Numbers 16

2when they rose up against Moses, with two hundred and fifty men of the sons of Israel, leaders of the congregation, eminent for a counsel and men of renown—

3when they rose in a body against Moses and Aaron, and said, Be it known to you that the whole congregation are holy, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you set yourselves against the congregation of the Lord?

5and spoke to Kore, and to all his company, saying, God hath seen and known who are his, and who are holy, and hath brought them near to himself. Even those whom he chose he hath brought near to himself.

6Do this. Take for yourself censers, thou Kore, and all you his company;

7and put fire therein, and lay incense thereon before the Lord to-morrow. And let the man whom the Lord hath chosen be the holy man. Let this suffice you, ye sons of Levi.

9Is this a small thing to you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from among the congregation of Israel, and brought you near to himself, to perform the holy services of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to attend before the tabernacle to perform them?

10He hath indeed brought thee near, and all thy brethren the children of Levi with thee. And do you seek in this manner to officiate also as priests—

11Thou and all this thy company who are tumultuously assembled before God? As for Aaron, who is he that you murmur against Him?

13Is it a small matter that thou hast been bringing us up to a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in this wilderness, that thou tyrannisest over us? Thou art a chief!

14And thou hast brought us to a land flowing with milk and honey! and hast given us a portion of land, and vineyards! Fain wouldst thou put out the eyes of these men! We will not go up.

16Then Moses said to Kore, Hallow thy company and be ready before the Lord, thou and Aaron and they, to-morrow.

17And take every one his censer, and put incense thereon, and present before the Lord, every one, his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also and Aaron, each his censer.

18And when every one had taken his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense on it, and Moses and Aaron stood at the doors of the tabernacle of the testimony;

19and Kore had collected against them all his company, at the doors of the tabernacle of the testimony, the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole congregation.

21Separate yourselves from among this congregation, and I will consume them all at once.

22At this they fell on their faces and said, O God, the God of the spirits, even of all flesh! If one man hath sinned, is the wrath of the Lord against the whole congregation?

24Speak to the congregation, and say, Withdraw all around from the congregation of Kore.

25Accordingly Moses, arose, and went to Dathan and Abiron; and all the elders of Israel accompanied him.

26And he spoke to the congregation, saying, Separate yourselves from the tents of these wicked men, and touch not any of the things which belong to them, lest you be consumed with them in their sins.

27And when they had drawn back, all around, from the tent of Kore, Dathan and Abiron came out, and stood at the doors of their tents, with their wives and their children, and their attendants.

29If these men die the common death of all men; or if their visitation be according to the visitation of all men, the Lord hath not sent me:

30but if the Lord demonstrate by a miracle, and the earth opening its mouth, shall swallow up them and their households, and their tents, and all that belong to them; and they go down alive to the mansion of the dead; then you will know that these men have provoked the Lord.

31And when he had made an end of speaking all these words, the earth was rent under them;

32and the earth opened; and it swallowed up them, and their households, and all the men who were with Kore, and all their cattle.

33And they, and all that belonged to them, went down alive to the mansions of the dead, and the earth covered them. And they were destroyed from among the congregation.

34And all the Israelites who were around them fled at their cry; for they said, Perhaps the earth may swallow us up.

35And there went forth a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men, who were offering incense!

37and to Eleazar the priest, the son of Aaron, Gather up the brazen censers from among them who were burned; but as for the strange fire, scatter it there.

38Because they have hallowed the censers of these sinful men with their lives, therefore make them up into thin plates, as a cover for the altar. Because they were presented before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed, and made a sign for the children of Israel.

40a memorial to the children of Israel, that none of another family, who is not of the seed of Aaron, should come near to present incense before the Lord, lest he be like Kore, and his confederacy, as the Lord spoke to him by the ministry of Moses.

42when, in their insurrection against Moses and Aaron, the congregation were rushing upon the tabernacle of the testimony, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.

43And Moses went in, with Aaron, in front of the tabernacle of the testimony,

44and the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,

45Withdraw from among this congregation, and I will destroy them all at once. Whereupon they fell on their face.

47So Aaron took as Moses commanded him, and ran into the congregation; (Now the destruction among the people had already begun) and he threw on the incense, and made atonement for the people,

48and stood between the dead and the living; and the plague ceased.

49Now they who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died on the account of Kore.