Numbers 16

1. Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, took both Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben;

2. Even they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the assembly, chosen men of the congregation, men who were well-known.

3. And they gathered themselves against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, “You take too much upon you since all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you lift yourselves up above the congregation of the LORD?”

4. And when Moses heard this, he fell on his face.

5. And he spoke to Korah and to all his company, saying, “Even at daybreak the LORD will show who is His, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him; even him whom He has chosen will He cause to come near to Him.

6. Do this. Take censers, Korah and all your company,

7. And put fire in them, and put incense in them before the LORD tomorrow. And it shall be the man whom the LORD chooses, he shall be holy. You take too much upon you, sons of Levi!”

8. And Moses said to Korah, “Hear now you sons of Levi:

9. Is it too little a 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 the tabernacle of the LORD and to stand before the congregation to minister to them?

10. And He has brought you near, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you. And do you seek the priesthood as well?

11. Therefore you and all your company are gathered against the LORD. And what is Aaron, that you murmur against him?”

12. And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab. And they said, “We will not come up.

13. Is it too little a thing that you have brought us up out of a land that flows with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness, but must you also make yourself a prince over us?

14. Besides, you have not brought us into a land that flows with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance in fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.”

15. And Moses was very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, neither have I hurt one of them.”

16. And Moses said to Korah, “Stand before the LORD, you and all your company—you and they, and Aaron, tomorrow.

17. And every man take his censer and put incense in them, and let every man bring his censer before the LORD, two hundred and fifty censers, you also, and Aaron, each with his censer.”

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

19. And Korah gathered all the congregation against them to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.

20. And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

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

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

23. And the LORD spoke to Moses saying,

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

25. And Moses rose up and went to Dathan and Abiram. And the elders of Israel followed him.

26. And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “I pray you, get away from the tents of these wicked men. And touch nothing of theirs lest you be destroyed in all their sins.”

27. So they got away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram, on every side. And Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.

28. And Moses said, “By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, and that I have not done them from my own heart.

29. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they are visited according to the fate of all men, the LORD has not sent me.

30. But if the LORD creates a new creation, and the earth opens her mouth and swallows them up with all that they have, and they go down alive into the pit, then you shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.”

31. And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart.

32. And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who were for Korah, and all their goods.

33. They and all that they had went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them. And they perished from among the congregation.

34. And all Israel around them fled at their cry. For they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also.”

35. And there came out a fire from the LORD and burned up the two hundred and fifty men who offered incense.

36. And the LORD spoke to Moses saying,

37. “Speak to Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning and scatter the fire yonder. For they are holy.

38. The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them into broad plates, a covering for the altar; for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are made holy. And they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.”

39. And Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, the ones with which those who had been burned up had offered, and they were made into broad plates, a covering of the altar,

40. To be a memorial to the children of Israel that no stranger who is not of the seed of Aaron may come near to offer incense before the LORD, so that he may not be as Korah and as his company—as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.

41. But on the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron saying, “You have killed the people of the LORD.”

42. And it came to pass when the congregation was gathered together against Moses and against Aaron, they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation. And behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.

43. And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.

44. And the LORD spoke to Moses saying,

45. Get away from this congregation so that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

46. And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a censer, and put fire in it from the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly into the congregation and make an atonement for them. For wrath has gone out from the LORD. The plague has begun.”

47. And Aaron did as Moses commanded and ran into the midst of the congregation. And behold, the plague had begun among the people. And he put on incense and made an atonement for the people.

48. And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stayed.

49. And those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand, seven hundred, besides the ones who died about the matter of Korah.

50. And Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the plague was stayed.