Numbers 16:36-50

The reminder of the censers

36 The LORD spoke to Moses:

37 Tell Eleazar, Aaron the priest's son, to raise the censers from the fire and scatter the ashes about, because they are holy.

38 Hammer the censers of those who sinned and lost their lives into thin plates for the altar. Since they presented them in the LORD's presence, they had become holy. They will be a sign for the Israelites.

39 Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers presented by those who had been consumed by fire and hammered them into a covering for the altar,

40 just as the LORD instructed him through Moses. This was a reminder for the Israelites that no outsider who isn't one of Aaron's descendants should approach to burn incense in the LORD's presence, so as not to be like Korah and his community.

41 On the next day the entire Israelite community complained to Moses and Aaron, "You killed the LORD's people."

42 When the community assembled against Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the meeting tent. At that moment the cloud covered it, and the LORD's glory appeared.

43 Moses and Aaron came to the front of the meeting tent,

44 and the LORD spoke to Moses:

45 Get away from this community, so that I may consume them in an instant. They fell on their faces,

46 and Moses said to Aaron, "Take the censer, put fire from the altar on it, place incense on it, go quickly to the community, and seek reconciliation for them. Indeed, the LORD's anger has gone out. The plague has begun."

47 Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the middle of the assembly, for the plague had already begun among the people. He burned incense and sought reconciliation for the people.

48 He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague stopped.

49 Those who died from the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, in addition to those who died because of Korah.

50 Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the meeting tent once the plague stopped.

Numbers 16:36-50 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. 17:1 in Heb