So that Your beloved ones be saved, deliver Your right hand and answer me” (Psalms 60:7).

(Numb. 16:5:) “In the morning [the Lord will make known those who belong to him].” What reason did he have for saying, “In the morning He will make known?”²³Numb. R. 18:7. Moses said, “Perhaps they said this thing because they had been excessively eating and drinking.” He therefore said, “In the morning.” Perhaps between now and then they will repent. He said to them, “I have no authority to enter [the tabernacle] now. Even though there is no eating and no drinking, it is simply because of us [that we are forbidden to enter] as we have taken food and drink.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 16:5), “In the morning.” Moses said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, has distinguished boundaries for those in His world. Can you confuse morning with evening? And that is what is written in the beginning (in Gen. 1:5), ‘There was evening and there was morning.’ And (in vs. 4) ‘God separated the light and the darkness,’ for its use in the world. And just as he made a separation between the light and the darkness, so did he separate Israel from the nations, [as stated] (in Lev. 20:26), ‘I have separated you from the [other] peoples to be Mine.’ So also did he separate Aaron, as stated (in I Chron. 23:13), ‘Aaron was separated to consecrate the most holy things.’ If you can confuse those distinctions in which he made a separation between the day and the night, you may be able to nullify this.” For this reason he said to them (in Numb. 16:5), “In the morning the Lord will make known [those who belong to Him].” Such a one is already designated; (according to ibid., end) “the one whom He will choose He will have draw near unto Him.” (Numb. 16:6:) “Do this; take censers, [Korah and all his company].” What was his reason for saying this to them?²⁴Numb. R. 18:8. He said to them, “In the religions of the nations there are many laws,²⁵NYMWSYN. Gk.: nomoi. and they do not all assemble in one house. Now as for us, we only have one God, one Torah, one justice, one altar, and one high priest; but you two hundred and fifty men are [yet all] seeking high priesthood! I also am willing in this regard.” (Numb. 16:11:) “Therefore you and all your company” have come together against the Lord. (Numb. 16:6 -7:) “Do this, take censers. And place fire in them.” Here you have a ministry more precious than all the others. It is the incense, the most precious of the sacrifices. But a deadly poison had been put within it, through which Nadab and Abihu were burned. He therefore warned them (in vs. 7, cont.), “then it shall come to pass that the man whom the Lord chooses is the holy one,” And do we not know that the one that the Lord chooses is the holy one? It is simply that Moses said to them, “See, I am telling you that you are not to incur guilt on your two hundred and fifty souls, because when you sacrifice, [only] the one to be chosen from among you shall come out alive, and all [the rest] of you shall perish.” (Numb. 16:7:) “You Levites have gone too far!” See, I have told you a great thing! Were they not fools, in that when he gave them this warning, they took it upon themselves to offer sacrifice? They had sinned against their own lives, as stated (in Numb. 17:3), “The censers of these who have sinned at the cost of their lives.” Now since Korah was a clever man, how did he see fit to commit this folly? It is simply that his eyes misled him. He foresaw a great lineage stemming from himself, [e.g.,] Samuel, who was the equivalent of Moses and Aaron, as stated (in Ps. 99:6), “Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call His name.” Moreover, the twenty-four [Levitical] shifts would stem from his descendants, all of whom would prophesy by the holy spirit, as stated (in I Chron. 25:5), “All these were sons of Heman,²⁶A descendant of Korah. the king's seer in matters pertaining to God for his greater glory.” He said, “Is it possible that, when this greatness is going to stem from me, I should perish?” But he did not foresee correctly, since his children would repent, and those [great ones] would stem from them. But Moses did foresee well. He therefore participated on this assumption, when he heard from the mouth of Moses that they all would perish, but one would escape, as stated (Numb. 16:7) “then it shall come to pass that the man whom the Lord chooses is the holy one.”

(Numb. 16:7) YOU LEVITES HAVE GONE TOO FAR! See, I have told you! Were they not fools, in that when he gave them this warning, they took it upon themselves <to offer sacrifice>?²⁷The bracketed words of explanation occur in the parallel accounts of Tanh., Numb. 5:12; Numb. 18:8. They had sinned against their own lives, as stated (in Numb. 17:3 [16:38]): THE CENSERS OF THESE WHO HAVE SINNED AT THE COST OF THEIR LIVES. Now since Korah was a clever man, how did he see fit to commit this folly? It is simply that his eyes misled him. He foresaw a great lineage stemming from himself, <e.g.,> Samuel, who was the equivalent of Moses and Aaron. Moreover, the twenty-four <Levitical> courses would stem from his sons, all of whom would prophesy by the Holy Spirit, [as stated] (in I Chron. 25:5): ALL THESE WERE SONS OF HEMAN,²⁸A descendant of Korah. THE KING'S SEER IN MATTERS PERTAINING TO GOD FOR HIS GREATER GLORY. He said: Is is possible that, when this greatness is going to stem from me, I should perish? But he did not foresee correctly, since his children would repent, and those < great ones> would stem from them. Thus did he foresee.²⁹The two parallels read: “But Moses did foresee this.” He therefore acted the fool in going against that statute, when he heard from the mouth of Moses that they all would perish but one would escape. (Numb. 16:7:) THEN IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT THE MAN WHOM THE LORD CHOOSES IS THE HOLY ONE.

8 (Numb. 16:6) “Do this; take censers, [Korah and all his company…]”: What was his reason for saying this to them? He said to them, “In the religions of the nations there are many laws,¹⁷NYMWSYN. Gk.: nomoi. and many priests, and they all assemble at one time. Now as for us, we only have one God, one Torah, one justice, one altar, and one high priest; but you two hundred and fifty men are [yet all] seeking high priesthood! I also am willing in this regard.” (Numb. 16:11,) “Therefore you and all your company.” (Numb. 16:6) “Do this, take censers, Korah and all his company”: Here you have a ministry more precious than all the others. It is the incense, the most precious of the sacrifices. But a deadly poison had been put within it, through which Nadab and Abihu were burned. He therefore warned them (in vs. 7, cont.), “then it shall come to pass that the man whom the Lord chooses is the holy one,” Moses said to them, “See, I am telling you that you are not to incur guilt, [only] the one to be chosen from among you shall come out alive, and all [the rest] of you shall perish.” (Numb. 16:7,) “You Levites have gone too far”: See, I have told you a great thing! Were they not fools, in that when he gave them this warning, they took it upon themselves to offer sacrifice? They had sinned against their own lives, as stated (in Numb. 17:3), “The censers of these who have sinned at the cost of their lives.” Now since Korah was a clever man, how did he see fit to commit this folly? It is simply that his eyes misled him. He foresaw a great lineage stemming from himself, [e.g.,] Samuel, who was the equivalent of Moses and Aaron, as stated (in Ps. 99:6), “Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call His name.” Moreover, the twenty-four [Levitical] shifts would stem from his descendants, all of whom would prophesy by the holy spirit, as stated (in I Chron. 25:5), “All these were sons of Heman.”¹⁸A descendant of Korah. He said, “Is it possible that, when this greatness is going to stem from me, I should perish?” But he did not foresee correctly, since his children would repent, and those [great ones] would stem from them. But Moses did foresee well. [Korah] therefore participated on this assumption, when he heard from the mouth of Moses that they all would perish, but one would escape, as stated (Numb. 16:7) “then it shall come to pass that the man whom the Lord chooses is the holy one.”