Numbers 16:1 ←
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took some men.
Numbers 16:2 ←
They rose up before Moses, with some of the children of Israel, two hundred fifty princes of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown.
Numbers 16:3 ←
They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, “You take too much on yourself, since all the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and Yahweh is among them! Why do you lift yourselves up above Yahweh’s assembly?”
Numbers 16:4 ←
When Moses heard it, he fell on his face.
Numbers 16:5 ←
He said to Korah and to all his company, “In the morning, Yahweh will show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to him. Even him whom he shall choose, he will cause to come near to him.
Numbers 16:6 ←
Do this: have Korah and all his company take censers,
Numbers 16:7 ←
put fire in them, and put incense on them before Yahweh tomorrow. It shall be that the man whom Yahweh chooses, he shall be holy. You have gone too far, you sons of Levi!”
Numbers 16:8 ←
Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi!
Numbers 16:9 ←
Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of Yahweh’s tabernacle, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them;
Numbers 16:10 ←
and that he has brought you near, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? Do you seek the priesthood also?
Numbers 16:11 ←
Therefore you and all your company have gathered together against Yahweh! What is Aaron that you complain against him?”
Numbers 16:12 ←
Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; and they said, “We won’t come up!
Numbers 16:13 ←
Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, but you must also make yourself a prince over us?
Numbers 16:14 ←
Moreover you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We won’t come up.”
Numbers 16:15 ←
Moses was very angry, and said to Yahweh, “Don’t respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, neither have I hurt one of them.”
Numbers 16:16 ←
Moses said to Korah, “You and all your company go before Yahweh, you, and they, and Aaron, tomorrow.
Numbers 16:17 ←
Each man take his censer and put incense on it, and each man bring before Yahweh his censer, two hundred fifty censers; you also, and Aaron, each with his censer.”
Numbers 16:18 ←
They each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and stood at the door of the Tent of Meeting with Moses and Aaron.
Numbers 16:19 ←
Korah assembled all the congregation opposite them to the door of the Tent of Meeting. Yahweh’s glory appeared to all the congregation.
Numbers 16:20 ←
Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
Numbers 16:21 ←
“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment!”
Numbers 16:22 ←
They fell on their faces, and said, “God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?”
Numbers 16:23 ←
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Numbers 16:24 ←
“Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from around the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram!’ ”
Numbers 16:25 ←
Moses rose up and went to Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
Numbers 16:26 ←
He spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins!”
Numbers 16:27 ←
So they went away from the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side. Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents with their wives, their sons, and their little ones.
Numbers 16:28 ←
Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that Yahweh has sent me to do all these works; for they are not from my own mind.
Numbers 16:29 ←
If these men die the common death of all men, or if they experience what all men experience, then Yahweh hasn’t sent me.
Numbers 16:30 ←
But if Yahweh makes a new thing, and the ground opens its mouth, and swallows them up with all that belong to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall understand that these men have despised Yahweh.”
Numbers 16:31 ←
As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split apart.
Numbers 16:32 ←
The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their households, all of Korah’s men, and all their goods.
Numbers 16:33 ←
So they, and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol. The earth closed on them, and they perished from among the assembly.
Numbers 16:34 ←
All Israel that were around them fled at their cry; for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!”
Numbers 16:35 ←
Fire came out from Yahweh, and devoured the two hundred fifty men who offered the incense.
Numbers 16:36 ←
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Numbers 16:37 ←
“Speak to Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter the fire away from the camp; for they are holy,
Numbers 16:38 ←
even the censers of those who sinned against their own lives. Let them be beaten into plates for a covering of the altar, for they offered them before Yahweh. Therefore they are holy. They shall be a sign to the children of Israel.”
Numbers 16:39 ←
Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers which those who were burned had offered; and they beat them out for a covering of the altar,
Numbers 16:40 ←
to be a memorial to the children of Israel, to the end that no stranger who isn’t of the offspring of Aaron, would come near to burn incense before Yahweh, that he not be as Korah and as his company; as Yahweh spoke to him by Moses.
Numbers 16:41 ←
But on the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed Yahweh’s people!”
Numbers 16:42 ←
When the congregation was assembled against Moses and against Aaron, they looked toward the Tent of Meeting. Behold, the cloud covered it, and Yahweh’s glory appeared.
Numbers 16:43 ←
Moses and Aaron came to the front of the Tent of Meeting.
Numbers 16:44 ←
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Numbers 16:45 ←
“Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment!” They fell on their faces.
Numbers 16:46 ←
Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, put fire from the altar in it, lay incense on it, carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from Yahweh! The plague has begun.”
Numbers 16:47 ←
Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the middle of the assembly. The plague had already begun among the people. He put on the incense, and made atonement for the people.
Numbers 16:48 ←
He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
Numbers 16:49 ←
Now those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, in addition to those who died about the matter of Korah.
Numbers 16:50 ←
Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and the plague was stopped.
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