King James Version

1 And 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, the sons of Reuben, took. 2 And they arose before Moses, and men from the children of Israel, five hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, called men of renown. 3 And they gathered against Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far, for all the congregation are holy, and in their midst is the Lord; why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?" 4 And Moses heard and fell on his face. 5 And he spoke to Korah and to all his congregation, saying, "In the morning, the LORD will know who is His and who is holy, and will bring near to Him; and whom He chooses, He will bring near to Him." 6 This you shall do: take for yourselves censers, Korah and all his congregation. 7 And you shall give them fire, and put incense on it before the Lord tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom the Lord chooses, he is the holy one; this is a great thing for you, sons of Levi. 8 And Moses said to Korah, "Hear now, sons of Levi." 9 The least among you because the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel to bring you near to serve the work of the Lord's tabernacle and to stand before the congregation to minister to them. 10 And he brought you and all your brothers, the sons of Levi, with you, and you sought also the priesthood. 11 Therefore, you and all your congregation who are gathered against the LORD, and Aaron, what is he that you complain against us? 12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and they said, "We will not go up." 13 For the sake of a little, you have brought us up from a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness, for you will press down upon us; indeed, you will press down. 14 Even so, you did not bring us to a land flowing with milk and honey, nor did you give us an inheritance of field and vineyard; the eyes of those men will not lead us up. 15 And Moses was very angry, and he said to the LORD, "Do not look at their offerings; I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not wronged one of them." 16 And Moses said to Korah, "You and all your congregation be present before the Lord, you and they and Aaron tomorrow." 17 And each man shall take his censer, and you shall place fire upon them, and you shall bring them before the Lord, each man with his censer, two hundred fifty censers; and you and Aaron, each man with his censer. 18 And they took each man his censer and put fire on it and laid incense on it, and they stood at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and Moses and Aaron. 19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation. 20 And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: 21 Separate yourselves from this congregation, and I will consume them in a moment. 22 And they fell on their faces and said to the God of the spirits of all flesh, "One man sins, and will you be angry with all the congregation?" 23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying. 24 Speak to the congregation, saying: "Withdraw from around the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram." 25 And Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel went after him. 26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, "Turn away, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything of theirs, lest you be swept away in all their sin." 27 And they ascended from above the dwelling of Korach, Dathan, and Abiram, and Dathan and Abiram came out, standing at the entrance of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their young children. 28 And Moses said, "By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, for they are not from my heart." 29 If every man will die and the reckoning of every man will be taken upon them, the Lord has not sent me. 30 And if a creation is made by the LORD and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and all that is theirs, and they go down alive to Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD. 31 And it happened, when he finished speaking all these words, that the earth beneath them was split open. 32 And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their houses and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their possessions. 33 And they descended, along with all that were with them, alive to Sheol, and the earth covered over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34 And all Israel who were around them fled at their voice, for they said, "Lest the land swallow us." 35 And fire went out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred fifty men who were offering the 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.