Numbers 16:24-34

24 speake vnto the congregacion and saye: Gett you awaye from aboute the dwellynge of Corah Dathan and Abiram.

25 And Moses rose vpp and went vnto Dathan and Abira and the elders of Israel folowed him.

26 And he spake vnto the congregacyon sayenge: departe from the tentes of these weked men and twyche nothinge of theres: lest ye peryshe in all there synnes.

27 And they gate them from the dwellynge of Corah Dathan and Abiram on euery syde. And Dathan and Abiram came out and stode in ye dore of there tetes with their wyues their sonnes and their childern.

28 And Moses sayed: Hereby ye shall knowe that the Lorde hath sent me to doo all these workes and that I haue not done them of myne awne mynde:

29 Yf these men dye the comon deth of all men or yf they be visyted after the visitacion of all men then the Lorde hath not sent me.

30 But and yf the Lorde make a newe thinge and the erth open hir mouthe and swalowe them and all that pertayne vnto them so that they goo doune quycke in to hell: then ye shall vnderstod that these me haue rayled apon the Lorde.

31 And as soone as he had made an ende of speakynge all these wordes the grounde cloue asunder that was vnder them

32 and ye erth opened hir mouthe and swalowed them and their housses and all the me that were with Corah and all their goodes.

33 And they and all that pertayned vnto them went doune alyue vnto hell and the erthe closed apon them and they peryshed from amonge the congregacyon.

34 And all Israel that were aboute them fledde at the crye of them. For they sayed: The erthe myghte happelye swalowe vs also.

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.