Numbers 16:29-50

29If these men die 1the death of all mankind, or 2if they suffer the 3fate of all mankind, 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 with everything that is theirs, and they 6descend alive into 7Sheol, then you will know that these men have been disrespectful to the Lord.”

31And as he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; 32and 8the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, and 9all the people who belonged to Korah with all 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. 34Then all Israel who were around them fled at their 11outcry, for they said, “The earth might swallow us!” 3512Fire also came out from the Lord and consumed the 13250 men who were offering the incense.

3614Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 37“Tell Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he shall pick up the censers from the midst of the burned area, because they are holy; and you are to scatter the 15burning coals farther away. 38As for the censers of these 16men who have sinned at the cost of their own lives, have them made into hammered sheets as plating for the altar, since they did present them before the Lord and they are holy; and 17they shall 18serve as a sign to the sons of Israel.” 39So the priest Eleazar took the bronze censers which the men who were burned had offered, and they hammered them out as plating for the altar, 40as a reminder to the sons of Israel so that 19no 20layman, anyone who was not of the 21descendants of Aaron, would approach 22to burn incense before the Lord; then he would not become like Korah and his group--just as the Lord had spoken to him 23through Moses.

41But on the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel 24grumbled 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 25the 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“26Get away from among this congregation so that I may consume them instantly.” Then they fell on their faces. 46And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put fire in it from the altar, and place incense on it; then bring it quickly to the congregation and 27make atonement for them, for 28wrath has gone out from the Lord, the plague has begun!” 47Then Aaron took it just as Moses had spoken, and he ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague had begun among the people. 29So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. 48And he took his stand between the dead and the living, so that the plague was brought to a halt. 4930But those who died by the plague were 14,700 in number, besides those who 31died on account of Korah. 50Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, for the plague had been brought to a halt.