Numbers 10:17-17:10

New International Version

¹⁷ Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out.^(A)

¹⁸ The divisions of the camp of Reuben^(B) went next, under their standard.^(C) Elizur son of Shedeur^(D) was in command. ¹⁹ Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon,^{(E) 20} and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.^{(F) 21} Then the Kohathites^(G) set out, carrying the holy things.^(H) The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived.^(I)

²² The divisions of the camp of Ephraim^(J) went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud^(K) was in command. ²³ Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,^{(L) 24} and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.^(M)

²⁵ Finally, as the rear guard^(N) for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai^(O) was in command. ²⁶ Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,^{(P) 27} and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.^{(Q) 28} This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.

²⁹ Now Moses said to Hobab^(R) son of Reuel^(S) the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law,^(T) “We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’^(U) Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”

³⁰ He answered, “No, I will not go;^(V) I am going back to my own land and my own people.^(W)”

³¹ But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.^{(X) 32} If you come with us, we will share with you^(Y) whatever good things the Lord gives us.^(Z)”

³³ So they set out^(AA) from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord^(AB) went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.^{(AC) 34} The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.^(AD)

³⁵ Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,

³⁶ Whenever it came to rest, he said,

Fire From the Lord

11 Now the people complained^(AK) about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord,^(AL) and when he heard them his anger was aroused.^(AM) Then fire from the Lord burned among them^(AN) and consumed^(AO) some of the outskirts of the camp. ² When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed^(AP) to the Lord^(AQ) and the fire died down. ³ So that place was called Taberah,^[a](AR) because fire from the Lord had burned among them.^(AS)

Quail From the Lord

⁴ The rabble with them began to crave other food,^(AT) and again the Israelites started wailing^(AU) and said, “If only we had meat to eat! ⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.^{(AV) 6} But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!^(AW)”

⁷ The manna was like coriander seed^(AX) and looked like resin.^{(AY) 8} The people went around gathering it,^(AZ) and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. ⁹ When the dew^(BA) settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.

¹⁰ Moses heard the people of every family wailing^(BB) at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. ¹¹ He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble^(BC) on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?^{(BD) 12} Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant,^(BE) to the land you promised on oath^(BF) to their ancestors?^{(BG) 13} Where can I get meat for all these people?^(BH) They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ ¹⁴ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.^{(BI) 15} If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me^(BJ)—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”

¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders^(BK) who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people.^(BL) Have them come to the tent of meeting,^(BM) that they may stand there with you. ¹⁷ I will come down and speak with you^(BN) there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them.^(BO) They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.^(BP)

¹⁸ “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves^(BQ) in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed,^(BR) “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!”^(BS) Now the Lord will give you meat,^(BT) and you will eat it. ¹⁹ You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, ²⁰ but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it^(BU)—because you have rejected the Lord,^(BV) who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”^(BW)

²¹ But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men^(BX) on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ ²² Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”^(BY)

²³ The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?^(BZ) Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.^(CA)”

²⁴ So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. ²⁵ Then the Lord came down in the cloud^(CB) and spoke with him,^(CC) and he took some of the power of the Spirit^(CD) that was on him and put it on the seventy elders.^(CE) When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied^(CF)—but did not do so again.

²⁶ However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them,^(CG) and they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷ A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

²⁸ Joshua son of Nun,^(CH) who had been Moses’ aide^(CI) since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”^(CJ)

²⁹ But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets^(CK) and that the Lord would put his Spirit^(CL) on them!”^{(CM) 30} Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

³¹ Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail^(CN) in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits^[b] deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. ³² All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers.^[c] Then they spread them out all around the camp. ³³ But while the meat was still between their teeth^(CO) and before it could be consumed, the anger^(CP) of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.^{(CQ) 34} Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah,^[d](CR) because there they buried the people who had craved other food.

³⁵ From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth^(CS) and stayed there.

Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses

12 Miriam^(CT) and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife,^(CU) for he had married a Cushite. ² “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?”^(CV) And the Lord heard this.^(CW)

³ (Now Moses was a very humble man,^(CX) more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

⁴ At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. ⁵ Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud;^(CY) he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, ⁶ he said, “Listen to my words:

⁹ The anger of the Lord burned against them,^(DH) and he left them.^(DI)

¹⁰ When the cloud lifted from above the tent,^(DJ) Miriam’s skin was leprous^[e]—it became as white as snow.^(DK) Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease,^{(DL) 11} and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed.^{(DM) 12} Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.”

¹³ So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!^(DN)”

¹⁴ The Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face,^(DO) would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp^(DP) for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” ¹⁵ So Miriam was confined outside the camp^(DQ) for seven days,^(DR) and the people did not move on till she was brought back.

¹⁶ After that, the people left Hazeroth^(DS) and encamped in the Desert of Paran.^(DT)

Exploring Canaan

13 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Send some men to explore^(DU) the land of Canaan,^(DV) which I am giving to the Israelites.^(DW) From each ancestral tribe^(DX) send one of its leaders.”

³ So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.^{(DY) 4} These are their names:

¹⁶ These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore^(EB) the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun^(EC) the name Joshua.)^(ED)

¹⁷ When Moses sent them to explore Canaan,^(EE) he said, “Go up through the Negev^(EF) and on into the hill country.^{(EG) 18} See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. ¹⁹ What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? ²⁰ How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.^(EH)” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)^(EI)

²¹ So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin^(EJ) as far as Rehob,^(EK) toward Lebo Hamath.^{(EL) 22} They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron,^(EM) where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai,^(EN) the descendants of Anak,^(EO) lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)^{(EP) 23} When they reached the Valley of Eshkol,^[f](EQ) they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates^(ER) and figs.^{(ES) 24} That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. ²⁵ At the end of forty days^(ET) they returned from exploring the land.^(EU)

Report on the Exploration

²⁶ They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh^(EV) in the Desert of Paran.^(EW) There they reported to them^(EX) and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.^{(EY) 27} They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!^(EZ) Here is its fruit.^{(FA) 28} But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.^(FB) We even saw descendants of Anak^(FC) there.^{(FD) 29} The Amalekites^(FE) live in the Negev; the Hittites,^(FF) Jebusites^(FG) and Amorites^(FH) live in the hill country;^(FI) and the Canaanites^(FJ) live near the sea and along the Jordan.^(FK)”

³⁰ Then Caleb^(FL) silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

³¹ But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”^{(FM) 32} And they spread among the Israelites a bad report^(FN) about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours^(FO) those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.^{(FP) 33} We saw the Nephilim^(FQ) there (the descendants of Anak^(FR) come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers^(FS) in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

The People Rebel

14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.^{(FT) 2} All the Israelites grumbled^(FU) against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt!^(FV) Or in this wilderness!^{(FW) 3} Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?^(FX) Our wives and children^(FY) will be taken as plunder.^(FZ) Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?^(GA)” ⁴ And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.^(GB)”

⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown^(GC) in front of the whole Israelite assembly^(GD) gathered there. ⁶ Joshua son of Nun^(GE) and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes^{(GF) 7} and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.^{(GG) 8} If the Lord is pleased with us,^(GH) he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey,^(GI) and will give it to us.^{(GJ) 9} Only do not rebel^(GK) against the Lord. And do not be afraid^(GL) of the people of the land,^(GM) because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with^(GN) us.^(GO) Do not be afraid of them.”^(GP)

¹⁰ But the whole assembly talked about stoning^(GQ) them. Then the glory of the Lord^(GR) appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. ¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt?^(GS) How long will they refuse to believe in me,^(GT) in spite of all the signs^(GU) I have performed among them? ¹² I will strike them down with a plague^(GV) and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation^(GW) greater and stronger than they.”^(GX)

¹³ Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them.^{(GY) 14} And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard^(GZ) that you, Lord, are with these people^(HA) and that you, Lord, have been seen face to face,^(HB) that your cloud stays over them,^(HC) and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.^{(HD) 15} If you put all these people to death, leaving none alive, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, ¹⁶ ‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath,^(HE) so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’^(HF)

¹⁷ “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: ¹⁸ ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.^(HG) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’^{(HH) 19} In accordance with your great love, forgive^(HI) the sin of these people,^(HJ) just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”^(HK)

²⁰ The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them,^(HL) as you asked. ²¹ Nevertheless, as surely as I live^(HM) and as surely as the glory of the Lord^(HN) fills the whole earth,^{(HO) 22} not one of those who saw my glory and the signs^(HP) I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times^(HQ)— ²³ not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath^(HR) to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt^(HS) will ever see it.^{(HT) 24} But because my servant Caleb^(HU) has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly,^(HV) I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.^{(HW) 25} Since the Amalekites^(HX) and the Canaanites^(HY) are living in the valleys, turn^(HZ) back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.^[g](IA)”

²⁶ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ²⁷ “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.^{(IB) 28} So tell them, ‘As surely as I live,^(IC) declares the Lord, I will do to you^(ID) the very thing I heard you say: ²⁹ In this wilderness your bodies will fall^(IE)—every one of you twenty years old or more^(IF) who was counted in the census^(IG) and who has grumbled against me. ³⁰ Not one of you will enter the land^(IH) I swore with uplifted hand^(II) to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh^(IJ) and Joshua son of Nun.^{(IK) 31} As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.^{(IL) 32} But as for you, your bodies will fall^(IM) in this wilderness. ³³ Your children will be shepherds here for forty years,^(IN) suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. ³⁴ For forty years^(IO)—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land^(IP)—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ ³⁵ I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things^(IQ) to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.^(IR)”

³⁶ So the men Moses had sent^(IS) to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble^(IT) against him by spreading a bad report^(IU) about it— ³⁷ these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report^(IV) about the land were struck down and died of a plague^(IW) before the Lord. ³⁸ Of the men who went to explore the land,^(IX) only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.^(IY)

³⁹ When Moses reported this^(IZ) to all the Israelites, they mourned^(JA) bitterly. ⁴⁰ Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country,^(JB) saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!^(JC)”

⁴¹ But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!^{(JD) 42} Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,^{(JE) 43} for the Amalekites^(JF) and the Canaanites^(JG) will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you^(JH) and you will fall by the sword.”

⁴⁴ Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up^(JI) toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp.^{(JJ) 45} Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites^(JK) who lived in that hill country^(JL) came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.^(JM)

Supplementary Offerings

15 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘After you enter the land I am giving you^(JN) as a home ³ and you present to the Lord food offerings from the herd or the flock,^(JO) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord^(JP)—whether burnt offerings^(JQ) or sacrifices, for special vows or freewill offerings^(JR) or festival offerings^(JS)— ⁴ then the person who brings an offering shall present to the Lord a grain offering^(JT) of a tenth of an ephah^[h] of the finest flour^(JU) mixed with a quarter of a hin^[i] of olive oil. ⁵ With each lamb^(JV) for the burnt offering or the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin of wine^(JW) as a drink offering.^(JX)

⁶ “‘With a ram^(JY) prepare a grain offering^(JZ) of two-tenths of an ephah^[j](KA) of the finest flour mixed with a third of a hin^[k] of olive oil,^{(KB) 7} and a third of a hin of wine^(KC) as a drink offering.^(KD) Offer it as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^(KE)

⁸ “‘When you prepare a young bull^(KF) as a burnt offering or sacrifice, for a special vow^(KG) or a fellowship offering^(KH) to the Lord, ⁹ bring with the bull a grain offering^(KI) of three-tenths of an ephah^[l](KJ) of the finest flour mixed with half a hin^[m] of olive oil, ¹⁰ and also bring half a hin of wine^(KK) as a drink offering.^(KL) This will be a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^{(KM) 11} Each bull or ram, each lamb or young goat, is to be prepared in this manner. ¹² Do this for each one, for as many as you prepare.^(KN)

¹³ “‘Everyone who is native-born^(KO) must do these things in this way when they present a food offering as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^{(KP) 14} For the generations to come,^(KQ) whenever a foreigner^(KR) or anyone else living among you presents a food^(KS) offering^(KT) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord, they must do exactly as you do. ¹⁵ The community is to have the same rules for you and for the foreigner residing among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.^(KU) You and the foreigner shall be the same before the Lord: ¹⁶ The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing among you.^(KV)’”

¹⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁸ “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land to which I am taking you^{(KW) 19} and you eat the food of the land,^(KX) present a portion as an offering to the Lord.^{(KY) 20} Present a loaf from the first of your ground meal^(KZ) and present it as an offering from the threshing floor.^{(LA) 21} Throughout the generations to come^(LB) you are to give this offering to the Lord from the first of your ground meal.^(LC)

Offerings for Unintentional Sins

²² “‘Now if you as a community unintentionally fail to keep any of these commands the Lord gave Moses^(LD)— ²³ any of the Lord’s commands to you through him, from the day the Lord gave them and continuing through the generations to come^(LE)— ²⁴ and if this is done unintentionally^(LF) without the community being aware of it,^(LG) then the whole community is to offer a young bull for a burnt offering^(LH) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord,^(LI) along with its prescribed grain offering^(LJ) and drink offering,^(LK) and a male goat for a sin offering.^{[n](LL) 25} The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community, and they will be forgiven,^(LM) for it was not intentional^(LN) and they have presented to the Lord for their wrong a food offering^(LO) and a sin offering.^{(LP) 26} The whole Israelite community and the foreigners residing among them will be forgiven, because all the people were involved in the unintentional wrong.^(LQ)

²⁷ “‘But if just one person sins unintentionally,^(LR) that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering.^{(LS) 28} The priest is to make atonement^(LT) before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made, that person will be forgiven.^{(LU) 29} One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.^(LV)

³⁰ “‘But anyone who sins defiantly,^(LW) whether native-born or foreigner,^(LX) blasphemes the Lord^(LY) and must be cut off from the people of Israel.^{(LZ) 31} Because they have despised^(MA) the Lord’s word and broken his commands,^(MB) they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.^(MC)’”

The Sabbath-Breaker Put to Death

³² While the Israelites were in the wilderness,^(MD) a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day.^{(ME) 33} Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, ³⁴ and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him.^{(MF) 35} Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must die.^(MG) The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.^(MH)” ³⁶ So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him^(MI) to death,^(MJ) as the Lord commanded Moses.^(MK)

Tassels on Garments

³⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ³⁸ “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come^(ML) you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments,^(MM) with a blue cord on each tassel. ³⁹ You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember^(MN) all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves^(MO) by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts^(MP) and eyes. ⁴⁰ Then you will remember to obey all my commands^(MQ) and will be consecrated to your God.^{(MR) 41} I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God.^(MS) I am the Lord your God.^(MT)’”

Korah, Dathan and Abiram

16 Korah^(MU) son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram^(MV), sons of Eliab,^(MW) and On son of Peleth—became insolent^{[o] 2} and rose up against Moses.^(MX) With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.^{(MY) 3} They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron^(MZ) and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy,^(NA) every one of them, and the Lord is with them.^(NB) Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”^(NC)

⁴ When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.^{(ND) 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,^(NE) and he will have that person come near him.^(NF) The man he chooses^(NG) he will cause to come near him. ⁶ You, Korah, and all your followers^(NH) are to do this: Take censers^{(NI) 7} and tomorrow put burning coals^(NJ) and incense^(NK) in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses^(NL) will be the one who is holy.^(NM) You Levites have gone too far!”

⁸ Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites! ⁹ Isn’t it enough^(NN) 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?^{(NO) 10} He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too.^{(NP) 11} It is against the Lord that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble^(NQ) against him?^(NR)”

¹² Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram,^(NS) the sons of Eliab. But they said, “We will not come!^{(NT) 13} Isn’t it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey^(NU) to kill us in the wilderness?^(NV) And now you also want to lord it over us!^{(NW) 14} Moreover, you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey^(NX) or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards.^(NY) Do you want to treat these men like slaves^[p]?^(NZ) No, we will not come!^(OA)”

¹⁵ Then Moses became very angry^(OB) and said to the Lord, “Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey^(OC) from them, nor have I wronged any of them.”

¹⁶ Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before the Lord tomorrow—you and they and Aaron.^{(OD) 17} Each man is to take his censer and put incense in it—250 censers in all—and present it before the Lord. You and Aaron are to present your censers also.^(OE)” ¹⁸ So each of them took his censer,^(OF) put burning coals and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ¹⁹ When Korah had gathered all his followers in opposition to them^(OG) at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of the Lord^(OH) appeared to the entire assembly. ²⁰ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ²¹ “Separate yourselves^(OI) from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.”^(OJ)

²² But Moses and Aaron fell facedown^(OK) and cried out, “O God, the God who gives breath to all living things,^(OL) will you be angry with the entire assembly^(OM) when only one man sins?”^(ON)

²³ Then the Lord said to Moses, ²⁴ “Say to the assembly, ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’”

²⁵ Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel^(OO) followed him. ²⁶ He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men!^(OP) Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away^(OQ) because of all their sins.^(OR)” ²⁷ So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.^(OS) Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children^(OT) and little ones at the entrances to their tents.^(OU)

²⁸ Then Moses said, “This is how you will know^(OV) that the Lord has sent me^(OW) to do all these things and that it was not my idea: ²⁹ If these men die a natural death and suffer the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me.^{(OX) 30} But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth^(OY) and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead,^(OZ) then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.^(PA)”

³¹ As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart^{(PB) 32} and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them^(PC) and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. ³³ They went down alive into the realm of the dead,^(PD) with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. ³⁴ At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”

³⁵ And fire came out from the Lord^(PE) and consumed^(PF) the 250 men who were offering the incense.

³⁶ The Lord said to Moses, ³⁷ “Tell Eleazar^(PG) son of Aaron, the priest, to remove the censers^(PH) from the charred remains and scatter the coals some distance away, for the censers are holy— ³⁸ the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives.^(PI) Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar,^(PJ) for they were presented before the Lord and have become holy. Let them be a sign^(PK) to the Israelites.”

³⁹ So Eleazar the priest^(PL) collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned to death,^(PM) and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, ⁴⁰ as the Lord directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense^(PN) before the Lord,^(PO) or he would become like Korah and his followers.^(PP)

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

⁴² But when the assembly gathered in opposition^(PQ) to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the tent of meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord^(PR) appeared. ⁴³ Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting, ⁴⁴ and the Lord said to Moses, ⁴⁵ “Get away from this assembly so I can put an end^(PS) to them at once.” And they fell facedown.

⁴⁶ Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer^(PT) and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly^(PU) to make atonement^(PV) for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord;^(PW) the plague^(PX) has started.” ⁴⁷ So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people,^(PY) but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. ⁴⁸ He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.^{(PZ) 49} But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah.^{(QA) 50} Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.^[q]

The Budding of Aaron’s Staff

17 ^[r]The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs^(QB) from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes.^(QC) Write the name of each man on his staff. ³ On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name,^(QD) for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. ⁴ Place them in the tent of meeting^(QE) in front of the ark of the covenant law,^(QF) where I meet with you.^{(QG) 5} The staff belonging to the man I choose^(QH) will sprout,^(QI) and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling^(QJ) against you by the Israelites.”

⁶ So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them. ⁷ Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the covenant law.^(QK)

⁸ The next day Moses entered the tent^(QL) and saw that Aaron’s staff,^(QM) which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.^{(QN) 9} Then Moses brought out all the staffs^(QO) from the Lord’s presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each of the leaders took his own staff.

¹⁰ The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff^(QP) in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious.^(QQ) This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.”