Numbers 16:16-26

16 And Moses said to Korah, Thou and all thy congregation stand asides half before the Lord, and Aaron tomorrow by himself. (And Moses said to Korah, Tomorrow, thou, and all thy company, or all thy people, come and stand here before the Lord, and also Aaron, by himself.)

17 Take ye all by yourselves your censers, and put ye incense in those (All of you shall take your censers, and put ye incense in them), and offer ye to the Lord, twain hundred and fifty censers; and Aaron hold he his censer (also).

18 And (so the next day) when they had done this, while Moses and Aaron stood there,

19 and they had gathered all the multitude to the door of the tabernacle against them, the glory of the Lord appeared to all. (and Korah had gathered all the multitude against them at the entrance to the Tabernacle, the glory of the Lord appeared to all of them.)

20 And the Lord spake to Moses and to Aaron, and said,

21 Be ye separated from the midst of this congregation, that I lose them suddenly. (Be ye set apart from the midst of this company, or of these people, so that I can quickly destroy them.)

22 The which fell down low upon their face(s), and said, Most strong God of the spirits of all flesh, whether thy wrath shall be fierce against all men, for one man sinneth?

23 And the Lord said to Moses,

24 Command thou to all the people, that it be separated from the tabernacles of Korah, and of Dathan, and of Abiram. (Command thou to all the people, that they move away from the tents of Korah, and Dathan, and Abiram.)

25 And Moses rose (up), and went to Dathan and Abiram; and while the elder men of Israel followed him,

26 he said to the company, Go ye away from the tabernacles of the wicked men, and do not ye touch those things that pertain to them, lest ye be wrapped in the sins of them. (he said to the people, Go ye away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not ye touch those things that pertain to them, lest ye be wrapped up in their sins.)

Numbers 16:16-26 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.