Numbers 16:1-50

1 The rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram,

23 Moses separateth the people from the rebels tents,

31 The earth swalloweth vp Korah, and a fire consumeth others.

36 The censers are reserued to holy vse.

41 Foureteene thousand and seuen hundred are slaine by a plague for murmuring against Moses and Aaron.

46 Aaron by incense stayeth the plague.

1 Now [Note: Numbers 27:3; Sir 45:21; Jdg_11:] Korah the sonne of Izhar, the sonne of Kohath, the sonne of Leui, and Dathan, and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab, and On the sonne of Peleth, sonnes of Reuben, tooke men.

2 And they rose vp before Moses, with certaine of the children of Israel, two hundred and fiftie Princes of the assembly, [Note: Numbers 26:9.] famous in the Congregation, men of renowne.

3 And they gathered themselues together against Moses, and against Aaron, and said vnto them, [Note: Hebrew: It is much for you.] Ye take too much vpon you, seeing all the Congregation are holy euery one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherfore then lift you vp your selues aboue the Congregation of the Lord ?

4 And when Moses heard it, he fell vpon his face.

5 And hee spake vnto Korah, and vnto all his company, saying, Euen to morrow the Lord will shew who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come neere vnto him: euen him whom he hath chosen, will he cause to come neere vnto him.

6 This doe: 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 doeth choose, hee shall be holy: yee take too much vpon you, ye sonnes of Leui.

8 And Moses saide vnto Korah, Heare, I pray you, ye sonnes of Leui.

9 Seemeth it but a small thing vnto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the Congregation of Israel, to bring you neere to himselfe, to doe the seruice of the Tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the

[He, Dathan, etc. are swallowed vp.]

Congregation to minister vnto them?

10 And he hath brought thee neere to him, and all thy brethren the sonnes of Leui with thee: and seeke 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 murmure against him?

12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab: which said, We will not come vp.

13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought vs vp out of a land that floweth with milke and hony, to kill vs in the wildernesse, except thou make thy selfe altogether a prince ouer vs?

14 Moreouer, thou hast not brought vs into a land that floweth with milke and hony, or giuen vs inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou [Note: Hebrew: boare out.] put out the eyes of these men? we will not come vp.

15 And Moses was very wroth, and said vnto the Lord, [Note: Genesis 4:4.] Respect not thou their offering: I haue not taken one asse from them, neither haue I hurt one of them.

16 And Moses said vnto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord, thou, and they, and Aaron to morrow.

17 And take euery man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring yee before the Lord euery man his censer, two hundred and fiftie censers, thou also and Aaron, each of you his censer.

18 And they tooke euery man his censer, and put fire in them, and laide incense thereon, and stood in the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation with Moses and Aaron.

19 And Korah gathered all the Congregation against them, vnto the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation: and the glory of the Lord appeared vnto all the Congregation.

20 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, and vnto Aaron, saying,

21 Separate your selues from among this Congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.

22 And they fell vpon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shal one man sinne, and wilt thou be wroth with all the Congregation?

23 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

[He, Dathan, etc. are swallowed vp.]

24 Speake vnto the Congregation, saying, Get you vp from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

25 And Moses rose vp, and went vnto Dathan and Abiram: and the Elders of Israel followed him.

26 And hee spake vnto the Congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sinnes.

27 So they gate vp from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on euery side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the doore of their tents, and their wiues, & their sonnes, and their little children.

28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to doe all these workes: for I haue not done them of mine owne mind.

29 If these men die [Note: Hebrew: as euery man dieth.] 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 [Note: Hebrew: create a creature.] make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them vp, with all that appertaine vnto them, and they go downe quicke into the pit: then ye shall vnderstand that these men haue prouoked the Lord.

31 [Note: Numbers 27:3; Deuteronomy 11:6; Psalms 106:17.] And it came to passe as he had made an ende of speaking all these words, that the ground claue asunder that was vnder them:

32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them vp, and their houses, and all the men that appertained vnto Korah, and all their goods.

33 They, and all that appertained to them, went downe aliue into the pit, and the earth closed vpon them: and they perished from among the Congregation.

34 And all Israel that were round about them, fled at the crie of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow vs vp also.

35 And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fiftie men that offered incense.

36 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

37 Speake vnto Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest, that he take vp the censers out of the burning, and scatter

[The plague stayed.]

thou the fire yonder, for they are hallowed.

38 The censers of these sinners against their owne soules, let them make them broad plates for a couering of the Altar: for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed, and they shall be a signe vnto the children of Israel.

39 And Eleazar the Priest tooke the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered, and they were made broad plates for a couering of the Altar:

40 To bee a memoriall vnto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come neere 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 haue killed the people of the Lord.

42 And it came to passe when the Congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the Tabernacle of the Congregation: and behold, the cloud couered 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 vnto Moses, saying,

45 Get you vp from among this Congregation, that I may consume them, as in a moment: and they fell vpon their faces.

46 And Moses said vnto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the Altar, and put on incense, and goe quickly vnto the Congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun.

47 And Aaron tooke as Moses commanded, and ranne 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 betweene the dead and the liuing, and the plague was stayed.

49 Now they that died in the plague,

[Aarons rodde.]

were foureteene thousand and seuen hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.

50 And Aaron returned vnto Moses, vnto the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation; and the plague was stayed.