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Ward Green Version, 2003	American Standard Version, 1901
© 2003 Ward Green. All rights reserved. Numbers 16 1 Now there was a man named Korah, and he was the great-grandson of Levi. His grandfather's name was Kohath, and his father's name Izhar. This Korah conspired together with some of the descendents of Reuben, namely Dathan and Abiram, who were sons of Eliab, and On, who was the son of Peleth.	Numbers 16 1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took [men]:
Numbers 16 2 These men rose up against Moses, they and two hundred and fifty men from the Israelite camp, great men, men of fame.	Numbers 16 2 and they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown;
Numbers 16 3 This group banded together against Moses and Aaron, saying: ``You presume too much, seeing that we are all holy, each and every one of us, with Jehovah as judge. What makes you think you are any better than us, since we are all Jehovah's people?''	Numbers 16 3 and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and Jehovah is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the assembly of Jehovah?
Numbers 16 4 On hearing this, Moses fell face-down onto the ground.	Numbers 16 4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
Numbers 16 5 Then Moses responded to Korah and to all of his crowd saying: ``At daybreak Jehovah will reveal his true representatives, and he will make peace with his holy ones. However, the decision regarding whose side he takes will be HIS ALONE!	Numbers 16 5 and he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, In the morning Jehovah will show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he shall choose will he cause to come near unto him.
Numbers 16 6 ``Korah, you and your men do the following: Get incense vessels for yourselves	Numbers 16 6 This do: take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
Numbers 16 7 tomorrow morning. Put hot coals and incense in them, in Jehovah's presence, and we will see. A man will be deemed holy only if Jehovah approves of him. You are a presumptuous lot, you sons of Levi!''	Numbers 16 7 and put fire in them, and put incense upon them before Jehovah to-morrow: and it shall be that the man whom Jehovah doth choose, he [shall be] holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
Numbers 16 8 Moses further challenged Korah, saying: ``Now listen to me, you sons of Levi.	Numbers 16 8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear now, ye sons of Levi:
Numbers 16 9 ``It may not seem like much to you, but Jehovah has selected you out of the entire family of Israel to bring you near to himself for the service of Jehovah's tent and to minister before the people.	Numbers 16 9 [seemeth it but] a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of Jehovah, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them;
Numbers 16 10 ``Indeed, he has brought you and all your brothers the sons of Levi into his close company. So what more do you want-- the priesthood?	Numbers 16 10 and that he hath brought thee near, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee? and seek ye the priesthood also?
Numbers 16 11 ``Actually, you and your people are conspiring against Jehovah himself. Why else would you be complaining-- about Aaron?''	Numbers 16 11 Therefore thou and all thy company are gathered together against Jehovah: and Aaron, what is he that ye murmur against him?
Numbers 16 12 When Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, they declared, ``We won't go.	Numbers 16 12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; and they said, We will not come up:
Numbers 16 13 ``As if it weren't enough that you've taken us from a land flowing with milk and honey, a fertile land, only to die here in the middle of nowhere, but now you're acting all high and mighty.	Numbers 16 13 is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, but thou must needs make thyself also a prince over us?
Numbers 16 14 ``You haven't brought us to any land flowing with milk and honey-- where are our fields and vineyards? If you blinded every one of us maybe we'd be that gullible. We won't go.''	Numbers 16 14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
Numbers 16 15 At once Moses grew vehement, his passion stoked to the level of a righteous rage as he spoke, addressing Jehovah: ``Don't take any offering of theirs seriously. I didn't get a thing-- not even a firstborn male donkey-- from them, and I didn't take it lightly, either.''	Numbers 16 15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto Jehovah, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
Numbers 16 16 To Korah Moses added: ``You and all your people appear in Jehovah's sight tomorrow: just you, your people, and Aaron.	Numbers 16 16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before Jehovah, thou, and they, and Aaron, to-morrow:
Numbers 16 17 and may each man take his incense vessel, put incense on it, and bring it to Jehovah. That makes two hundred and fifty incense vessels. Also, you and Aaron take your incense vessels, to each his own.''	Numbers 16 17 and take ye every man his censer, and put incense upon them, and bring ye before Jehovah every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each his censer.
Numbers 16 18 So it was that each man took his incense vessel, put fire in it, laid incense upon it, and stood at the door of the tabernacle along with Moses and Aaron.	Numbers 16 18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood at the door of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron.
Numbers 16 19 As Korah gathered all of his people together and descended on Moses and Aaron at the entrance of Jehovah's tent, the greatness of Jehovah became manifest.	Numbers 16 19 And Korah assembled all the congregation against them unto the door of the tent of meeting: and the glory of Jehovah appeared unto all the congregation.
Numbers 16 20 Jehovah now intimated to Moses and Aaron, saying:	Numbers 16 20 And Jehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Numbers 16 21 ``Move away from the crowd-- I'll make short work of them.''	Numbers 16 21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
Numbers 16 22 They both fell face-down on the ground, pleading, ``Almighty God, you are the giver of breath to all living things. When one man commits an offence will you vent your anger against the whole assembly?''	Numbers 16 22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?
Numbers 16 23 Jehovah agreed with Moses, saying:	Numbers 16 23 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
Numbers 16 24 ``Urge the assembly, tell them, `Get away from any tent belonging to Korah, Dathan, or Abiram.' ''	Numbers 16 24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
Numbers 16 25 Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the wise men of Israel were right behind him.	Numbers 16 25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
Numbers 16 26 Speaking to the multitude, Moses said, ``Please stand clear of the tents of these evil men, and don't touch anything, so that you don't end up in their predicament and have to die alongside them!''	Numbers 16 26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
Numbers 16 27 The people now evacuated the area round about the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Then Dathan and Abiram came out and took their stand at the entrances to their tents. Their women, their descendents, and their whole families stood by them.	Numbers 16 27 So they gat them up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little ones.
Numbers 16 28 Moses now announced: ``Here's how you'll know that Jehovah sent me to perform all these deeds and that it wasn't my idea.	Numbers 16 28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that Jehovah hath sent me to do all these works; for [I have] not [done them] of mine own mind.
Numbers 16 29 ``If these people die in the same way as anyone else, or if they are judged in the same way as anyone else, then Jehovah has not sent me.	Numbers 16 29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then Jehovah hath not sent me.
Numbers 16 30 ``But if something different happens, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with everything they own, and they are buried alive, then you'll know that they have invoked the wrath of Jehovah.''	Numbers 16 30 But if Jehovah make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then ye shall understand that these men have despised Jehovah.
Numbers 16 31 As he finished speaking these words, the ground did, in fact, split open beneath them	Numbers 16 31 And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them;
Numbers 16 32 as if opening its mouth, and they were swallowed up with their families, Korah's family, and all of their possessions.	Numbers 16 32 and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Numbers 16 33 So they were buried alive together with all their belongings, and the ground closed over them, and that was the last time anybody saw them.	Numbers 16 33 So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into Sheol: and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the assembly.
Numbers 16 34 All of Israel who were their neighbours heard their screams and ran for their lives, because, as they put it, ``Let's make sure that the earth doesn't swallow up the rest of us.''	Numbers 16 34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them; for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up.
Numbers 16 35 At that time also fire came out from before Jehovah and burned up the two hundred and fifty men who had been offering incense.	Numbers 16 35 And fire came forth from Jehovah, and devoured the two hundred and fifty men that offered the incense.
Numbers 16 36 Then Jehovah gave instructions to Moses, saying:	Numbers 16 36 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying:
Numbers 16 37 ``Command the priest Eleazar, Aaron's son, to rescue the incense vessels from the fire's rage and to scatter any fire that they find at a safe distance. The incense vessels are sanctified by my glory,	Numbers 16 37 Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are holy,
Numbers 16 38 ``despite those incense vessels' having been presented by misfits with a death-wish. Let these men pound them into an overleaf for the altar-- they offered them before me, Jehovah, so they are sanctified by my glory. May they be a monument to the children of Israel.''	Numbers 16 38 even the censers of these sinners against their own lives; and let them be made beaten plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before Jehovah; therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
Numbers 16 39 So Eleazar the priest took the copper incense vessels which those who were burned had offered, and he and his people pounded them flat, to be used as an overleaf for the altar,	Numbers 16 39 And Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers, which they that were burnt had offered; and they beat them out for a covering of the altar,
Numbers 16 40 as a reminder to the children of Israel that no outsider, someone not of Aaron's family line, should approach to offer incense before Jehovah for fear they could end up like Korah and his throng. All of it was done in harmony with Jehovah's words spoken to him by Moses.	Numbers 16 40 to be a memorial unto the children of Israel, to the end that no stranger, that is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to burn incense before Jehovah; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as Jehovah spake unto him by Moses.
Numbers 16 41 As soon as the next day arrived, the whole congregation of the children of Israel began to complain to Moses and Aaron, murmuring, ``The people you put to death were Jehovah's own people.''	Numbers 16 41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of Jehovah.
Numbers 16 42 Now it came about, that, just as the populace came together decisively to challenge Moses and Aaron, they turned toward Jehovah's tabernacle and were astounded to see that the cloud had engulfed the tent, and Jehovah's majesty was now revealing itself.	Numbers 16 42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was assembled against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tent of meeting: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of Jehovah appeared.
Numbers 16 43 As Moses and Aaron came towards Jehovah's dwelling place,	Numbers 16 43 And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting.
Numbers 16 44 Jehovah commanded Moses, saying:	Numbers 16 44 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
Numbers 16 45 ``Move away from this assembly, and I'll annihilate them without delay,'' and they bowed low to the ground, face-down.	Numbers 16 45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
Numbers 16 46 Then Moses said to Aaron, ``Take the incense vessel, put fire from the altar into it together with incense, and bring it promptly to the congregation to make amends for them, because Jehovah has unleashed his wrath. An epidemic has begun!''	Numbers 16 46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take they censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon, and carry it quickly unto the congregation, and make atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from Jehovah; the plague is begun.
Numbers 16 47 Aaron did as Moses said, running into the midst of the assembly. It was obvious that people had already begun to be afflicted, so he put on the incense and thereby purged away their sin.	Numbers 16 47 And Aaron took as Moses spake, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people.
Numbers 16 48 Interposing for those still alive, he kept the plague at bay.	Numbers 16 48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
Numbers 16 49 Those who died of pestilence numbered fourteen thousand seven hundred, not including those who had died because of Korah.	Numbers 16 49 Now they that died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides them that died about the matter of Korah.
Numbers 16 50 Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of Jehovah's tabernacle. The death-dealing disease was done. © 2003 Ward Green. All rights reserved.	Numbers 16 50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tent of meeting: and the plague was stayed.

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