²⁰ When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them,

²¹ and they said, “May the Lord look on you and judge^(A) you! You have made us obnoxious^(B) to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword^(C) in their hand to kill us.”^(D)

² In the desert the whole community grumbled^(A) against Moses and Aaron. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!^(B) There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food^(C) we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”^(D)

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven^(E) for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test^(F) them and see whether they will follow my instructions. ⁵ On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice^(G) as much as they gather on the other days.”

⁶ So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt,^{(H) 7} and in the morning you will see the glory^(I) of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling^(J) against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?”^{(K) 8} Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling^(L) against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”^(M)

⁹ Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’”

¹⁰ While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory^(N) of the Lord appearing in the cloud.^(O)

² All the Israelites grumbled^(A) against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt!^(B) Or in this wilderness!^{(C) 3} Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?^(D) Our wives and children^(E) will be taken as plunder.^(F) Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?^(G)” ⁴ And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.^(H)”

⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown^(I) in front of the whole Israelite assembly^(J) gathered there.

¹⁰ But the whole assembly talked about stoning^(A) them. Then the glory of the Lord^(B) appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites.

³ They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron^(A) and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy,^(B) every one of them, and the Lord is with them.^(C) Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”^(D)

⁴ When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.^{(E) 5} Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy,^(F) and he will have that person come near him.^(G) The man he chooses^(H) he will cause to come near him. ⁶ You, Korah, and all your followers^(I) are to do this: Take censers^{(J) 7} and tomorrow put burning coals^(K) and incense^(L) in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses^(M) will be the one who is holy.^(N) You Levites have gone too far!”

⁸ Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites! ⁹ Isn’t it enough^(O) for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them?^{(P) 10} He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too.^{(Q) 11} It is against the Lord that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble^(R) against him?^(S)”

⁴¹ The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. “You have killed the Lord’s people,” they said.