¹⁶ In the camp they grew envious^(A) of Moses
    and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the Lord.
¹⁷ The earth opened^(B) up and swallowed Dathan;^(C)
    it buried the company of Abiram.^(D)
18 Fire blazed^(E) among their followers;
    a flame consumed the wicked.
¹⁹ At Horeb they made a calf^(F)
    and worshiped an idol cast from metal.
²⁰ They exchanged their glorious God^(G)
    for an image of a bull, which eats grass.
²¹ They forgot the God^(H) who saved them,
    who had done great things^(I) in Egypt,
²² miracles in the land of Ham^(J)
    and awesome deeds^(K) by the Red Sea.
²³ So he said he would destroy^(L) them—
    had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach^(M) before him
    to keep his wrath from destroying them.

²⁴ Then they despised^(N) the pleasant land;^(O)
    they did not believe^(P) his promise.
²⁵ They grumbled^(Q) in their tents
    and did not obey the Lord.
²⁶ So he swore^(R) to them with uplifted hand
    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,^(S)
27 make their descendants fall among the nations
    and scatter^(T) them throughout the lands.

²⁸ They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor^(U)
    and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;
²⁹ they aroused the Lord’s anger^(V) by their wicked deeds,^(W)
    and a plague^(X) broke out among them.
³⁰ But Phinehas^(Y) stood up and intervened,
    and the plague was checked.^(Z)
31 This was credited to him^(AA) as righteousness
    for endless generations^(AB) to come.