(KJV) Numbers 16¹

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⥃Korah’s Rebellion

[1] Now Korah², 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 Reuben³, took [men⁴]: [2] And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous⁵ in the congregation, men of renown: [3] And they gathered⁶ themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, [Ye take] too much upon you⁷, seeing all the⁸ congregation [are] holy, every one of them, and the Lord⁹ [is] among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord? [4] And when Moses heard [it], he fell upon his face:¹⁰ [5] And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the Lord¹¹ will shew who [are] his, and [who is] holy¹²; and will cause¹³ [him] to come near unto him: even [him¹⁴] whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him. [6] This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;¹⁵ [7] And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the Lord to morrow: and it shall be [that] the man¹⁶ whom the Lord doth choose, he [shall be] holy: [ye take] too much¹⁷ upon you, ye sons of Levi. [8] And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: [9] [Seemeth it but¹⁸] a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated¹⁹ 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 seek²⁰ ye the priesthood also? [11] For which cause [both] thou and all thy company [are] gathered together against²¹ the Lord: and what [is] Aaron²², that ye murmur against him?

[12] And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:²³ [13] [Is it] a small²⁴ thing that thou hast brought us up out of a²⁵ land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill²⁶ us in the wilderness, except thou make²⁷ thyself altogether a prince over us? [14] Moreover²⁸ 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 out²⁹ the eyes of these men? we will not come up. [15] And Moses was very wroth³⁰, and said unto the Lord, Respect³¹ not thou their offering: I have not³² taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them. [16] And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou³³ and all thy company before³⁴ 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.³⁵ [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 Korah³⁶ gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory³⁷ of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation. [20] And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, [21] Separate³⁸ yourselves from among this congregation, that I may³⁹ consume them in a moment. [22] And they fell⁴⁰ upon their faces, and said, O God, the God⁴¹ of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin⁴², and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?

⥃Moses Separates the People

[23] And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, [24] Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.⁴³ [25] And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.⁴⁴ [26] And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you⁴⁵, 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 stood⁴⁶ in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.

⥃The Earth Swallows Korah

[28] And Moses said, Hereby⁴⁷ ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for [I have⁴⁸] not [done them] of mine⁴⁹ own mind. [29] If these men die the common⁵⁰ death of all men, or if they be visited⁵¹ after the visitation of all men; [then] the Lord⁵² hath not sent me. [30] But if the Lord make a new thing⁵³, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that [appertain] unto them, and they⁵⁴ go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.

[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:⁵⁵ [32] And the earth⁵⁶ opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the⁵⁷ men that [appertained] unto Korah, and all [their] goods. [33] They, and all that [appertained] to them, went down alive into the⁵⁸ pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished⁵⁹ from among the congregation. [34] And all Israel that [were] round about them fled⁶⁰ at the cry of them: for they said, Lest⁶¹ the earth swallow us up [also]. [35] And there⁶² came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred⁶³ and fifty men that offered incense.

⥃The Censers Reserved for Holy Use

[36] [¶]And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, [37] Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers⁶⁴ out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed⁶⁵. [38] The censers of these sinners⁶⁶ 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 sign⁶⁷ 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] a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no⁶⁸ stranger, which [is] not of the seed of Aaron, come near⁶⁹ 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.

⥃Murmuring and Plague ^{[ 1 Corinthians 10:1–13 ]}

[41] But on the morrow⁷⁰ all the⁷¹ congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have⁷² killed the people of the Lord. [42] And it came to pass, when the⁷³ 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 glory⁷⁴ 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 you up⁷⁵ from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they⁷⁶ fell upon their faces.

[46] [¶]And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off⁷⁷ the altar, and put⁷⁸ on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement⁷⁹ for them: for there is wrath⁸⁰ gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun⁸¹. [47] And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran⁸² into the midst of the congregation; and, behold⁸³, the plague was begun among the people: and he put⁸⁴ on incense, and made an atonement for the people. [48] And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.⁸⁵⁸⁶ [49] Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand⁸⁷ and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah. [50] And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed. ⁸⁸

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