11/03/2012 YP|reader checked
Philo, in both of his major accounts of the rebellion, does not say anything about Korah, does not even mention his name, let alone tell us about his genealogy, his wealth, or his ability as a speaker and leader. The rebellion is presented as a mass movement. Philo’s chief concern is theological, and the Levites’ objection challenges the very concept of divine revelation. Thus, more than a personal contest between Moses and Korah is at stake. For Philo, the contest is between God and Korah’s impiety, between belief and disbelief. But it is also political, reflecting Philo’s personal involvement as the leader of the Alexandrian Jewish community.
Reprinted in Kenneth E. Pomykala, ed., Israel in the Wilderness: Interpretations of the Biblical Traditions in Jewish and Christian Narratives , Leiden: Brill, 2008, 55-70