At the climax of a bitter rebellion, a dramatic punishment unfolded alongside the devastating earthquake that struck the rebel camp. Men who sought a level of greatness never intended for them ultimately met their end through the very act they used in their attempt to become holy.
The fire that consumed them did not ignite from the incense they carried. Instead, it was a divine fire that emerged directly from the Tabernacle and the Holy of Holies [ביאור יש״ר, העמק דבר]. This was the same divine fire that previously struck Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu. It emerged once again to strike down those who invaded a priestly role that did not belong to them [שפתי כהן, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Yet, despite the severe nature of this punishment, meeting their end by this specific fire, much like Nadab and Abihu, actually granted these men a certain measure of honor [העמק דבר].
Their death by burning reflects a strict principle of measure for measure. Because they sinned by choosing to offer fire on their own accord, they were judged by fire. The flames that were supposed to consume their offering consumed the men themselves [רבנו בחיי, רש ר הירש]. This method of death also distinguished them from their fellow rebels, Dathan and Abiram, who were swallowed alive by the earth. This difference stems from their level of obedience. While Dathan and Abiram completely refused to approach the Tabernacle, the two hundred and fifty men at least obeyed Moses' instruction to take their fire pans and present themselves, earning them a different fate [ריב״א].
A central question surrounds the fate of the rebellion's leader, Korah. Although the record explicitly notes that two hundred and fifty men were consumed by the fire, Korah is not specifically named among them. Nevertheless, the primary approach among commentators is that Korah indeed burned alongside them, as he stood right beside them holding his own fire pan. His specific mention is omitted based on simple logic: if the followers who came to support him were burned, it is obvious that the leader of the rebellion met the exact same fate [אבן עזרא]. While other accounts in the Torah describe Korah being swallowed, this term is sometimes used in Scripture as a general expression for death and destruction, rather than literally referring to the earth opening up [הדר זקנים]. Furthermore, a unique theory suggests that one of the original two hundred and fifty men repented at the last moment and was spared. In this scenario, Korah stepped into his place, completing the exact count of those consumed by the fire [ביאור יש״ר].