Numbers 16:1–14

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram Rebel

16 Now Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, the descendantsa of Reuben, 2 took 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. 3 They 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?”

4 When Moses heard this, he fell on his face. 5 And 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. 6 Do this: take for yourselves censers, Korah and all of your company;f 7 tomorrow 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!”

8 And Moses said to Korah, “Please listen, sons of Levi! 9 Is 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 ⌊before⌋i the community to serve them? 10 ⌊He has allowed you to approach him⌋,j you with all your brothers, the descendantsk of Levi, but yet you also seek the priesthood. 11 Therefore you and your company have banded together against Yahweh. What is Aaron that you grumble against him?”

12 Moses sent to call for Dathan and Abiram son of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come!l 13 Is it too little that you have brought us from a land that flows with milk and honey to kill us in the desert, and that you also appoint yourself as a ruler over us? 14 Surely, you have not brought us to a land that flows with milk and honey, and you have not given us the inheritance of fields and a vineyard. Will you gouge out the eyes of these men? We will not come!”m