The Fourth Book of Moses, called 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

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

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

4 And when Moses heard it he fell upon his face

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

6 This do Take you censers Korah and all his company

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

8 And Moses said unto Korah Hear I pray you ye 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

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

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

12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab which 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

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

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

16 And Moses said unto Korah Be thou and all thy company before 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

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 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

20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying

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

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

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

25 And Moses rose up and went unto 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

36 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

44 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying

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

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

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

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

49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand 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