Numbers 16:3-35

3They assembled together 1against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “23You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and 4the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”

4When Moses heard this, 5he fell on his face; 5and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His, and 6who is holy, and will bring him near to Himself; even 7the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself. 6Do this: take censers for yourselves, Korah and all 8your company, 7and put fire in them, and lay incense upon them in the presence of the Lord tomorrow; and the man whom the Lord chooses shall be the one who is holy. 910You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!”

8Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi, 911is it 12not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, 13to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; 10and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? And are you 14seeking for the priesthood also? 11Therefore you and all your company are gathered together 15against the Lord; but as for Aaron, 16who is he that 17you grumble against him?”

12Then Moses sent 18a summons to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said, “We will not come up. 13Is it 19not enough that you have brought us up out of a 20land flowing with milk and honey 21to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us? 14Indeed, you have not brought us 22into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of 23fields and vineyards. Would you 2425put out the eyes of 26these men? We will not come up!”

15Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “27Do not regard their offering! 28I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them.” 16Moses said to Korah, “You and all your company be present before the Lord tomorrow, both you and they along with Aaron. 17Each of you take his firepan and put incense on 29it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, two hundred and fifty firepans; also you and Aaron shall each bring his firepan.” 18So they each took his own censer and put fire on 30it, and laid incense on 31it; and they stood at the doorway of the tent of meeting, with Moses and Aaron. 19Thus Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And 32the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.

20Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 21“33Separate yourselves from among this congregation, 34that I may consume them instantly.” 22But they fell on their faces and said, “O God, 35God of the spirits of all flesh, 36when one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?”

23Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24“Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘37Get back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’”

25Then Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, with the elders of Israel following him, 26and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “38Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, 39or you will be swept away in all their sin.” 27So they got back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the doorway of their tents, along with their wives and 40their sons and their little ones. 28Moses said, “By this you shall know that 41the Lord has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not 42my doing. 29If these men die 43the death of all men or 44if they suffer the 45fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. 30But 46if the Lord 47brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they 48descend alive into 49Sheol, 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 50the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and 51all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. 33So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to 52Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34All Israel who were around them fled at their 53outcry, for they said, “The earth may swallow us up!” 3554Fire also came forth from the Lord and consumed the 55two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense.