Numbers Chapter 16

Numbers Chapter 16
1 Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of
Kohath, the son of Levi went apart with
Dathan, and Abiram the sons of Eliab,
and On the son of Peleth, the sons of
Reuben:
2 And they rose up against Moses, with
certain of the children of Israel, two
hundred and fifty captains of the
assembly, famous in the congregation,
and men of renown,
3 Who gathered themselves together
against Moses, and against Aaron, and
said unto them, Ye take too much upon
you, seeing all the congregation is holy,
every one of them, and the Lord is
among them: wherefore then lift ye
yourselves above the congregation of the
Lord?
4 But when Moses heard it, he fell upon
his face,
5 And spake to Korah and unto all his
company, saying, Tomorrow the Lord
will show who is his, and who is holy,
and who ought to approach near unto
him: and whom he hath chosen, he will
cause to come near to him. 6 This do
therefore, Take you censers, both
Korah, and all his company, 7 And put
fire therein, and put incense in them
before the Lord tomorrow: and the man
whom the Lord doth choose, the same
shall be holy: ye take too much upon
you, ye sons of Levi.
8 Again Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I
pray you, ye sons of Levi. 9 Seemeth it a
small thing unto you that the God of
Israel hath separated you from the
multitude of Israel, to take you near to
himself, to do the service of the
tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand
before the congregation and to minister
unto them?
10 He hath also taken thee to him, and
all thy brethren the sons of Levi with
thee, and seek ye the office of the priest
also?
11 For which cause, thou, and all thy
company are gathered together against
the Lord: and what is Aaron, that ye
murmur against him?
12 And Moses sent to call Dathan, and
Abiram the sons of Eliab: who
answered, We will not come up.
13 Is it a small thing that thou hast
brought us out of a land that floweth with
milk and honey, to kill us in the
wilderness, except thou make thyself
lord and ruler over us also?
14 Also thou hast not brought us unto a
land that floweth with milk and honey,
neither given us inheritance of fields and
vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of
these men? We will not come up.
15 Then Moses waxed very angry, and
said unto the Lord, Look not unto their
offering: I have not taken so much as an
ass from them, neither have I hurt any of
them.
16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou
and all thy company before the Lord:
both thou, they, and Aaron tomorrow:
17 And take every man his censer, and
put incense in them, and bring ye every
man his censer before the Lord, two
hundred and fifty censers: thou also and
Aaron, every one his censer.
18 So they took every man his censer,
and put fire in them, and laid incense
thereon, and stood in the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation with
Moses and Aaron.
19 And Korah gathered all the multitude
against them unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation: then the
glory of the Lord appeared unto all the
congregation.
20 And the Lord spake unto Moses and
to Aaron, saying,
21 Separate yourselves from among this
congregation, that I may consume them at
once.
22 And they fell upon their faces and
said, O God the God of the spirits, of all
flesh, hath not one man only sinned, and
wilt thou be wroth with all the
congregation?
23 And the Lord spake unto Moses,
saying,
24 Speak unto the congregation and say,
Get you away from about the tabernacle
of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.
25 Then Moses rose up, and went unto
Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of
Israel followed him.
26 And he spake unto the congregation,
saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents
of these wicked men, and touch nothing
of theirs, lest ye perish in all their sins.
27 So they gat them away from the
tabernacle of Korah, Dathan and Abiram
on every side: and Dathan, and Abiram
came out and stood in the door of their
tents with their wives, and their sons,
and their little children. 28 And Moses
said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord
hath sent me to do all these works: for I
have not done them of mine own mind.
29 If these men die the common death of
all men, or if they be visited after the
visitation of all men, the Lord hath not
sent me.
30 But if the Lord make a new thing, and
the earth open her mouth, and swallow
them up with all that they have, and they
go down quick into the pit, then ye shall
understand that these men have provoked
the Lord. 31 And as soon as he had made
an end of speaking all these words, even
the ground clave asunder that was under
them,
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and
swallowed them up, with their families,
and all the men that were with Korah,
and all their goods. 33 So they and all
that they had, went down alive into the
pit, and the earth covered them: so they
perished from among the congregation.
34 And all Israel that were about them,
fled at the cry of them: for they said, Let
us flee, lest the earth swallow us up.
35 But there came out a fire from the
Lord, and consumed the two hundred and
fifty men that offered the incense.
36 And the Lord spake unto Moses,
saying,
37 Speak unto Eleazar, the son of Aaron
the priest, that he take up the censers out
of the burning, and scatter the fire
beyond the altar: for they are hallowed,
38 The censers , I say, of these sinners,
that destroyed themselves: and let them
make of them broad plates for a covering
of the Altar: for they offered them before
the Lord, therefore they shall be holy,
and they shall be a sign unto the children
of Israel.
39 Then Eleazar the priest took the
brazen censers, which they, that were
burned, had offered, and made broad
plates of them for a covering of the altar.
40 It is a remembrance 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
like Korah and his company, as the Lord
said to him by the hand of Moses.
41 But on the morrow all the multitude
of the children of Israel murmured
against Moses and against Aaron,
saying, Ye have killed the people of the
Lord.
42 And when the congregation was
gathered against Moses and against
Aaron, then they turned their faces
toward the tabernacle of the
congregation: and behold, the cloud
covered it, and the glory of the Lord
appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron
were come before the tabernacle of the
congregation.
44 And the Lord spake unto Moses,
saying,
45 Get you up from among this
congregation: for I will consume them
quickly: then they fell upon their faces.
46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take the
censer and put fire therein of the altar,
and put therein incense, and go quickly
unto the congregation, and make an
atonement for them: for there is wrath
gone out from the Lord: the plague is
begun.
47 Then Aaron took as Moses
commanded him, and ran into the midst
of the congregation, and behold, the
plague was begun among the people, and
he put in incense, and made an atonement
for the people.
48 And when he stood between the dead,
and them that were alive, the plague was
stayed.
49 So they died of this plague fourteen
thousand and seven hundred, beside
them that died in the conspiracy of
Korah.
50 And Aaron went again unto Moses
before the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and the plague was stayed.