Numbers 16
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New King James Version

Numbers 16:16-35

16And Moses said to Korah, “Tomorrow, you and all your company be present before the Lord—you and they, as well as Aaron.

17Let each take his censer and put incense in it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, two hundred and fifty censers; both you and Aaron, each with his censer.”

18So every man took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and stood at the door of the tabernacle of meeting with Moses and Aaron.

19And Korah gathered all the congregation against them at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.

20And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,

21“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”

22Then they fell on their faces, and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?”

23So the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

24“Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ ”

25Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.

26And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.”

27So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children.

28And Moses said: “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will.

29If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.

30But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord.”

31Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them,

32and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods.

33So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly.

34Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also!”

35And a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.

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Commentaries on Numbers 16

New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc