Numbers 16

1Now KorahH7141 sonH1121 of IzharH3324, the sonH1121 of KohathH6955 sonH1121 of LeviH3881, along with some ReubenitesH1121H7205—DathanH1885 and AbiramH48, sonsH1121 of EliabH446, and OnH203 sonH1121 of PelethH6431—conductedH3947 2a rebellionH6965 againstH6440 MosesH4872, along with 250H2572H3967 menH582 of IsraelH1121H3478 renownedH8034 as leadersH5387 of the congregationH5712 and representativesH7148 in the assemblyH4150. 3They came togetherH6950 againstH5921 MosesH4872 andH5921 AaronH175 and told themH559H413, “You have taken too muchH7227 upon yourselves!1 ForH3588 everyoneH3605 in the entireH3605 congregationH5712 is holyH6918, and the LORDH3068 is in their midstH8432. WhyH4069 then do you exaltH5375 yourselves aboveH5921 the assemblyH6951 of the LORDH3068?”

4When MosesH4872 heard thisH8085, he fellH5307 facedownH5921H6440. 5Then he saidH1696 toH413 KorahH7141H413 and allH3605 his followersH5712H559, “Tomorrow morningH1242 the LORDH3068 will revealH3045 who belongsH834 to Him2 andH853 who is holyH6918, and He will bring that person nearH7126 to HimselfH413. The oneH834 He choosesH977 He will bring nearH7126 to HimselfH413. 6You, KorahH7141, and allH3605 your followersH5712 are to doH6213 as followsH2063: TakeH3947 censersH4289, 7and tomorrowH4279 you are to placeH5414 fireH784 and incenseH7004 in them in the presenceH6440 of the LORDH3068. Then the manH376 the LORDH3068 choosesH977 will beH1961 the oneH1931 who is holyH6918. It is you sonsH1121 of LeviH3878 who have taken too muchH7227 upon yourselves!”

8MosesH4872 also saidH559 toH413 KorahH7141, “NowH4994 listenH8085, you sonsH1121 of LeviH3878! 9Is it not enoughH4592 for you thatH3588 the GodH430 of IsraelH3478 has separated youH914 from the congregationH5712 of IsraelH3478 and brought you nearH7126 to HimselfH413 to performH5647 the workH5656 at the LORD’sH3068 tabernacleH4908, and to standH5975 beforeH6440 the congregationH5712 to minister to themH8334? 10He has brought you nearH7126, you and allH3605 your fellowH251 LevitesH1121H3878, but you are seekingH1245 the priesthoodH3550 as wellH1571. 11ThereforeH3651, it is youH859 and allH3605 your followersH5712 who have conspiredH3259 againstH5921 the LORDH3068! As for AaronH175, whoH4100 is heH1931 thatH3588 you should grumbleH3885 against himH5921?”

12Then MosesH4872 summonedH7971H7121 DathanH1885 and AbiramH48, the sonsH1121 of EliabH446, but they saidH559, “We will notH3808 comeH5927! 13Is it not enoughH4592 thatH3588 you have brought us upH5927 out of a landH776 flowingH2100 with milkH2461 and honeyH1706 to kill usH4191 in the wildernessH4057H3588? Must you alsoH1571 appoint yourself as rulerH8323 over usH5921? 14MoreoverH637, you have notH3808 brought usH935 intoH413 a landH776 flowingH2100 with milkH2461 and honeyH1706 or givenH5414 us an inheritanceH5159 of fieldsH7704 and vineyardsH3754. Will you gouge outH5365 the eyesH5869 of theseH1992 menH582? No, we will notH3808 comeH5927!”

15Then MosesH4872 became veryH3966 angryH2734 and saidH559 toH413 the LORDH3068, “Do notH408 regardH6437H413 their offeringH4503. I have notH3808 takenH5375H3808 oneH259 donkeyH2543 from them or mistreatedH7489 a singleH259 one of them.”

16And MosesH4872 saidH559 toH413 KorahH7141, “YouH859 and allH3605 your followersH5712 are to appearH1961 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 tomorrowH4279—youH859 and theyH1992 and AaronH175. 17Each manH376 is to takeH3947 his censerH4289, placeH5414 incenseH7004 in itH5921, and presentH7126 it beforeH6440 the LORDH3068—250H2572H3967 censersH4289. YouH859 and AaronH175H376 are to present your censers as wellH4289.”

18So each manH376 tookH3947 his censerH4289, putH5414 fireH784 and incenseH7004 in itH5921, and stoodH5975 with MosesH4872 and AaronH175 at the entranceH6607 to the TentH168 of MeetingH4150. 19When KorahH7141 had gatheredH6950 his wholeH3605 assemblyH5712 against themH5921 atH413 the entranceH6607 to the TentH168 of MeetingH4150, the gloryH3519 of the LORDH3068 appearedH7200 toH413 the wholeH3605 congregationH5712.

20And the LORDH3068 saidH1696 toH413 MosesH4872H413 and AaronH175H559, 21“Separate yourselvesH914 fromH8432 thisH2063 congregationH5712 so that I may consumeH3615 themH853 in an instantH7281.”

22But Moses and Aaron fellH5307 facedownH5921H6440 and saidH559, “O GodH410, the GodH430 of the spiritsH7307 of allH3605 fleshH1320, when oneH259 manH376 sinsH2398, will You be angryH7107 withH5921 the wholeH3605 congregationH5712?”

Moses Separates the People

23Then the LORDH3068 saidH1696 toH413 MosesH4872H559, 24“TellH1696H413 the congregationH5712H559 to move awayH5927 fromH5439 the dwellingsH4908 of KorahH7141, DathanH1885, and AbiramH48.”

25So MosesH4872 got upH6965 and wentH1980 toH413 DathanH1885 and AbiramH48, and the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478 followedH1980 himH310. 26And he warnedH1696H413 the congregationH5712H559, “Move awayH5493 nowH4994 fromH5921 the tentsH168 of theseH428 wickedH7563 menH582. Do notH408 touchH5060 anythingH3605 that belongsH834 to them, orH6435 you will be swept awayH5595 because of allH3605 their sinsH2403.”

27So they moved awayH5927 fromH5921 the dwellingsH4908 of KorahH7141, DathanH1885, and AbiramH48. MeanwhileH5439, DathanH1885 and AbiramH48 had come outH3318 and stoodH5324 at the entrancesH6607 to their tentsH168 with their wivesH802 and childrenH1121 and infantsH2945.

The Earth Swallows Korah

28Then MosesH4872 saidH559, “This is howH2063 you will knowH3045 thatH3588 the LORDH3068 has sent meH7971 to doH6213 allH3605 theseH428 thingsH4639, forH3588 it was notH3808 my own doingH3820: 29IfH518 theseH428 men dieH4191 a natural deathH4194, or if they sufferH6485H5921 the fateH6486 of allH3605 menH120, then the LORDH3068 has notH3808 sent meH7971. 30But ifH518 the LORDH3068 brings aboutH1254 something unprecedentedH1278, and the earthH127 opensH6475 its mouthH6310 and swallowsH1104 themH853 andH853 allH3605 thatH834 belongs to them so that they go downH3381 aliveH2416 into SheolH7585, then you will knowH3045 thatH3588 theseH428 menH582 have treatedH5006 the LORD with contemptH3068.”

31

As soon as Moses had finishedH3615 sayingH1696 allH3605 thisH428H1697, the groundH127 beneath themH8478 split openH1234, 32and the earthH776 openedH6605 its mouthH6310 and swallowedH1104 themH853 andH853 their householdsH1004—allH3605 Korah’sH7141 menH120 and allH3605 their possessionsH7399. 33TheyH1992 went downH3381 aliveH2416 into SheolH7585 with allH3605 they ownedH834. The earthH776 closedH3680 over themH5921, and they vanishedH6 fromH8432 the assemblyH6951.

34At their criesH6963, allH3605 the people of IsraelH3478 whoH834 were around themH5439 fledH5127, sayingH559, “The earthH776 mayH6435 swallow us tooH1104!” 35And fireH784 came forthH3318 from the LORDH3068 and consumedH398 the 250H2572H3967 menH376 who were offeringH7126 the incenseH7004.

The Censers Reserved for Holy Use

36Then the LORDH3068 saidH1696 toH413 MosesH4872H559, 37“TellH559H413 EleazarH499 sonH1121 of AaronH175 the priestH3548 to removeH7311 the censersH4289 fromH996 the flamesH8316 andH853 to scatterH2219 the coalsH784 far awayH1973, becauseH3588 the censers are holyH6942. 38As for the censersH4289 of thoseH428 who sinnedH2400 at the cost of their own livesH5315, hammer them intoH6213H853H7555 sheetsH6341 to overlayH6826 the altarH4196, forH3588 these were presentedH7126 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068, and so have become holyH6942. They will serve asH1961 a signH226 to the IsraelitesH1121H3478.”

39So EleazarH499 the priestH3548 tookH3947 the bronzeH5178 censersH4289 broughtH7126 by those who had been burned upH8313, and he had them hammered outH7554 to overlayH6826 the altarH4196, 40just asH834 the LORDH3068H3808 commanded himH1696 throughH3027 MosesH4872. This was to be a reminderH2146 to the IsraelitesH1121H3478 thatH4616 noH3808 outsiderH2114H376 whoH834 isH1931 notH3808 a descendantH2233 of AaronH175 should approachH7126 to offerH6999 incenseH7004 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068, lest he becomeH1961 like KorahH7141 and his followersH5712.

Murmuring and Plague

(1 Corinthians 10:1–13)

41The next dayH4283 the wholeH3605 congregationH5712H1121 of IsraelH3478 grumbledH3885 againstH5921 MosesH4872H5921 and AaronH175, sayingH559, “YouH859 have killedH4191 the LORD’sH3068 peopleH5971!” 42ButH1961 when the congregationH5712 gatheredH6950 against themH5921, MosesH4872H5921 and AaronH175 turnedH6437 towardH413 the TentH168 of MeetingH4150H2009, and suddenly the cloudH6051 covered itH3680 and the gloryH3519 of the LORDH3068 appearedH7200.

43Then MosesH4872 and AaronH175 wentH935 toH413 the frontH6440 of the TentH168 of MeetingH4150, 44and the LORDH3068 saidH1696 toH413 MosesH4872H559, 45“Get awayH7426 fromH8432 thisH2063 congregationH5712 so that I may consumeH3615 themH853 in an instantH7281.” And Moses and Aaron fellH5307 facedownH5921H6440.

46MosesH4872 saidH559 toH413 AaronH175, “TakeH3947 your censerH4289, placeH5414 fireH784 fromH5921 the altarH4196H7760 in itH5921, and add incenseH7004. GoH1980 quicklyH4120 toH413 the congregationH5712 and make atonementH3722 for themH5921, becauseH3588 wrathH7110 has comeH3318 out fromH6440 the LORDH3068; the plagueH5063 has begunH2490.”

47So AaronH175 tookH3947 the censer asH834 MosesH4872 had orderedH1696 and ranH7323 intoH413 the midstH8432 of the assemblyH6951H2009. And seeing that the plagueH5063 had begunH2490 among the peopleH5971H5414, he offered the incenseH7004 and made atonementH3722 forH5921 the peopleH5971. 48He stoodH5975 betweenH996 the livingH2416 and the deadH4191, and the plagueH4046 was haltedH6113. 49But those who diedH4191 from the plagueH4046 numbered 14,700H702H6240H505H7651H3967, in addition toH905 those who had diedH4191 onH5921 accountH1697 of KorahH7141.

50Then AaronH175 returnedH7725 toH413 MosesH4872 atH413 the entranceH6607 to the TentH168 of MeetingH4150, since the plagueH4046 had been haltedH6113.