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Numbers 16
1599 Geneva Bible
Numbers 16
1599 Geneva Bible
16 1 The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 31 Korah and his company perisheth. 41 The people the next day murmur. 49 14,700 are slain for murmuring.
1 Now (A)Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi [a]went apart with Dathan, and Abiram the son of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, the sons of Reuben:
2 And they rose up [b]against Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty captains of the assembly, (B)famous in the Congregation, and men of renown,
3 Who gathered themselves together against Moses, and against Aaron, and said unto them, [c]Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the Congregation is holy, [d]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 [e]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: [f]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 [g]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 [h]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 [i]put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
15 Then Moses waxed very angry, and said unto the Lord, (C)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 [j]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 [k]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 [l]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 [m]in all their sins.
27 So they got 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 [n]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 [o]a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up with all that they have, and they go down quick into [p][q]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 the words, even the ground clave asunder that was under them,
32 And the earth (D)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 [r]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 [s]sign unto the children of Israel.
39 Then Eleazar the Priest took the brazen censers, which they that were burnt 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 [t]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 [u]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 [v]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 [w]plague was begun among the people, and he put incense, and made an atonement for the people.
48 And when he stood between the dead, and them that were alive, the [x]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.
Footnotes
- Numbers 16:1 Or, took others with him.
- Numbers 16:2 Or, before Moses.
- Numbers 16:3 Or let it suffice you: meaning, to have abused them thus long.
- Numbers 16:3 All are alike holy: therefore none ought to be preferred above others: thus the wicked reason against God’s ordinance.
- Numbers 16:5 To be the Priest and to offer.
- Numbers 16:7 He layeth the same to their charge justly, wherewith they wrongfully charged him.
- Numbers 16:10 To serve in the Congregation, as in the verse before.
- Numbers 16:13 Thus they spake contemptuously, preferring Egypt to Canaan.
- Numbers 16:14 Wilt thou make them that searched the land, believe that they saw not that which they saw?
- Numbers 16:16 At the door of the Tabernacle.
- Numbers 16:19 All that were of their faction.
- Numbers 16:22 Or, of every creature.
- Numbers 16:26 With them that have committed so many sins.
- Numbers 16:28 I have not forged them of mine own brain.
- Numbers 16:30 Or, show a strange sight.
- Numbers 16:30 Or, hell.
- Numbers 16:30 Or, deep and dark places of the earth.
- Numbers 16:38 Which were the occasion of their own death.
- Numbers 16:38 Of God’s judgments against rebels.
- Numbers 16:40 Who presumed above his vocation.
- Numbers 16:42 Or fled, to wit, Moses and Aaron.
- Numbers 16:46 For it was not lawful to take any other fire, but of the altar of burnt offering, Lev. 10:1.
- Numbers 16:47 God had begun to punish the people.
- Numbers 16:48 God drew back his hand and ceased to punish them.
Nombres 16
La Bible du Semeur
Nombres 16
La Bible du Semeur
Les nouvelles révoltes
La révolte de Qoré[a]
16 Qoré, un lévite, fils de Yitsehar, de la famille des Qehatites, conspira avec trois Rubénites : Datan, Abiram, fils d’Eliab, et On, fils de Péleth. 2 Ils se soulevèrent contre Moïse avec deux cent cinquante autres Israélites, des chefs de la communauté, des membres du conseil, des hommes considérés. 3 Ils s’attroupèrent autour de Moïse et d’Aaron et leur lancèrent : C’en est assez ! C’est la communauté tout entière qui est sainte et l’Eternel est au milieu de nous tous. De quel droit vous mettez-vous au-dessus de la communauté de l’Eternel ?
4 En entendant ces reproches, Moïse se jeta face contre terre. 5 Puis il s’adressa à Qoré et à toute sa troupe en disant : Demain matin, l’Eternel fera connaître celui qui lui appartient[b] et qui est saint et peut venir en sa présence : il fera approcher de lui celui qu’il choisira. 6 Voilà donc ce que vous ferez : Que Qoré et tous ses partisans prennent des encensoirs[c], 7 qu’ils les remplissent demain de charbons embrasés, et y répandent de l’encens devant l’Eternel. C’est celui que l’Eternel choisira, qui est saint. C’en est assez, descendants de Lévi !
8 Puis Moïse ajouta à l’adresse de Qoré : Ecoutez-moi bien, vous les lévites ! 9 Ne vous suffit-il pas d’avoir été mis à part du reste de la communauté d’Israël par le Dieu d’Israël qui vous permet de l’approcher pour faire le service du tabernacle de l’Eternel et pour vous tenir devant la communauté en accomplissant un ministère en sa faveur ? 10 Il vous permet, à toi et à tous tes frères lévites, de vous approcher de lui, et vous réclamez en plus le sacerdoce ! 11 C’est pour cela que toi et toute ta troupe, vous vous liguez contre l’Eternel ! Car en fait, qu’est Aaron pour que vous protestiez contre lui ?
12 Puis Moïse envoya chercher Datan et Abiram, fils d’Eliab. Mais ceux-ci lui répondirent : Nous n’irons pas ! 13 Ne te suffit-il pas de nous avoir fait quitter un pays ruisselant de lait et de miel pour nous faire mourir au désert ? Faut-il encore que tu t’ériges en dictateur au-dessus de nous ? 14 Ce n’est pas dans un pays ruisselant de lait et de miel que tu nous as conduits ! Ce ne sont pas des champs et des vignes que tu nous as donnés en possession ! Prends-tu tous ces gens-là pour des aveugles ? Non, nous n’irons pas !
15 Moïse entra dans une violente colère et il dit à l’Eternel : N’accepte pas leur offrande ! Je n’ai jamais rien pris de ce qui leur appartenait, pas même un âne, et je n’ai fait de tort à aucun d’eux.
Le châtiment des révoltés
16 Moïse dit à Qoré : Toi et toute ta troupe, présentez-vous demain avec Aaron devant l’Eternel. 17 Prenez chacun votre encensoir, mettez-y de l’encens et présentez-vous devant l’Eternel avec vos deux cent cinquante encensoirs ; toi aussi et Aaron vous tiendrez chacun le vôtre.
18 Chacun prit donc son encensoir et y mit des charbons ardents qu’il couvrit d’encens. Ils se placèrent tous à l’entrée de la tente de la Rencontre, de même que Moïse et Aaron. 19 Qoré avait rassemblé toute la communauté à l’entrée de la tente de la Rencontre en l’excitant contre eux.
Soudain, la gloire de l’Eternel apparut à toute l’assemblée. 20 L’Eternel parla à Moïse et à Aaron en ces termes : 21 Séparez-vous du milieu de cette communauté, et je les consumerai en un seul instant !
22 Mais ils se jetèrent face contre terre et prièrent : O Dieu ! Dieu qui disposes du souffle de vie de toutes les créatures, t’emporteras-tu contre toute la communauté alors qu’un seul homme a péché ?
23 L’Eternel répondit à Moïse : 24 Parle à la communauté et ordonne-leur de s’écarter des abords des tentes de Qoré, de Datan et d’Abiram.
25 Moïse se releva et, suivi des responsables d’Israël, il marcha vers Datan et Abiram, 26 et il dit à la communauté : Eloignez-vous des tentes de ces hommes méchants et ne touchez à rien de ce qui leur appartient, si vous ne voulez pas périr, vous aussi, à cause de toutes leurs fautes !
27 Aussitôt, on s’éloigna des tentes de Qoré, de Datan et d’Abiram. Datan et Abiram sortirent et se postèrent à l’entrée de leurs tentes avec leurs femmes, leurs fils et leurs enfants.
28 Moïse déclara : Voici comment vous reconnaîtrez que l’Eternel m’a confié la mission d’accomplir tout ce que je fais et que je n’agis pas de mon propre chef : 29 Si ces gens-là meurent de mort naturelle, et s’ils subissent seulement le sort commun à tous les hommes, alors ce n’est pas l’Eternel qui m’a confié ma mission. 30 Mais si l’Eternel accomplit quelque chose d’extraordinaire, si la terre s’ouvre pour les engloutir avec tout ce qui leur appartient et qu’ils descendent vivants dans le séjour des morts, alors vous reconnaîtrez que ces gens ont outragé l’Eternel.
31 A peine eut-il achevé de prononcer ces paroles, que le sol se fendit sous les pieds de Datan et d’Abiram. 32 La terre s’ouvrit et les engloutit, eux et les leurs, ainsi que tous les partisans de Qoré et tous leurs biens[d]. 33 Ces hommes descendirent vivants dans le séjour des morts avec tous les leurs, et la terre se referma sur eux. C’est ainsi qu’ils disparurent du milieu de l’assemblée. 34 A leurs cris, tous les Israélites, qui se tenaient autour, s’enfuirent en criant : Fuyons, de peur que la terre ne nous engloutisse, nous aussi !
35 Un feu jaillit d’auprès de l’Eternel et consuma les deux cent cinquante hommes qui présentaient l’encens.
Footnotes
- 16.1 titre Jd 11 fait allusion au récit contenu dans ce chapitre.
- 16.5 Allusion en 2 Tm 2.19.
- 16.6 Sans doute les pelles à braise en bronze (voir 4.14 ; 17.3) ; souvent traduit cassolettes. Faire fumer de l’encens était la tâche des prêtres (Ex 30.7-8 ; Lv 10.1).
- 16.32 Certains membres de la famille n’ont pas dû suivre Qoré dans sa révolte et furent épargnés (voir 26.11). Samuel et les chantres, auteurs de psaumes, furent parmi ses descendants (1 Ch 6.33-38 ; Ps 84.1).
Numbers 16
New International Version
Numbers 16
New International Version
Korah, Dathan and Abiram
16 Korah(A) son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram(B), sons of Eliab,(C) and On son of Peleth—became insolent[a] 2 and rose up against Moses.(D) With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.(E) 3 They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron(F) and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy,(G) every one of them, and the Lord is with them.(H) Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”(I)
4 When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.(J) 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,(K) and he will have that person come near him.(L) The man he chooses(M) he will cause to come near him. 6 You, Korah, and all your followers(N) are to do this: Take censers(O) 7 and tomorrow put burning coals(P) and incense(Q) in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses(R) will be the one who is holy.(S) You Levites have gone too far!”
8 Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites! 9 Isn’t it enough(T) 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?(U) 10 He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too.(V) 11 It is against the Lord that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble(W) against him?(X)”
12 Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram,(Y) the sons of Eliab. But they said, “We will not come!(Z) 13 Isn’t it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey(AA) to kill us in the wilderness?(AB) And now you also want to lord it over us!(AC) 14 Moreover, you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey(AD) or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards.(AE) Do you want to treat these men like slaves[b]?(AF) No, we will not come!(AG)”
15 Then Moses became very angry(AH) and said to the Lord, “Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey(AI) 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.(AJ) 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.(AK)” 18 So each of them took his censer,(AL) 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(AM) at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of the Lord(AN) appeared to the entire assembly. 20 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 21 “Separate yourselves(AO) from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.”(AP)
22 But Moses and Aaron fell facedown(AQ) and cried out, “O God, the God who gives breath to all living things,(AR) will you be angry with the entire assembly(AS) when only one man sins?”(AT)
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(AU) followed him. 26 He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men!(AV) Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away(AW) because of all their sins.(AX)” 27 So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.(AY) Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children(AZ) and little ones at the entrances to their tents.(BA)
28 Then Moses said, “This is how you will know(BB) that the Lord has sent me(BC) 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.(BD) 30 But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth(BE) and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead,(BF) then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.(BG)”
31 As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart(BH) 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them(BI) and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. 33 They went down alive into the realm of the dead,(BJ) 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(BK) and consumed(BL) the 250 men who were offering the incense.
36 The Lord said to Moses, 37 “Tell Eleazar(BM) son of Aaron, the priest, to remove the censers(BN) 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.(BO) Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar,(BP) for they were presented before the Lord and have become holy. Let them be a sign(BQ) to the Israelites.”
39 So Eleazar the priest(BR) collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned to death,(BS) 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(BT) before the Lord,(BU) or he would become like Korah and his followers.(BV)
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(BW) to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the tent of meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord(BX) 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(BY) to them at once.” And they fell facedown.
46 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer(BZ) and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly(CA) to make atonement(CB) for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord;(CC) the plague(CD) 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,(CE) but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. 48 He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.(CF) 49 But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah.(CG) 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.[c]
Footnotes
- Numbers 16:1 Or Peleth—took men
- Numbers 16:14 Or to deceive these men; Hebrew Will you gouge out the eyes of these men
- Numbers 16:50 In Hebrew texts 16:36-50 is numbered 17:1-15.
Numbers 16
King James Version
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.
Numbers 16
New King James Version
Numbers 16
New King James Version
Rebellion Against Moses and Aaron
16 Now (A)Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with (B)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 some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, (C)representatives of the congregation, men of renown. 3 (D)They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You [a]take too much upon yourselves, for (E)all the congregation is holy, every one of them, (F)and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”
4 So when Moses heard it, he (G)fell on his face; 5 and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is (H)His and who is (I)holy,[b] and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to (J)come near to Him. 6 Do this: Take censers, Korah and all your company; 7 put fire in them and put incense in them before the Lord tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom the Lord chooses is the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!”
8 Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: 9 Is it (K)a small thing to you that the God of Israel has (L)separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to serve them; 10 and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also? 11 Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord. (M)And what is Aaron that you complain against him?”
12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up! 13 Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of (N)a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you should (O)keep acting like a prince over us? 14 Moreover (P)you have not brought us into (Q)a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!”
15 Then Moses was very angry, and said to the Lord, (R)“Do not [c]respect their offering. (S)I have not taken one donkey from them, nor have I hurt one of them.”
16 And Moses said to Korah, “Tomorrow, you and all your company be present (T)before the Lord—you and they, as well as Aaron. 17 Let each take his censer and put incense in it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, two hundred and fifty censers; both you and Aaron, each with his censer.” 18 So every man took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and stood at the door of the tabernacle of meeting with Moses and Aaron. 19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then (U)the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.
20 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 21 (V)“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may (W)consume them in a moment.”
22 Then they (X)fell[d] on their faces, and said, “O God, (Y)the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the (Z)congregation?”
23 So the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ ”
25 Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, (AA)“Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.” 27 So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little (AB)children.
28 And Moses said: (AC)“By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them (AD)of my own will. 29 If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are (AE)visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord creates (AF)a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they (AG)go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord.”
31 (AH)Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and (AI)all the men with Korah, with all their goods. 33 So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. 34 Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also!”
35 And (AJ)a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.
36 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 37 “Tell Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, to pick up the censers out of the blaze, for (AK)they are holy, and scatter the fire some distance away. 38 The censers of (AL)these men who sinned [e]against their own souls, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar. Because they presented them before the Lord, therefore they are holy; (AM)and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.” 39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned up had presented, and they were hammered out as a covering on the altar, 40 to be a [f]memorial to the children of Israel (AN)that no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the Lord, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, just as the Lord had said to him through Moses.
Complaints of the People
41 On the next day (AO)all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” 42 Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly (AP)the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting.
44 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”
And they fell on their faces.
46 So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make [g]atonement for them; (AQ)for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun.” 47 Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living; so (AR)the plague was stopped. 49 Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident. 50 So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, for the plague had stopped.
Footnotes
- Numbers 16:3 assume too much for
- Numbers 16:5 set aside for His use only
- Numbers 16:15 graciously regard
- Numbers 16:22 prostrated themselves
- Numbers 16:38 Or at the cost of their own lives
- Numbers 16:40 reminder
- Numbers 16:46 Lit. covering
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