20 And Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 21 “Separate yourselves from the midst of this community, that I can destroy them in a moment.” 22 And they fell on their faces, and they said, “God, God of the spirits of all flesh, will one man sin and you become angry toward the entire community?”

23 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the community, saying, ‘Move away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ ” 25 So Moses stood up and went to Dathan and Abiram; the elders of Israel followed after him. 26 He said to the community, saying, “Please turn away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything ⌊that belongs to them⌋,q or you will be destroyed with all their sins.” 27 And so they moved away from around the dwellingsr of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out standing at the doorway of their tents, with their wives, sons, and little children. 28 And Moses said, “In this you will know that Yahweh has sent me to do all these works; it is not from my heart. 29 ⌊If they die a natural death⌋s or ⌊if a natural fate is visited upon them⌋,t Yahweh has not sent me. 30 But if Yahweh creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up and ⌊all that belongs to them⌋,u and they go down alive to Sheol, and you will know that these men have despised Yahweh.”

31 And it happened, as soon as he finished ⌊speaking⌋v all these words, the ground that was under them split open. 32 The land opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their houses and every person ⌊that belonged to Korah⌋w and all the property. 33 They went down alive to Sheol, they and all that belonged to them, and the land covered over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34 All Israel who were around them fled at their cry, because they said, “Lest the land swallow us up!” 35 And fire went out from Yahweh, and it consumed the two hundred and fifty men presenting the incense.

36x And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 37 “Say to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, ‘⌊Take out⌋y the censers from among the place of burning because they are sacred, and scatter the fire outside. 38 The censers of these ⌊who have sinned⌋z at the cost of their lives, let them be made into gilded leafing plating for the altar; because they presented them ⌊before Yahweh⌋,a they are holy; and they will be a sign for the ⌊Israelites⌋.’ ”b 39 Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers that the ones who were burned presented, and they hammered them out thinly as plating for the altar; 40 it was a memorial for the ⌊Israelites⌋,c so that ⌊no strange man⌋d who is not from ⌊the offspring⌋e of Aaron should approach the presence of Yahweh to burn a smoke offering;f he will not be like Korah and his company, just as Yahweh had spoken to him by the hand of Moses.g

The Israelites Grumble

41 The next day all the community of the ⌊Israelites⌋h grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of Yahweh!” 42 Then, when the community had gathered against Moses and Aaron, they turned to the tent of assembly, and behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of Yahweh appeared. 43 And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of assembly, 44 and Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Get away from the midst of this community, and I will finish them in an instant,”i but they fell on their faces. 46 And Moses and Aaron said, “Take the censer, and put fire on it from the altar. Place incense on it, and bring it quickly to the community, and make atonement for them, because wrath went out from the presence of Yahweh, and a plague has begun.” 47 And so Aaron took it just as Moses had spoken, and he ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people; so he gave the incense and made atonement for the people. 48 He stood between the dead and between the living, and the plague was stopped. 49 Those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died on account of Korah. 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the doorway of the tent of assembly, and the plague was stopped.