Numbers 16:41–50

The Israelites Grumble

⁴¹The next day all the community of the Israelites^h grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of Yahweh!” ⁴²Then, 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. ⁴³And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of assembly, ⁴⁴and 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. ⁴⁶And 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.” ⁴⁷And 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. ⁴⁸He stood between the dead and between the living, and the plague was stopped. ⁴⁹Those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died on account of Korah. ⁵⁰Then Aaron returned to Moses at the doorway of the tent of assembly, and the plague was stopped.