Numbers 16:1–19

Korah’s Rebellion

¹Korah (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.) ²These four men were joined by 250 Israelite men, well-known leaders of the community, chosen by the assembly. ³They came together to confront Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You’ve gone far enough! Everyone in the whole community is holy, and the Lord is among them. Why do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?” 

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

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

¹²Then Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab. But they said, “We won’t come! ¹³Isn’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? ¹⁴Certainly 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.” 

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

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

¹⁸So 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. ¹⁹When Korah had gathered all his followers—those who opposed Moses and Aaron—at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole group.