Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph were the immediate male offspring of Korah, listed in the order of their ages, as in the listing of verse 16. These refers to the names of the three families, or “divisions,” of the descendants of Korah. But it may also be understood as referring to the three sons as the “ancestors” of the three families. The Korahites were understood as “the clan of Korah.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .