Numbers 16:25-35

25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.

26 And he spoke unto the congregation, saying, "Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins."

27 So they got up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram on every side; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives and their sons and their little children.

28 And Moses said, "Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of mine own mind.

29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited according to the visitation of all men, then the LORD hath not sent me.

30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth and swallow them up with all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into the pit, then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD."

31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground cleaved asunder that was under them;

32 and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their houses and all the men who appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

33 They and all that appertained to them went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them; and they perished from among the congregation.

34 And all Israel who were round about them fled at the cry of them, for they said, "Lest the earth swallow us up also!"

35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who offered incense.

Numbers 16:25-35 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.