Christian Standard Bible
Numbers 16:38
38As for the firepans of those who sinned at the cost of their own lives, make them into hammered sheets as plating for the altar, for they presented them before the Lord, and the firepans are holy. They will be a sign to the Israelites.”
Numbers 16:38 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives. Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar, for they were presented before the Lord and have become holy. Let them be a sign to the Israelites.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they offered them before the Lord, and they became holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the people of Israel."
- New King James Version (NKJV)The censers of these men who sinned against their own souls, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar. Because they presented them before the Lord, therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.”
Context of Numbers 16:38
36Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 37“Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to remove the firepans from the burning debris, because they are holy, and scatter the fire far away. As for the firepans of those who sinned at the cost of their own lives, make them into hammered sheets as plating for the altar, for they presented them before the Lord, and the firepans are holy. They will be a sign to the Israelites.” 39So the priest Eleazar took the bronze firepans that those who were burned had presented, and they were hammered into plating for the altar, 40just as the Lord commanded him through Moses. It was to be a reminder for the Israelites that no unauthorized person outside the lineage of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the Lord and become like Korah and his followers.
Read all of Numbers 16Numbers 16:38 word by word
אֵ֡ת מַחְתּוֹת֩ הַֽחַטָּאִ֨ים הָאֵ֜לֶּה בְּנַפְשֹׁתָ֗ם וְעָשׂ֨וּ אֹתָ֜ם רִקֻּעֵ֤י פַחִים֙ צִפּ֣וּי לַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ כִּֽי־הִקְרִיבֻ֥ם לִפְנֵֽי־יְהוָ֖ה וַיִּקְדָּ֑שׁוּ וְיִֽהְי֥וּ לְא֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The censersמַחְתָּהmachtâh · censerH4289
- of these sinnersחַטָּאchaţţâ' · sinnerH2400
- against their own soulsנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- let them makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- them broadרִקּוּעַriqqûa‛ · hammered outH7555
- platesפַּחpach · plateH6341
- a coveringצִפּוּיtsipûy · platingH6826
- of the altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
- for they offeredקָרַבqârab · to present: bringH7126
- them beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- therefore they are hallowedקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: consecateH6942
- and they shall be a signאוֹת'ôth · sign: indicatorH226
- unto the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for Numbers 16:38
- 1 Kings 2:23Then King Solomon took an oath by the Lord: “May God punish me and do so severely if Adonijah has not made this request at the cost of his life.
- Proverbs 1:18but they set an ambush to kill themselves; they attack their own lives.
- Proverbs 8:36but the one who misses me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”
- Proverbs 20:2A king’s terrible wrath is like the roaring of a lion; anyone who provokes him endangers himself.
- Habakkuk 2:10You have planned shame for your house by wiping out many peoples and sinning against your own self.
- Numbers 16:40just as the Lord commanded him through Moses. It was to be a reminder for the Israelites that no unauthorized person outside the lineage of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the Lord and become like Korah and his followers.
- Numbers 17:10The Lord told Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back in front of the testimony to be kept as a sign for the rebels, so that you may put an end to their complaints before me, or else they will die.”
- Numbers 26:10The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them with Korah, when his followers died and the fire consumed 250 men. They serve as a warning sign.
- Ezekiel 14:8I will turn against that one and make him a sign and a proverb; I will cut him off from among my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 10:11These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.
- 2 Peter 2:6and if he reduced the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes and condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is coming to the ungodly;
Commentaries on Numbers 16:38
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38These sinners against their own souls - That is, “against their own lives.” By their sin they had brought destruction upon themselves.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 35-40Verses 35-40 A fire went out from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense, while Aaron, who stood with them, was preserved alive. God is jealous of the honour of his own institutions, and will not have them invaded. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. The censers are devoted, and, as all devoted things, must be made serviceable to the glory of God. This covering of the altar would remind the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 38-40Eleazar made a bronze sheet to cover the altar, replacing or adding to the earlier one (Exodus 38:2). Like the plain blue tassels in Numbers 15:37–41, it reminded the people of Israel to obey God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 37-4037-40. Speak unto Eleazar--He was selected lest the high priest might contract defilement from going among the dead carcasses.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 16:38
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries