Numbers 16

Num 16:1 Korah son of Izhar, from the Levite clan of Kohath, rebelled against the leadership of Moses. He was joined by three members of the tribe of Reuben---Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth---and by 250 other Israelites, well-known leaders chosen by the community.


Moses’ leadership was challenged.


Num 16:12 Then Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, but they said, "We will not come!
Num 16:13 Isn't it enough that you have brought us out of the fertile land of Egypt to kill us here in the wilderness? Do you also have to lord it over us?
Num 16:14 You certainly have not brought us into a fertile land or given us fields and vineyards as our possession, and now you are trying to deceive us. We will not come!"

Not satisfied with challenging Moses, these Israelites also despised the Lord by telling Moses that they were freed from Egypt only to die in the wilderness. The mutineers were punished by God. They were swallowed by the earth.

Num 16:41 The next day the whole community complained against Moses and Aaron and said, "You have killed some of the LORD's people."

The Israelites protested to Moses about what happened. They even called the mutineers “God’s people.” God was angered and He sent plague to the people. Moses and Aaron stopped the plague by performing the ritual for purification.

God’s showed his justice by destroying the mutineers and their supporters but he also showed mercy by heeding Moses and Aaron’s ritual for purification. God did not destroy the whole of Israel.