KORAHITE

(Koʹrah·ite).

A descendant of Korah, who rebelled in Moses’ day. The Korahites were a paternal house of the Kohathite Levites and descended from Korah through his three sons Assir, Elkanah and Abiasaph. (Ex. 6:18, 21, 24; Num. 16:1-3) “The sons of Korah did not die” with their father (Num. 26:10, 11), evidently because they did not follow him in rebellion.

In the census of Israel taken on the plains of Moab “the family of the Korahites” was registered with the Levite families. (Num. 26:57, 58) When David was still under restrictions imposed by King Saul, certain Korahites were among the mighty men who joined him at Ziklag. (1 Chron. 12:1, 6) The Levitical singer Heman and the prophet Samuel were Korahites (1 Chron. 6:33-38), and King David organized members of Heman’s family as singers. (1 Chron. 15:16, 17; 16:37, 41, 42; 25:1, 4-6) Korahites were among the gatekeepers for the house of Jehovah (1 Chron. 26:1-9, 19), and in Jehoshaphat’s day “Levites of the sons of the Kohathites and the sons of the Korahites rose up to praise Jehovah the God of Israel with an extraordinarily loud voice,” because of promised deliverance from the combined forces of Moab, Ammon and Mount Seir.—2 Chron. 20:14-19.

The superscriptions of Psalms 42, 44-49, 84, 85, 87 and 88 specifically mention the sons of Korah. Though their forefather had been rebellious, Jehovah did not hold the sons of Korah accountable for his error, and because of their faithfulness they were blessed and honored with temple service.