Numbers 16:40

Numbers 16:40 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the Lord; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the Lord said to him by the hand of Moses.
• New International Version (NIV)as the Lord directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the Lord, or he would become like Korah and his followers.
• English Standard Version (ESV)to be a reminder to the people of Israel, so that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense before the Lord, lest he become like Korah and his company—as the Lord said to him through Moses.
• New King James Version (NKJV)to be a memorial to the children of Israel that no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the Lord, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, just as the Lord had said to him through Moses.

Context of Numbers 16:40

38As for the censers of these men who sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be taken and hammered into sheets as a covering for the altar. For they were presented before Adonai, so they are holy. They are to be a sign to Bnei-Yisrael.” 39So Eleazar the kohen collected the bronze censers brought by the ones who were burned and hammered them into an overlay for the altar, just as Adonai had spoken to him by Moses’ hand, so that it would be as a reminder to Bnei-Yisrael that no one who was not a descendant of Aaron should burn incense before Adonai, and so no one would become like Korah and his following. 41The next day, the entire community of Bnei-Yisrael grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You killed Adonai’s people!” 42But when they gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the Tent of Meeting, behold, the cloud covered it and the glory appeared!

Numbers 16:40 word by word

זִכָּר֞וֹן לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לְ֠מַעַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יִקְרַ֜ב אִ֣ישׁ זָ֗ר אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹ֣א מִזֶּ֤רַע אַהֲרֹן֙ ה֔וּא לְהַקְטִ֥יר קְטֹ֖רֶת לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֤ה כְקֹ֙רַח֙ וְכַ֣עֲדָת֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֖ה לֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• a memorialזִכָּרוֹןzikrôn · memorialH2146
• unto the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• thatמַ֫עַןma‛an · becauseH4616
• thatאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• no strangerזוּרzûr · be a strangerH2114
• no strangerאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• not of the seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
• of Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
• come nearקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
• to offerקָטַרqâţar · to offer: burnH6999
• incenseקְטֹ֫רֶתqeţôreth · incenseH7004
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• that he be not as Korahקֹ֫רַחqôrach · KorahH7141
• and as his companyעֵדָה‛êdâh · congregationH5712
• saidדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• to him by the handיָדyâd · hand: byH3027
• of Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872

Cross-references for Numbers 16:40

• Numbers 3:10You are to appoint Aaron and his sons to maintain the priesthood; any commoner who approaches must be executed.”
• Numbers 18:4They are to team with you and attend to the Tent of Meeting, for all the service of the Tent. But no unauthorized person may intrude upon you.
• Leviticus 22:10“No layman is to eat from the holy offering. A foreigner living with the kohanim or a hired servant is not to eat from the holy offering.
• 2 Chronicles 26:18They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Adonai, but for the kohanim, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the Sanctuary, for you have acted unfaithfully. You will have no honor from Adonai Elohim.”
• Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they went the way of Cain; they were consumed for pay in Balaam’s error; and in Korah’s rebellion they have been destroyed.
• 1 Kings 13:1Unexpectedly, a man of God came from Judah to Bethel with the word of Adonai while Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
• 2 Chronicles 26:16But when he became strong, his heart grew so haughty that he acted corruptly. For he trespassed against Adonai his God by entering into the Temple of Adonai to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

Commentaries on Numbers 16:40

• 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 16:40

• Altar
• Incense
• Israel
• Sacrilege
• Token

In the dictionaries

• Aaron
• Israel
• Korah
• Moses
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Korah, Korahite
• Children of Israel
• Choose
• Close

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