Numbers 16:42-50

42 And when dissension (a)rose, and the noise increased, Moses and Aaron fled to the tabernacle of the bond of peace (Moses and Aaron fled to the Tabernacle of the Covenant); and after that they entered into it, a cloud covered the tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord appeared.

43 (See verse 42 above.)

44 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

45 Go ye away from the midst of this multitude, also now I shall do away them. And when they lay in the earth, (Go ye away from the midst of this multitude, for I shall now destroy them. And when they lay on the ground,)

46 Moses said to Aaron, Take thy censer, and when the fire is taken up from (off) the altar, cast thou incense above, and go thou forth soon to the people, that thou pray for them; for now wrath is gone out from the Lord, and the vengeance is fierce. (Moses said to Aaron, Take thy censer, and when thou hast taken fire from off the altar, cast thou incense on it, and quickly go forth to the people, and make amends for them; for anger hath now gone out from the Lord, and the plague hath begun.)

47 And when Aaron had done this, and had run to the midst of the multitude, which the burning wasted then, he offered incense; (And Aaron did this, and ran to the midst of the multitude, who were already dying from the plague, and he offered the incense;)

48 and he stood betwixt the dead men and the living, and he prayed for the people, and the vengeance ceased. (and he stood there among the living and the dead, and made amends for the people, and then the plague ceased.)

49 Soothly they that were slain were fourteen thousand of men and seven hundred, without them that perished in the dissension of Korah. (But fourteen thousand and seven hundred people died from the plague, besides those who had perished in the rebellion of Korah.)

50 And Aaron turned again to Moses, to the door of the tabernacle of the bond of peace, after that the perishing of men ceased. (And then Aaron returned to Moses, at the entrance to the Tabernacle of the Covenant, after that the plague had ceased.)

Numbers 16:42-50 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.