Numbers 16:32-42

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.

36 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

37 "Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder, for they are hallowed.

38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them into broad plates for a covering of the altar; for they offered them before the LORD. Therefore they are hallowed, and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel."

39 And Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers, wherewith those who were burned had offered, and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar

40 to be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, who is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah and as his company, as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.

41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, "Ye have killed the people of the LORD."

42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation; and behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.

Numbers 16:32-42 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.