Gainsaying of Korah

Numbers 16:1-50

Bible Stories

 

Numbers 16:1 Then, behold, Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and also On the son of Peleth, of the sons of Ruben,

Numbers 16:2 rose up against Moses, with two hundred fifty others of the sons of Israel, leading men of the assembly, and who, at the time of a council, would be called by name.

Numbers 16:3 And when they had stood against Moses and Aaron, they said: “Let it be sufficient for you that the entire multitude is of holy ones, and that the Lord is among them. Why do you elevate yourselves above the people of the Lord?”

Numbers 16:4 When Moses had heard this, he fell prone on his face.

Numbers 16:5 And speaking to Korah, and to the entire multitude, he said: “In the morning, the Lord will cause it to be known who belongs to him, and which holy ones he will join to himself. And whomever he will choose, they shall be close to him.

Numbers 16:6 Therefore, do this: Each one of you, Korah and all your associates, take your censer,

Numbers 16:7 and drawing fire into it tomorrow, place incense upon it before the Lord. And whomever he will choose, the same shall be holy. You sons of Levi have been raised up greatly.”

Numbers 16:8 And he said again to Korah: “Listen, sons of Levi.

Numbers 16:9 Is it a small thing to you, that the God of Israel has separated you from all the people, and has joined you to himself, so that you would serve him in the rituals of the tabernacle, and stand before gatherings of the people, and minister to him?

Numbers 16:10 Was the reason that he caused you and all your brothers, the sons of Levi, to approach him, so that you would even claim for yourselves the priesthood too,

Numbers 16:11 and so that your entire group would stand against the Lord? For what is Aaron that you should murmur against him?”

Numbers 16:12 Therefore, Moses sent to call for Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, who responded: “We will not come.

Numbers 16:13 Is it a small matter to you, that you have led us away from a land that was flowing with milk and honey, so as to kill us in the desert, unless you could also be a ruler over us?

Numbers 16:14 You have led us, it is true, to a land that flows with streams of milk and honey, and you have given us possession of fields and vineyards. But will you also tear out our eyes? We will not come.”

Numbers 16:15 And Moses, being very angry, said to the Lord: “Do not look with favor on their sacrifices. You know that I have not accepted from them, at any time, so much as a young donkey, nor have I afflicted any of them.”

Numbers 16:16 And he said to Korah: “You and your congregation, stand alone before the Lord, and apart from Aaron, tomorrow.

Numbers 16:17 Let each one of you take censers, and place incense in them, offering to the Lord two hundred fifty censers. Let Aaron also hold his censer.”

Numbers 16:18 When they had done this, Moses and Aaron stood up,

Numbers 16:19 and, having crowded the entire multitude close to them at the door of the tabernacle, the glory of the Lord appeared to them all.

Numbers 16:20 And the Lord, speaking to Moses and Aaron, said:

Numbers 16:21 “Separate yourselves from the midst of this congregation, so that I may suddenly destroy them.”

Numbers 16:22 But they fell prone on their faces, and they said, “O most strong One, the God of the spirits of all flesh, should your anger rage against all, for the sin of one?”

Numbers 16:23 And the Lord said to Moses:

Numbers 16:24 “Instruct the entire people to separate from the tents of Korah, and Dathan, and Abiram.”

Numbers 16:25 And Moses rose up and went to Dathan and Abiram. And the elders of Israel followed him,

Numbers 16:26 and he said to the crowd, “Withdraw from the tabernacles of these impious men, and touch nothing which pertains to them, lest you become involved in their sins.”

Numbers 16:27 And when they had withdrawn from their tents all around, Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrance of their pavilions, with their wives and children, and with all their associates.

Numbers 16:28 And Moses said: “By this shall you know that the Lord has sent me to do all that you discern, and that I have not brought these things out of my own heart:

Numbers 16:29 If these men pass away by the common death of men, or if they will be visited by a scourge, of a kind by which others are often visited, then the Lord did not send me.

Numbers 16:30 But if the Lord accomplishes something new, so that the earth opens its mouth and swallows them whole, along with everything that belongs to them, and they descend alive into the underworld, then you shall know that they have blasphemed the Lord.”

Numbers 16:31 Therefore, as soon as he had ceased to speak, the earth broke open under their feet.

Numbers 16:32 And opening its mouth, it devoured them with their tabernacles and their entire substance.

Numbers 16:33 And they descended alive, the ground closing around them, into the underworld, and they perished from the midst of the mulititude.

Numbers 16:34 Yet truly, all of Israel, which was standing all around, took flight at the clamor of those who were perishing, saying, “Lest perhaps the earth may swallow us whole also.”

Numbers 16:35 Then, too, a fire, going forth from the Lord, put to death the two hundred fifty men who were offering the incense.

Numbers 16:36 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Numbers 16:37 “Instruct Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, to take up the censers which lie in the burning, and to scatter the fire to one side and another, because they were sanctified

Numbers 16:38 in the deaths of these sinners. And let him form them into plates, and affix them to the altar, because incense had been offered in them to the Lord, and they were sanctified, and so that the sons of Israel may discern in them a sign and a memorial.”

Numbers 16:39 Therefore, Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, by which those whom the burning devoured had made an offering, and he formed them into plates, affixing them to the altar,

Numbers 16:40 so that the sons of Israel would have, thereafter, something to admonish them, lest any stranger, or anyone who is not of the offspring of Aaron, might approach to offer incense to the Lord, and lest he endure what happened to Korah, and to all his congregation, when the Lord spoke to Moses.

Numbers 16:41 Then, the following day, the entire multitude of the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying: “You have put to death the people of the Lord.”

Numbers 16:42 And when there arose a sedition, and the tumult increased,

Numbers 16:43 Moses and Aaron fled to the tabernacle of the covenant. But after they had entered it, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.

Numbers 16:44 And the Lord said to Moses:

Numbers 16:45 “Withdraw from the midst of this multitude, and I will destroy them immediately.” And while they were lying on the ground,

Numbers 16:46 Moses said to Aaron: “Take the censer, and draw fire into it from the altar; place incense upon it, and continue on, quickly, to the people, to pray for them. For already wrath has gone forth from the Lord, and the scourge rages.”

Numbers 16:47 When Aaron had done this, and he ran into the midst of the multitude, which the burning fire was now destroying, and he offered the incense.

Numbers 16:48 And standing between the dead and the living, he prayed for the people, and the scourge ceased.

Numbers 16:49 But the number of those who were struck down was fourteen thousand men, and seven hundred, aside from those who had perished in the sedition of Korah.

Numbers 16:50 And Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle of the covenant, after the destruction quieted.