16Now Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, the descendants^a of Reuben, ²took two hundred and fifty men from the Israelites,^b leaders of the community summoned from the assembly, renowned men,^c and they confronted^d Moses. ³They were assembled in front of Moses and Aaron, and they said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves!^e All of the community is holy, every one of them, and Yahweh is in their midst, so why do you raise yourselves over the assembly of Yahweh?”

⁴When Moses heard this, he fell on his face. ⁵And he said to Korah and to his entire company, saying, “Tomorrow morning Yahweh will make known who is his and who is holy, and he will bring him near to him, whomever he chooses he will bring near to him. ⁶Do this: take for yourselves censers, Korah and all of your company;^f ⁷tomorrow put fire in them and place incense on them before^g Yahweh; the man whom Yahweh chooses will be the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, sons of Levi!”

⁸And Moses said to Korah, “Please listen, sons of Levi! ⁹Is it too little for you that the God of Israel set you apart from the community of Israel to allow you to approach him^h to do the work of the tabernacle of Yahweh, to stand beforeⁱ the community to serve them? ¹⁰He has allowed you to approach him,^j you with all your brothers, the descendants^k of Levi, but yet you also seek the priesthood. ¹¹Therefore you and your company have banded together against Yahweh. What is Aaron that you grumble against him?”

Read in Logos

Footnotes

aOr “sons”
bLiterally “sons/children of Israel”
cLiterally “men of name”
dLiterally “they rose up before”
eLiterally “It is much for you”
fHebrew “his company”
gLiterally “in the presence of”
hLiterally “to bring you near to him”
iLiterally “in the presence of”
jLiterally “He has brought you near”
kOr “sons”