Korah’s Rebellion

16 Korah (son of Izhar), Dathan and Abiram (sons of Eliab), and On (son of Peleth) dared to challenge Moses.^[a] (Korah was a descendant of Kohath and Levi. Dathan, Abiram, and On were descendants of Reuben.) ² These four men were joined by 250 Israelite men, well-known leaders of the community, chosen by the assembly. ³ They came together to confront Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You’ve gone far enough! Everyone in the whole community is holy, and Yahweh is among them. Why do you set yourselves above Yahweh’s assembly?”

⁴ As soon as Moses heard this, he bowed with his face touching the ground. ⁵ Then he said to Korah and all his followers, “In the morning Yahweh will show who belongs to him, who is holy, and who it is that he will allow to come near him. Only the person Yahweh chooses will be allowed to come near him. ⁶ Korah, you and all your followers must do this tomorrow: Take incense burners, ⁷ and put burning coals and incense in them in Yahweh’s presence. Then Yahweh will choose the man who is holy. You’ve gone far enough!”

⁸ Moses also said to Korah, “Listen, you Levites! ⁹ Isn’t it enough for you that the Elohim of Israel has separated you from the rest of the community of Israel? Yahweh has brought you near himself to do the work for his tent and stand in front of the community to serve them. ¹⁰ He has brought you and all the other Levites near himself, but now you demand to be priests. ¹¹ So you and all your followers have joined forces against Yahweh! Who is Aaron that you should complain about him?”

¹² Then Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab. But they said, “We won’t come! ¹³ Isn’t it enough that you brought us out of a land flowing with milk and honey only to kill us in the desert? Do you also have to order us around? ¹⁴ Certainly you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us any fields and vineyards to own. Do you think you can still pull the wool over our eyes? We won’t come.”

¹⁵ Moses became angry and said to Yahweh, “Don’t accept their offering. I haven’t taken anything from them, not even a donkey. And I haven’t mistreated any of them.”

¹⁶ Moses said to Korah, “Tomorrow you and all your followers must come into Yahweh’s presence. Aaron will also be there with you. ¹⁷ Each man will take his incense burner and put incense in it. They will offer all 250 incense burners to Yahweh. Then you and Aaron offer your incense burners.”

¹⁸ So each man took his incense burner, put burning coals and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ¹⁹ When Korah had gathered all his followers—those who opposed Moses and Aaron—at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of Yahweh appeared to the whole group.

²⁰ Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, ²¹ “Move away from these men, and I’ll destroy them in an instant.” ²² Immediately, they bowed with their faces touching the ground and said, “O El, you are the Elohim who gives the breath of life to everyone! If one man sins, will you be angry with the whole community?”

²³ Then Yahweh said to Moses, ²⁴ “Tell the community: Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”

²⁵ Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the leaders of Israel followed him. ²⁶ He said to the community, “Move away from the tents of these wicked men. Don’t touch anything that belongs to them, or you’ll be swept away because of all their sins.” ²⁷ So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing at the entrances to their tents with their wives and children.

⁹ and Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram were the sons of Eliab. (It was Dathan and Abiram, men chosen by the community, who defied Moses and Aaron’s authority. They joined Korah’s followers when they defied Yahweh’s authority.