Numbers 16:24-34

24 "Speak to the community and say, ‘Withdraw from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.'"
25 Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram. Israel's elders followed him.
26 He spoke to the community: "Move away from the tents of these wicked men and don't touch anything of theirs, lest you too be wiped out for all their sins."
27 They withdrew from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Then Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrance of their tents with their wives, children, and little ones.
28 Moses said, "By this you will know that the LORD sent me to do these deeds and that it wasn't my own desire.
29 If all these people die a natural death, or if their fate be that of all humans, then the LORD hasn't sent me.
30 But if the LORD performs an act of creation, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and everything that belongs to them, so that they descend alive to their graves, then you'll know that these men disrespected the LORD."

The rebels’ punishment

31 As soon as he finished speaking these words, the ground under them split open.
32 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, including every human that belonged to Korah and all their possessions.
33 They along with all their possessions descended alive to their graves, and the earth closed over them. They perished in the middle of the assembly.
34 All the Israelites who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, "The earth may swallow us."

Numbers 16:24-34 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 16

This chapter gives an account of a sedition of Korah and others against Moses and Aaron, Nu 16:1-4, with whom Moses expostulates, and shows the unreasonableness of their clamour against Aaron, Nu 16:5-11; sends for Dathan and Abiram, who were in the confederacy, but refused to come, which greatly angered Moses, Nu 16:12-15; orders Korah and his company to appear before the Lord the next day, with Aaron, to have the controversy decided, Nu 16:16-18; when all the congregation gathered together would have been, consumed had it not been for the intercession of Moses and Aaron, Nu 16:19-22; and who, being separated from the rebels by the command of the Lord, some of the rebels were swallowed up in the earth, and others destroyed by fire from heaven, Nu 16:23-35; and their censers were made a covering for the altar, as a memorial of their sin, Nu 16:36-40; on which there was a new insurrection of the people, which brought a plague upon them, and destroyed 14,700 persons, and which was stopped at the intercession of Aaron, Nu 16:41-50.

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