Why God Spared the Kohathites Despite Korah's Rebellion

[Another interpretation:] "Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathite" (Numbers 4:18). The Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that Korah was destined to arise and dispute over the priesthood. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: We will not destroy the Levites on account of Korah. "Do not cut off" — this is what Scripture says: "For the sake of My name I will defer My anger, and for My praise I will restrain Myself toward you, so as not to cut you off" (Isaiah 48:9). To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had a son, and he became attached to the bandits, and they were seized, and his son was seized together with them. The king said: What shall I do? If I kill the bandits, it is possible that my son is among them; rather, for my son's sake I release them now. So too the Levites were bearing the Tabernacle, as it is said: "But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the holy things was upon them; they were to carry on the shoulder" (Numbers 7:9). And the Holy One, blessed be He, was looking upon Korah and his company, who were destined to dispute against Moses and Aaron. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: What shall I do to these? To kill them is impossible. Why? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, took half of His name and placed upon "the Kohathite" the YH. Therefore He says: "For the sake of My name I will defer My anger" etc., "so as not to cut you off."