A plain reading of Bamidbar chapter 16 suggests that Korach was basically silent in the whole "episode of Korach". However, Chazal and the midrash explain, at length, about Korach's involvement and his instigation of the rebellion against the extant leadership.
The only utterance of Korach, however, is in Badmidbar 16:3, where Korach speaks collectively with 'Datan and Aviram' and 'On ben Pelet'. This is the only time he speaks (14 words), and he speaks along with the others mentioned:
וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ עַל-מֹשֶׁה וְעַל-אַהֲרֹן, וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם רַב-לָכֶם--כִּי כָל-הָעֵדָה כֻּלָּם קְדֹשִׁים, וּבְתוֹכָם יְהוָה; וּמַדּוּעַ תִּתְנַשְּׂאוּ, עַל-קְהַל יְהוָה
They gathered unto Moshe and Aharon and said to them: "You have gone too far! For all the community are holy, all of them, and the LORD is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above the LORD’s congregation?”
Other than this collective rebuke against Moshe and Aharon, Korach is silent. The narrative text suggests that it was "Korach and his congregation" (ibid 16:10) that were the responsible party; however, Korach never speaks. In fact, it is Datan and Aviram who are presented as the most rebellious by refusing the call of Moshe (16:12 "וַיֹּאמְרוּ, לֹא נַעֲלֶה") and then say (16:13-14):
הַמְעַט, כִּי הֶעֱלִיתָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ, לַהֲמִיתֵנוּ, בַּמִּדְבָּר: כִּי-תִשְׂתָּרֵר עָלֵינוּ, גַּם-הִשְׂתָּרֵר. אַ֡ף לֹ֣א אֶל־אֶרֶץ֩ זָבַ֨ת חָלָ֤ב וּדְבַשׁ֙ הֲבִ֣יאֹתָ֔נוּ וַתִּ֨תֶּן־לָ֔נוּ נַחֲלַ֖ת שָׂדֶ֣ה וָכָ֑רֶם הַעֵינֵ֞י הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים הָהֵ֛ם תְּנַקֵּ֖ר לֹ֥א נַעֲלֶֽה׃
(13) Is it not enough that you brought us from a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, that you would also lord it over us? (14) Even if you had brought us to a land flowing with milk and honey, and given us possession of fields and vineyards, should you gouge out those men’s eyes? We will not come!”
I was surprised, when reading this passage again, that Korach doesn't say anything independently. Especially since he is considered the primary cause of the rebellion. Do any commentaries explain the silence of Korach?
