Numbers 16
Common English Bible
A challenge to the priesthood
16 Korah—Izhar’s son, Kohath’s grandson, and Levi’s great-grandson—with Dathan and Abiram, Eliab’s sons, and On, Peleth’s son, descendants of Reuben, 2 rose up against Moses, along with two hundred fifty Israelite men, leaders of the community, chosen by the assembly, men of reputation. 3 They assembled against Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You’ve gone too far, because the entire community is holy, every last one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”
4 When Moses heard this, he fell on his face. 5 He spoke to Korah and all his community, “In the morning the Lord will make known who is his, who is holy, and who is able to approach him. The one he chooses for himself is the one who will be able to approach him. 6 This is what must be done. Korah and your entire community: Take censers for yourselves. 7 Tomorrow put fire in them and place incense on them in the Lord’s presence. The man whom the Lord chooses, that one is holy. You Levites have gone too far!” 8 Moses said to Korah, “Listen, you Levites, 9 isn’t it enough for you that Israel’s God has separated you from the Israelite community to allow you to approach him, to perform the service of the Lord’s dwelling, and to serve before the community by ministering for them? 10 He has allowed you and all your fellow Levites with you to approach him. Yet you also seek the priesthood? 11 Thus you and your entire community have assembled against the Lord. But Aaron, what is he that you complain about him?”
Test of priesthood
12 Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, Eliab’s sons. But they said, “We won’t come up! 13 Isn’t it enough that you’ve brought us up from a land full of milk and honey to kill us in the desert so that you’d also dominate us? 14 Moreover, you haven’t brought us to a land full of milk and honey, nor given us the inheritance of field and vineyard. Would you also gouge out the eyes of these men? We won’t come up!”
15 Moses became very angry and he said to the Lord, “Pay no attention to their offering. I haven’t taken a single donkey from them, nor have I wronged any one of them.”
16 Moses said to Korah, “You and your entire community should appear before the Lord tomorrow, you, they, and Aaron. 17 Every person should take his censer, place incense on it, and present it before the Lord. Each person will carry his censer, two hundred fifty censers in all, including you and Aaron.” 18 Then every person took his censer, placed fire on it, put incense on it, and stood at the entrance of the meeting tent with Moses and Aaron. 19 Korah gathered the entire community with them to the entrance of the meeting tent.
Then the Lord’s glory appeared to the entire community. 20 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, 21 “Separate yourselves from this community so that I may consume them in a moment.”
22 They fell on their faces and said, “God, the God of all living things. If one person sins, should you become angry with the entire community?”
23 The Lord said to Moses, 24 “Speak to the community and say, ‘Withdraw from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’”
25 Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram. Israel’s elders followed him. 26 He spoke to the community: “Move away from the tents of these wicked men and don’t touch anything of theirs, lest you too be wiped out for all their sins.” 27 They withdrew from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Then Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrance of their tents with their wives, children, and little ones. 28 Moses said, “By this you will know that the Lord sent me to do these deeds and that it wasn’t my own desire. 29 If all these people die a natural death, or if their fate be that of all humans, then the Lord hasn’t sent me. 30 But if the Lord performs an act of creation, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and everything that belongs to them, so that they descend alive to their graves, then you’ll know that these men disrespected the Lord.”
The rebels’ punishment
31 As soon as he finished speaking these words, the ground under them split open. 32 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, including every human that belonged to Korah and all their possessions. 33 They along with all their possessions descended alive to their graves, and the earth closed over them. They perished in the middle of the assembly. 34 All the Israelites who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “The earth may swallow us.” 35 Then fire went out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred fifty men offering incense.
The reminder of the censers
36 [a] The Lord spoke to Moses: 37 Tell Eleazar, Aaron the priest’s son, to raise the censers from the fire and scatter the ashes about, because they are holy. 38 Hammer the censers of those who sinned and lost their lives into thin plates for the altar. Since they presented them in the Lord’s presence, they had become holy. They will be a sign for the Israelites.
39 Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers presented by those who had been consumed by fire and hammered them into a covering for the altar, 40 just as the Lord instructed him through Moses. This was a reminder for the Israelites that no outsider who isn’t one of Aaron’s descendants should approach to burn incense in the Lord’s presence, so as not to be like Korah and his community.
41 On the next day the entire Israelite community complained to Moses and Aaron, “You killed the Lord’s people.” 42 When the community assembled against Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the meeting tent. At that moment the cloud covered it, and the Lord’s glory appeared. 43 Moses and Aaron came to the front of the meeting tent, 44 and the Lord spoke to Moses: 45 Get away from this community, so that I may consume them in an instant.
They fell on their faces, 46 and Moses said to Aaron, “Take the censer, put fire from the altar on it, place incense on it, go quickly to the community, and seek reconciliation for them. Indeed, the Lord’s anger has gone out. The plague has begun.” 47 Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the middle of the assembly, for the plague had already begun among the people. He burned incense and sought reconciliation for the people. 48 He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague stopped. 49 Those who died from the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, in addition to those who died because of Korah. 50 Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the meeting tent once the plague stopped.
Footnotes
- Numbers 16:36 17:1 in Heb
Numbers 16
King James Version
16 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?
4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
5 And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the Lord will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the Lord to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the Lord doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:
9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath 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 unto them?
10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?
11 For which cause both 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: which said, We will not come up:
13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:
17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the Lord every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.
18 And 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 congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation.
20 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume 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 wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?
23 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
25 And 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 their's, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
27 So they gat up 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, and 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; then 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 appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye 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, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
35 And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered 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 thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.
38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
39 And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:
40 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.
41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord.
42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that 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 spake unto Moses, saying,
45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on 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 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was 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 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.
民数记 16
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
可拉党叛乱
16 利未的曾孙、哥辖的孙子、以斯哈的儿子可拉，和鲁本子孙中以利押的儿子大坍、亚比兰，与比勒的儿子安， 2 并以色列会中的二百五十个首领，就是有名望选入会中的人，在摩西面前一同起来， 3 聚集攻击摩西、亚伦，说：“你们擅自专权。全会众个个既是圣洁，耶和华也在他们中间，你们为什么自高，超过耶和华的会众呢？”
4 摩西听见这话就俯伏在地， 5 对可拉和他一党的人说：“到了早晨，耶和华必指示谁是属他的，谁是圣洁的，就叫谁亲近他。他所拣选的是谁，必叫谁亲近他。 6 可拉啊，你们要这样行：你和你的一党要拿香炉来， 7 明日在耶和华面前，把火盛在炉中，把香放在其上。耶和华拣选谁，谁就为圣洁。你们这利未的子孙擅自专权了！” 8 摩西又对可拉说：“利未的子孙哪，你们听我说。 9 以色列的神从以色列会中将你们分别出来，使你们亲近他，办耶和华帐幕的事，并站在会众面前替他们当差。 10 耶和华又使你，和你一切弟兄利未的子孙，一同亲近他，这岂为小事，你们还要求祭司的职任吗？ 11 你和你一党的人聚集是要攻击耶和华，亚伦算什么，你们竟向他发怨言呢？”
12 摩西打发人去召以利押的儿子大坍、亚比兰。他们说：“我们不上去。 13 你将我们从流奶与蜜之地领上来，要在旷野杀我们，这岂为小事，你还要自立为王辖管我们吗？ 14 并且你没有将我们领到流奶与蜜之地，也没有把田地和葡萄园给我们为业。难道你要剜这些人的眼睛吗？我们不上去。”
15 摩西就甚发怒，对耶和华说：“求你不要享受他们的供物。我并没有夺过他们一匹驴，也没有害过他们一个人。” 16 摩西对可拉说：“明天你和你一党的人，并亚伦，都要站在耶和华面前。 17 各人要拿一个香炉，共二百五十个，把香放在上面，到耶和华面前。你和亚伦也各拿自己的香炉。” 18 于是他们各人拿一个香炉，盛上火，加上香，同摩西、亚伦站在会幕门前。 19 可拉招聚全会众到会幕门前，要攻击摩西、亚伦。耶和华的荣光就向全会众显现。
20 耶和华晓谕摩西、亚伦说： 21 “你们离开这会众，我好在转眼之间把他们灭绝。” 22 摩西、亚伦就俯伏在地，说：“神，万人之灵的神啊！一人犯罪，你就要向全会众发怒吗？” 23 耶和华晓谕摩西说： 24 “你吩咐会众说：你们离开可拉、大坍、亚比兰帐篷的四围。”
25 摩西起来，往大坍、亚比兰那里去，以色列的长老也随着他去。 26 他吩咐会众说：“你们离开这恶人的帐篷吧，他们的物件，什么都不可摸，恐怕你们陷在他们的罪中，与他们一同消灭。” 27 于是众人离开可拉、大坍、亚比兰帐篷的四围。大坍、亚比兰带着妻子、儿女、小孩子，都出来，站在自己的帐篷门口。 28 摩西说：“我行的这一切事本不是凭我自己心意行的，乃是耶和华打发我行的，必有证据使你们知道。 29 这些人死若与世人无异，或是他们所遭的与世人相同，就不是耶和华打发我来的。 30 倘若耶和华创作一件新事，使地开口，把他们和一切属他们的都吞下去，叫他们活活地坠落阴间，你们就明白这些人是藐视耶和华了。”
可拉党受刑
31 摩西刚说完了这一切话，他们脚下的地就开了口， 32 把他们和他们的家眷，并一切属可拉的人丁、财物，都吞下去。 33 这样，他们和一切属他们的都活活地坠落阴间。地口在他们上头照旧合闭，他们就从会中灭亡。 34 在他们四围的以色列众人听他们呼号，就都逃跑，说：“恐怕地也把我们吞下去！” 35 又有火从耶和华那里出来，烧灭了那献香的二百五十个人。
36 耶和华晓谕摩西说： 37 “你吩咐祭司亚伦的儿子以利亚撒从火中捡起那些香炉来，把火撒在别处，因为那些香炉是圣的。 38 把那些犯罪自害己命之人的香炉，叫人锤成片子，用以包坛。那些香炉本是他们在耶和华面前献过的，所以是圣的，并且可以给以色列人做记号。” 39 于是祭司以利亚撒将被烧之人所献的铜香炉拿来，人就锤出来，用以包坛， 40 给以色列人做纪念，使亚伦后裔之外的人不得近前来在耶和华面前烧香，免得他遭可拉和他一党所遭的。这乃是照耶和华借着摩西所吩咐的。
民怨摩西亚伦致遘疫疠
41 第二天，以色列全会众都向摩西、亚伦发怨言说：“你们杀了耶和华的百姓了！” 42 会众聚集攻击摩西、亚伦的时候，向会幕观看，不料，有云彩遮盖了，耶和华的荣光显现。 43 摩西、亚伦就来到会幕前。 44 耶和华吩咐摩西说： 45 “你们离开这会众，我好在转眼之间把他们灭绝。”他们二人就俯伏于地。 46 摩西对亚伦说：“拿你的香炉，把坛上的火盛在其中，又加上香，快快带到会众那里，为他们赎罪。因为有愤怒从耶和华那里出来，瘟疫已经发作了。” 47 亚伦照着摩西所说的拿来，跑到会中，不料，瘟疫在百姓中已经发作了。他就加上香，为百姓赎罪。 48 他站在活人死人中间，瘟疫就止住了。 49 除了因可拉事情死的以外，遭瘟疫死的，共有一万四千七百人。 50 亚伦回到会幕门口，到摩西那里，瘟疫已经止住了。
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative