English Bible Presentation Sharing - Numbers Book, chapter 16, verse 1 in Hcsb Version

Numbers 16 : 1 (HCSB)

Now Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took

Numbers 16 : 2 (HCSB)

250 prominent Israelite men who were leaders of the community and representatives in the assembly, and they rebelled against Moses.

Numbers 16 : 3 (HCSB)

They came together against Moses and Aaron and told them, "You have gone too far! Everyone in the entire community is holy, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the LORD's assembly?"

Numbers 16 : 4 (HCSB)

When Moses heard *this , he fell facedown.

Numbers 16 : 5 (HCSB)

Then he said to Korah and all his followers, "Tomorrow morning the LORD will reveal who belongs to Him, who is set apart, and *the one He will let come near Him. He will let the one He chooses come near Him.

Numbers 16 : 6 (HCSB)

Korah, you and all your followers are to do this: take firepans, and tomorrow

Numbers 16 : 7 (HCSB)

place fire in them and put incense on them before the LORD. Then the man the LORD chooses will be the one who is set apart. It is you Levites who have gone too far!"

Numbers 16 : 8 (HCSB)

Moses also told Korah, "Now listen, Levites!

Numbers 16 : 9 (HCSB)

Isn't it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the Israelite community to bring you near to Himself, to perform the work at the LORD's tabernacle, and to stand before the community to minister to them?

Numbers 16 : 10 (HCSB)

He has brought you near, and all your fellow Levites who are with you, but you are seeking the priesthood as well.

Numbers 16 : 11 (HCSB)

Therefore, it is you and all your followers who have conspired against the LORD! As for Aaron, who is he that you should complain about him?"

Numbers 16 : 12 (HCSB)

Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, "We will not come!

Numbers 16 : 13 (HCSB)

Is it not enough that you brought us up from a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness? Do you also have to appoint yourself as ruler over us?

Numbers 16 : 14 (HCSB)

Furthermore, you didn't bring us to a land flowing with milk and honey or give us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes of these men? We will not come!"

Numbers 16 : 15 (HCSB)

Then Moses became angry and said to the LORD, "Don't respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them or mistreated a single one of them."

Numbers 16 : 16 (HCSB)

So Moses told Korah, "You and all your followers are to appear before the LORD tomorrow-- you, they, and Aaron.

Numbers 16 : 17 (HCSB)

Each of you is to take his firepan, place incense on it, and present his firepan before the LORD-- 250 firepans. You and Aaron *are each to present your firepan also."

Numbers 16 : 18 (HCSB)

Each man took his firepan, placed fire in it, put incense on it, and stood at the entrance to the tent of meeting along with Moses and Aaron.

Numbers 16 : 19 (HCSB)

After Korah assembled the whole community against them at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of the LORD appeared to the whole community.

Numbers 16 : 20 (HCSB)

The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron,

Numbers 16 : 21 (HCSB)

"Separate yourselves from this community so I may consume them instantly."

Numbers 16 : 22 (HCSB)

But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and said, "God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will you vent Your wrath on the whole community?"

Numbers 16 : 23 (HCSB)

The LORD replied to Moses,

Numbers 16 : 24 (HCSB)

"Tell the community: Get away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram."

Numbers 16 : 25 (HCSB)

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

Numbers 16 : 26 (HCSB)

He warned the community, "Get away now from the tents of these wicked men. Don't touch anything that belongs to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins."

Numbers 16 : 27 (HCSB)

So they got away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Meanwhile, Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrance of their tents with their wives, children, and infants.

Numbers 16 : 28 (HCSB)

Then Moses said, "This is how you will know that the LORD sent me to do all these things and that it was not of my own will:

Numbers 16 : 29 (HCSB)

If these men die *naturally as all people would, and suffer the fate of all, then the LORD has not sent me.

Numbers 16 : 30 (HCSB)

But if the LORD brings about something unprecedented, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them along with all that belongs to them so that they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have despised the LORD."

Numbers 16 : 31 (HCSB)

Just as he finished speaking all these words, the ground beneath them split open.

Numbers 16 : 32 (HCSB)

The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, all Korah's people, and all *their possessions.

Numbers 16 : 33 (HCSB)

They went down alive into Sheol with all that belonged to them. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly.

Numbers 16 : 34 (HCSB)

At their cries, all *the people of Israel who were around them fled because they thought, "The earth may swallow us too!"

Numbers 16 : 35 (HCSB)

Fire also came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were presenting the incense.

Numbers 16 : 36 (HCSB)

Then the LORD spoke to Moses:

Numbers 16 : 37 (HCSB)

"Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to remove the firepans from the burning debris, because they are holy, and scatter the fire far away.

Numbers 16 : 38 (HCSB)

As for the firepans of those who sinned at the cost of their own lives, make them into hammered sheets as plating for the altar, for they presented them before the LORD, and the firepans are holy. They will be a sign to the Israelites."

Numbers 16 : 39 (HCSB)

So Eleazar the priest took the bronze firepans that those who were burned had presented, and they were hammered into plating for the altar,

Numbers 16 : 40 (HCSB)

just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. It was to be a reminder for the Israelites that no unauthorized person outside the lineage of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD and become like Korah and his followers.

Numbers 16 : 41 (HCSB)

The next day the entire Israelite community complained about Moses and Aaron, saying, "You have killed the LORD's people!"

Numbers 16 : 42 (HCSB)

When the community assembled against them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the tent of meeting, and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the LORD's glory appeared.

Numbers 16 : 43 (HCSB)

Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting,

Numbers 16 : 44 (HCSB)

and the LORD said to Moses,

Numbers 16 : 45 (HCSB)

"Get away from this community so that I may consume them instantly." But they fell facedown.

Numbers 16 : 46 (HCSB)

Then Moses told Aaron, "Take your firepan, place fire from the altar in it, and add incense. Go quickly to the community and make atonement for them, because wrath has come from the LORD; the plague has begun."

Numbers 16 : 47 (HCSB)

So Aaron took his firepan as Moses had ordered, ran into the middle of the assembly, and saw that the plague had begun among the people. After he added incense, he made atonement for the people.

Numbers 16 : 48 (HCSB)

He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was halted.

Numbers 16 : 49 (HCSB)

But those who died from the plague numbered 14,700, in addition to those who died because of the Korah incident.

Numbers 16 : 50 (HCSB)

Aaron then returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, since the plague had been halted.