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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Numbers 16 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/numbers/16.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcc/numbers/16-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com/catholic">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NRSVCE</a> > Numbers 16</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../numbers/15.htm" title="Numbers 15">◄</a> Numbers 16 <a href="../numbers/17.htm" title="Numbers 17">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><div class="text-html"> <h3><span id="en" class="text">Revolt of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram</span></h3><p class="chapter-2"><span class="text"><span class="versenum">1</span>Now Korah son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—descendants of Reuben—took </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">2</span>two hundred fifty Israelite men, leaders of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men,<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-4197a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> and they confronted Moses. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">3</span>They assembled against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone too far! All the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> is among them. So why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>?” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">4</span>When Moses heard it, he fell on his face. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">5</span>Then he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> will make known who is his, and who is holy, and who will be allowed to approach him; the one whom he will choose he will allow to approach him. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">6</span>Do this: take censers, Korah and all your<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-4201b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote b">b</a>]</span> company, </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">7</span>and tomorrow put fire in them, and lay incense on them before the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>; and the man whom the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> chooses shall be the holy one. You Levites have gone too far!” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">8</span>Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you Levites! </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">9</span>Is it too little for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to allow you to approach him in order to perform the duties of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>’s tabernacle, and to stand before the congregation and serve them? </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">10</span>He has allowed you to approach him, and all your brother Levites with you; yet you seek the priesthood as well! </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">11</span>Therefore you and all your company have gathered together against the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>. What is Aaron that you rail against him?”</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">12</span>Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab; but they said, “We will not come! </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">13</span>Is it too little that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also lord it over us? </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">14</span>It is clear you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come!”</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">15</span>Moses was very angry and said to the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>, “Pay no attention to their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed any one of them.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">16</span>And Moses said to Korah, “As for you and all your company, be present tomorrow before the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>, you and they and Aaron; </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">17</span>and let each one of you take his censer, and put incense on it, and each one of you present his censer before the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>, two hundred fifty censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">18</span>So each man took his censer, and they put fire in the censers and laid incense on them, and they stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">19</span>Then Korah assembled the whole congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> appeared to the whole congregation.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">20</span>Then the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">21</span>Separate yourselves from this congregation, so that I may consume them in a moment. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">22</span>They fell on their faces, and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one person sin and you become angry with the whole congregation?”</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">23</span>And the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> spoke to Moses, saying: </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">24</span>Say to the congregation: Get away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">25</span>So Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram; the elders of Israel followed him. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">26</span>He said to the congregation, “Turn away from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, or you will be swept away for all their sins.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">27</span>So they got away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrance of their tents, together with their wives, their children, and their little ones. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">28</span>And Moses said, “This is how you shall know that the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> has sent me to do all these works; it has not been of my own accord: </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">29</span>If these people die a natural death, or if a natural fate comes on them, then the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> has not sent me. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">30</span>But if the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up, with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>.”</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">31</span>As soon as he finished speaking all these words, the ground under them was split apart. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">32</span>The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households—everyone who belonged to Korah and all their goods. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">33</span>So they with all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol; the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">34</span>All Israel around them fled at their outcry, for they said, “The earth will swallow us too!” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">35</span>And fire came out from the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> and consumed the two hundred fifty men offering the incense.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">36</span><span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-4231c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote c">c</a>]</span> Then the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> spoke to Moses, saying: </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">37</span>Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to take the censers out of the blaze; then scatter the fire far and wide. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">38</span>For the censers of these sinners have become holy at the cost of their lives. Make them into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they presented them before the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> and they became holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the Israelites. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">39</span>So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers that had been presented by those who were burned; and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar— </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">40</span>a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, shall approach to offer incense before the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>, so as not to become like Korah and his company—just as the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> had said to him through Moses.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">41</span>On the next day, however, the whole congregation of the Israelites rebelled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">42</span>And when the congregation had assembled against them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the tent of meeting; the cloud had covered it and the glory of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> appeared. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">43</span>Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">44</span>and the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> spoke to Moses, saying, </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">45</span>“Get away from this congregation, so that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">46</span>Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, put fire on it from the altar and lay incense on it, and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them. For wrath has gone out from the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>; the plague has begun.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">47</span>So Aaron took it as Moses had ordered, and ran into the middle of the assembly, where the plague had already begun among the people. He put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">48</span>He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stopped. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">49</span>Those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the affair of Korah. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">50</span>When the plague was stopped, Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting.</span></p> <A name="fen"></a><div class="footnotes"><h4>Footnotes</h4><ol><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Numbers 16:2">Numbers 16:2</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Cn: Heb <i>and they confronted Moses, and two hundred fifty men�.�.�. well-known men</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Numbers 16:6">Numbers 16:6</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Heb <i>his</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Numbers 16:36">Numbers 16:36</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Ch 17.1 in Heb</span></li></ol></div> </div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. 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