Numbers, 16

1. Now Korah, 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]:

1. Korah, son of Izhar, son of Kohath, from the tribe of Levi - and also Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben - rebelled against Moses.

2. And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:

2. Two hundred fifty Israelites followed him; all were well known leaders in the community and members of the council.

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

3. They came together and addressed Moses and Aaron saying, "It is enough! The whole community is consecrated to Yahweh and he lives among them. Why then, do you set yourselves over the community of Yahweh?"

4. And when Moses heard [it], he fell upon his face:

4. When Moses, heard this, he threw himself face downward on the ground.

5. And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to 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 chosen will he cause to come near unto him.

5. Then he said to Korah and all his followers, "Tomorrow morning Yahweh will make known who belongs to him, and who is consecrated to him and may approach him. He himself will let the one he has chosen approach."

6. This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;

6. You Korah with all your followers, take your censers tomorrow.

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] too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.

7. Then you will fill them with burning coals and put incense in them before Yahweh, and Yahweh will indicate the one who is holy. Sons of Levi, you have gone too far!"

8. And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:

8. Moses said to Korah, "Listen to me now, you sons of Levi.

9. [Seemeth it but] a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath 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?

9. Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has set you apart from the rest of the community of Israel, and called you close to himself for service in the Holy Tent of Yahweh, to stand before this community and perform the sacred service on their behalf?

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?

10. He has called you to be near him, you and all your brother Levites with you, and now you want the office of priesthood as well!

11. For which cause [both] thou and all thy company [are] gathered together against the LORD: and what [is] Aaron, that ye murmur against him?

11. What is the misdeed of Aaron that you complain against him? It is against Yahweh himself that you and your followers have rebelled."

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

12. Moses sent messengers to summon Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, "We will not come up.

13. [Is it] a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?

13. Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to die in the wilderness? Do you also want to lord it over us?

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

14. You did not bring us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor give us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Do you suppose that all these people are blind? We will not come."

15. And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.

15. Moses then became angry and said to Yahweh, "Do not look favorably on their offering. I have not taken a single donkey, nor have I harmed any of them."

16. And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:

16. Moses said to Korah, "You and all your company be present before Yahweh tomorrow, you and they, together with Aaron.

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.

17. Each of you take his censer, put incense in it and present it before Yahweh - 250 censers! - and Aaron will do the same."

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.

18. So every man took his censer and put incense in it and they stood at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting with Moses and Aaron.

19. And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.

19. Korah assembled all the community against them at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and the Glory of Yahweh appeared to all the community.

20. And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

20. Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron,

21. Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.

21. "Stand aside from this community so that I may immediately destroy them."

22. And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?

22. They fell on their faces and said, "God, God of the spirits of all mortals, for one man's sin will you become angry with the whole congregation?"

23. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

23. Yahweh answered Moses,

24. Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

24. "Speak to the community and say this: Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram."

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

25. Moses got up and went towards Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.

26. And he spake unto 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 sins.

26. He spoke to the community saying, "Move away from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing that belongs to them lest you perish because of 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 stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.

27. They withdrew from the area near the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; they came out and were standing with their wives, their sons and little ones.

28. And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for [I have] not [done them] of mine own mind.

28. Then Moses said, "By this you shall know that Yahweh sent me to do all these deeds and that it is not my doing.

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

29. If these men die a natural death, merely suffering the fate of all men, then Yahweh has not sent me.

30. But if the LORD make a new thing, and the 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 have provoked the LORD.

30. But if Yahweh works a miracle and the earth, opening its mouth, swallows them, together with all they possess, and they descend alive to Sheol, you will know that these men have rejected Yahweh."

31. And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that [was] under them:

31. As Moses finished saying all this, the earth under them split in two,

32. And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that [appertained] unto Korah, and all [their] goods.

32. opened its mouth and engulfed them with their household and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions.

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.

33. They descended alive to Sheol with all that belonged to them; the earth covered them and they perished from the midst of the assembly.

34. And all Israel that [were] round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up [also].

34. On hearing their cries, all the Israelites who were around them fled, for they said, "Let not the earth swallow us as well!"

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

35. A fire then came forth from Yahweh and consumed the 250 men who were offering incense.

36. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

36.

37. Speak unto Eleazar 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 hallowed.

37.

38. The censers of these sinners 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 a sign unto the children of Israel.

38.

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:

39.

40. [To be] a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, 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.

40.

41. But on 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.

41.

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 glory of the LORD appeared.

42.

43. And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.

43.

44. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

44.

45. Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

45.

46. And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.

46.

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 put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.

47.

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

48.

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

49.

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

50.