Self-interpreting Bible

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Numbers 16

1The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 4Moses opposeth it. 12He sendeth for Dathan and Abiram, who refuse to come. 16Korah and his company bring incense before the Lord. 23Moses separateth the people from the tents of the rebels, and denounceth their judgment. 31The earth swalloweth up some, a fire consumeth the rest. 36The censers are reserved to holy use. 41The people murmur. 44God's anger is kindled. 46Aaron by Moses' direction stayeth the plague, in which fourteen thousand and seven hundred perished.

1 NOW aKorah, 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, bfamous in the congregation, men of renown:

3 And they gathered themselves together cagainst Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, 1Ye take too much upon you, seeing dall the congregation are holy, every one of them, eand the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

4 And when Moses heard it, he ffell upon his face:

5 And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even gto 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 hchosen will he cause to icome near unto him.

6 This do; Take jyou 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 ktoo 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 la small thing unto you, that the God of Israel mhath 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 nagainst the LORD: and owhat is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?

      12 ¶And Moses sent to pcall 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 qout of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou rmake thyself altogether a prince over us?

      14 Moreover thou hast not brought us sinto a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou 2put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.

      15 And Moses was tvery *wroth, and said unto the LORD, uRespect not thou their offering: vI 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 wbefore 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 xall 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 yyourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them zin a moment.

            22 And athey fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the bspirits 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, cGet you up from about the *tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

              25 And Moses rose up and went dunto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.

              26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, eDepart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, 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 fstood 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 gall these works; for I have not done them hof mine own mind.

              29 If these men die 3the common death of all men, or if they be ivisited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.

              30 But if the LORD 4make ja new thing, and kthe 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 lhave provoked the LORD.

              31 ¶And mit 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 nunto 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 ofled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

                35 And there pcame 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 qEleazar 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 rhallowed.

                  38 The censers of these ssinners 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 ta 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 ua memorial unto the children of Israel, that no vstranger, 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 won 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 xglory 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 yyou up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they zfell upon their faces.

                        46 ¶And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and aput on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: bfor 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 cput on incense, and made an atonement for the people.

                        48 And he dstood between the dead and the living; and ethe plague was stayed.

                        49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, fbeside them that died about the matter of Korah.

                        50 And Aaron greturned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.