Numbers 16:29-50

29If these men die 1the death of all men or 2if they suffer the 3fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. 30But 4if the Lord 5brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they 6descend alive into 7Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the Lord.”

31As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; 32and 8the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and 9all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. 33So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to 10Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34All Israel who were around them fled at their 11outcry, for they said, “The earth may swallow us up!” 3512Fire also came forth from the Lord and consumed the 13two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense.

3614Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 37“Say to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he shall take up the censers out of the midst of the 15blaze, for they are holy; and you scatter the 16burning coals abroad. 38As for the censers of these 17men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered sheets for a plating of the altar, since they did present them before the Lord and they are holy; and 18they shall be for a sign to the sons of Israel.” 39So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers which the men who were burned had offered, and they hammered them out as a plating for the altar, 40as a 19reminder to the sons of Israel that 20no 21layman who is not of the 22descendants of Aaron should come near 23to burn incense before the Lord; so that he will not become like Korah and his company--just as the Lord had spoken to him 24through Moses.

41But on the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel 25grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You are the ones who have caused the death of the Lord’s people.” 42It came about, however, when the congregation had assembled against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tent of meeting, and behold, the cloud covered it and 26the glory of the Lord appeared. 43Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, 44and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 45“2728Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.” Then they fell on their faces. 46Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put in it fire from the altar, and lay incense on it; then bring it quickly to the congregation and 29make atonement for them, for 30wrath has gone forth from the Lord, the plague has begun!” 47Then Aaron took it as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people. 31So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. 48He took his stand between the dead and the living, so that the plague was checked. 4932But those who died by the plague were 14,700, besides those who 33died on account of Korah. 50Then Aaron returned to Moses at the doorway of the tent of meeting, for the plague had been checked.