Numbers 16 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Korah Rises Up Against Moses

Now Korah^H7141 the son^H1121 of Izhar^H3324, the son^H1121 of Kohath^H6955, the son^H1121 of Levi^H3878, with Dathan^H1885 and Abiram^H48, the sons^H1121 of Eliab^H446, and On^H203 the son^H1121 of Peleth^H6431, sons^H1121 of Reuben^H7205, took^H3947 others,

Num 16:2

Num 16:2and they rose up before Moses, [fn]together with some of the sons of Israel, 250 leaders of the congregation, [fn]those called upon by the assembly, men of renown.

Num 16:3

Num 16:3Then they assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “[fn]You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and Yahweh is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of Yahweh?”

Num 16:4

And Moses^H4872 heard^H8085 this and fell^H5307 on his face^H6440;

Num 16:5

Num 16:5and he spoke to Korah and all his congregation, saying, “Tomorrow morning Yahweh will show who is His, and who is holy, and will bring him near to Himself; even the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself.

Num 16:6

Num 16:6“Do this: take censers for yourselves, Korah and all [fn]your congregation,

Num 16:7

Num 16:7and put fire in them, and lay incense upon them in the presence of Yahweh tomorrow; and the man whom Yahweh chooses shall be the one who is holy. [fn]You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!”

Num 16:8

Then Moses^H4872 said^H559 to Korah^H7141, “Hear^H8085 now^H4994, you sons^H1121 of Levi^H3878,

Num 16:9

Num 16:9is it [fn]not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to perform the service of the tabernacle of Yahweh, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them;

Num 16:10

Num 16:10and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking for the priesthood also?

Num 16:11

Num 16:11“Therefore you and all your congregation are gathered together against Yahweh; but as for Aaron, [fn]who is he that you grumble against him?”

Num 16:12

Then Moses^H4872 sent^H7971 [fn]a summons^H7121 to Dathan^H1885 and Abiram^H48, the sons^H1121 of Eliab^H446; but they said^H559, “We will not come^H5927 up^H5927.

Num 16:13

Num 16:13“Is it [fn]not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to put us to death in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us?

Num 16:14

Num 16:14“Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you [fn]put out the eyes of [fn]these men? We will not come up!”

Num 16:15

Then Moses^H4872 became^H2734 very^H3966 angry^H2734 and said^H559 to Yahweh^H3068, “Do not regard^H6437 their offering^H4503! I have not taken^H5375 a single^H259 donkey^H2543 from them, nor^H3808 have I done^H7489 harm^H7489 to any^H259 of them.”

Num 16:16

Num 16:16And Moses said to Korah, “You and all your congregation be present before Yahweh tomorrow, both you and they along with Aaron.

Num 16:17

Num 16:17“And each of you take his firepan and put incense on [fn]it, and each of you bring his censer near before Yahweh, 250 firepans; also you and Aaron shall each bring his firepan.”

Num 16:18

Num 16:18So they each took his own censer and put fire on [fn]it, and laid incense on [fn]it; and they stood at the doorway of the tent of meeting, with Moses and Aaron.

Num 16:19

Num 16:19Thus Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the congregation.

Num 16:20

Then Yahweh^H3068 spoke^H1696 to Moses^H4872 and Aaron^H175, saying^H559,

Num 16:21

Num 16:21“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.”

Num 16:22

Num 16:22But they fell on their faces and said, “O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?”

Num 16:23

Then Yahweh^H3068 spoke^H1696 to Moses^H4872, saying^H559,

Num 16:24

Num 16:24“Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’”

Num 16:25

Then Moses^H4872 arose^H6965 and went^H1980 to Dathan^H1885 and Abiram^H48, with the elders^H2205 of Israel^H3478 following^H1980^H310 him,

Num 16:26

Num 16:26and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Turn aside now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, lest you be swept away in all their sin.”

Num 16:27

Num 16:27So they got back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; but Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the doorway of their tents, along with their wives and their sons and their little ones.

Num 16:28

Num 16:28And Moses said, “By this you shall know that Yahweh has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not from my heart.

Num 16:29

Num 16:29“If these men die [fn]the death of all men or [fn]if they suffer the fate of all men, then Yahweh has not sent me.

Num 16:30

Num 16:30“But if Yahweh creates an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they go down to Sheol alive, then you will know that these men have spurned Yahweh.”

Num 16:31

And it happened^H1961 that as he finished^H3615 speaking^H1696 all^H3605 these^H428 words^H1697, the ground^H127 that was under^H8478 them split^H1234 open^H1234;

Num 16:32

Num 16:32and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions.

Num 16:33

Num 16:33So they and all that belonged to them went down to Sheol alive; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.

Num 16:34

Num 16:34Then all Israel who were around them fled at their [fn]outcry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!”

Num 16:35

Num 16:35Fire also came forth from Yahweh and consumed the 250 men who were bringing near the incense.

Num 16:36

[fn]Then Yahweh^H3068 spoke^H1696 to Moses^H4872, saying^H559,

Num 16:37

Num 16:37“Say to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he shall take up the censers out of the midst of the [fn]blaze, and you scatter [fn]the burning coals abroad; for they are holy.

Num 16:38

Num 16:38“As for the censers of these [fn]men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, make them into hammered sheets for a plating of the altar, since they brought them near before Yahweh, and they are holy; and they shall be for a sign to the sons of Israel.”

Num 16:39

Num 16:39So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers which the men who were burned had brought near, and they hammered them out as a plating for the altar,

Num 16:40

Num 16:40as a [fn]memorial to the sons of Israel that no [fn]outsider who is not of the seed of Aaron should come near to burn incense before Yahweh; so that he will not become like Korah and his congregation—just as Yahweh had spoken to him by the hand of Moses.

Grumbling and Plague

Num 16:41

But on the next^H4283 day^H4283 all^H3605 the congregation^H5712 of the sons^H1121 of Israel^H3478 grumbled^H3885 against^H5921 Moses^H4872 and Aaron^H175, saying^H559, “You are the ones who have caused^H4191 the death^H4191 of the people^H5971 of Yahweh^H3068.”

Num 16:42

Num 16:42It came about, however, when the congregation had assembled against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tent of meeting, and behold, the cloud covered it and the glory of Yahweh appeared.

Num 16:43

Num 16:43Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting,

Num 16:44

Num 16:44and Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Num 16:45

Num 16:45“[fn]Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.” Then they fell on their faces.

Num 16:46

Num 16:46And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put in it fire from the altar, and lay incense on it; then bring it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone forth from Yahweh, the plague has begun!”

Num 16:47

Num 16:47Then Aaron took it as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people. So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people.

Num 16:48