Numbers 16
1 Korah, son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi tried to take over leadership, along with Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On, son of Peleth, who were from the tribe of Reuben.
| וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח בֶּן־יִצְהָר בֶּן־קְהָת בֶּן־לֵוִי וְדָתָן וַאֲבִירָם בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב וְאוֹן בֶּן־פֶּלֶת בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵֽן׃ |
2 They rebelled against Moses, and were joined by 250 well-respected Israelite leaders and members of the assembly.
| וַיָּקֻמוּ לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה וַאֲנָשִׁים מִבְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתָיִם נְשִׂיאֵי עֵדָה קְרִאֵי מוֹעֵד אַנְשֵׁי־שֵֽׁם׃ |
3 They joined together in opposition to Moses and Aaron, telling them, “You've taken too much power for yourselves! Every one of the Israelites is holy, and the Lord is among them. So why do you set yourselves above the Lord's assembly?”
| וַיִּֽקָּהֲלוּ עַל־מֹשֶׁה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם רַב־לָכֶם כִּי כׇל־הָֽעֵדָה כֻּלָּם קְדֹשִׁים וּבְתוֹכָם יְהֹוָה וּמַדּוּעַ תִּֽתְנַשְּׂאוּ עַל־קְהַל יְהֹוָֽה׃ |
4 When Moses heard what they were saying, he fell facedown on the ground.
| וַיִּשְׁמַע מֹשֶׁה וַיִּפֹּל עַל־פָּנָֽיו׃ |
5 Then he told Korah and all those with him, “In the morning the Lord is going to make it clear who is his and who is holy, and allow that person to approach him. He will only allow whoever he chooses to approach him.
| וַיְדַבֵּר אֶל־קֹרַח וְאֶֽל־כׇּל־עֲדָתוֹ לֵאמֹר בֹּקֶר וְיֹדַע יְהֹוָה אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ וְאֶת־הַקָּדוֹשׁ וְהִקְרִיב אֵלָיו וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר־בּוֹ יַקְרִיב אֵלָֽיו׃ |
6 This is what you, Korah, and everyone with you are going to do. Take some incense burners,
| זֹאת עֲשׂוּ קְחוּ־לָכֶם מַחְתּוֹת קֹרַח וְכׇל־עֲדָתֽוֹ׃ |
7 and tomorrow put incense in them and set it on fire in the presence of the Lord. Then the man the Lord chooses is the one who is holy. It is you Levites who are taking too much power for yourselves!”
| וּתְנוּ בָהֵן ׀ אֵשׁ וְשִׂימוּ עֲלֵיהֶן ׀ קְטֹרֶת לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה מָחָר וְהָיָה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַר יְהֹוָה הוּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ רַב־לָכֶם בְּנֵי לֵוִֽי׃ |
8 Moses also told Korah, “Listen, you Levites!
| וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־קֹרַח שִׁמְעוּ־נָא בְּנֵי לֵוִֽי׃ |
9 Do you think it's something insignificant that the God of Israel chose you from all the other Israelites and allowed you to approach him and carry out the work in the Lord's Tabernacle, to stand before the Israelites and serve them?
| הַמְעַט מִכֶּם כִּֽי־הִבְדִּיל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶתְכֶם מֵעֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַקְרִיב אֶתְכֶם אֵלָיו לַעֲבֹד אֶת־עֲבֹדַת מִשְׁכַּן יְהֹוָה וְלַעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי הָעֵדָה לְשָׁרְתָֽם׃ |
10 He has allowed you the privilege of approaching him, Korah, you and all the other Levites, but now you want to have the priesthood as well!
| וַיַּקְרֵב אֹֽתְךָ וְאֶת־כׇּל־אַחֶיךָ בְנֵי־לֵוִי אִתָּךְ וּבִקַּשְׁתֶּם גַּם־כְּהֻנָּֽה׃ |
11 So in reality you and those who have joined you are fighting against the Lord—because who is Aaron that you should complain about him?”
| לָכֵן אַתָּה וְכׇל־עֲדָתְךָ הַנֹּעָדִים עַל־יְהֹוָה וְאַהֲרֹן מַה־הוּא כִּי (תלונו) [תַלִּינוּ] עָלָֽיו׃ |
12 Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they replied, “We're not going to appear before you!
| וַיִּשְׁלַח מֹשֶׁה לִקְרֹא לְדָתָן וְלַאֲבִירָם בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא נַעֲלֶֽה׃ |
13 Haven't you done enough by taking us away from a land flowing with milk and honey in order to kill us out here in the desert? Do you have to make yourself a dictator as well, someone to rule us?
| הַמְעַט כִּי הֶֽעֱלִיתָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ לַהֲמִיתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר כִּֽי־תִשְׂתָּרֵר עָלֵינוּ גַּם־הִשְׂתָּרֵֽר׃ |
14 On top of that you haven't taken us to a land flowing with milk and honey or given us fields and vineyards to own. Do you really think you can fool everyone? No, we will not attend!”
| אַף לֹא אֶל־אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ הֲבִיאֹתָנוּ וַתִּתֶּן־לָנוּ נַחֲלַת שָׂדֶה וָכָרֶם הַעֵינֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָהֵם תְּנַקֵּר לֹא נַעֲלֶֽה׃ |
15 Moses got really angry and said to the Lord, “Don't accept their offerings. I have never taken even a donkey from them or treated any of them badly.”
| וַיִּחַר לְמֹשֶׁה מְאֹד וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־יְהֹוָה אַל־תֵּפֶן אֶל־מִנְחָתָם לֹא חֲמוֹר אֶחָד מֵהֶם נָשָׂאתִי וְלֹא הֲרֵעֹתִי אֶת־אַחַד מֵהֶֽם׃ |
16 Moses told Korah, “You and all those who have joined you must appear before the Lord tomorrow—all of you and Aaron too.
| וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־קֹרַח אַתָּה וְכׇל־עֲדָתְךָ הֱיוּ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אַתָּה וָהֵם וְאַהֲרֹן מָחָֽר׃ |
17 Each one will take his incense burner, put incense in it, and offer it before the Lord. All 250 of you will use your incense burners and Aaron will as well.”
| וּקְחוּ ׀ אִישׁ מַחְתָּתוֹ וּנְתַתֶּם עֲלֵיהֶם קְטֹרֶת וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אִישׁ מַחְתָּתוֹ חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם מַחְתֹּת וְאַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן אִישׁ מַחְתָּתֽוֹ׃ |
18 So each one took his incense burner, put incense in it, set it on fire, and stood together with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
| וַיִּקְחוּ אִישׁ מַחְתָּתוֹ וַיִּתְּנוּ עֲלֵיהֶם אֵשׁ וַיָּשִׂימוּ עֲלֵיהֶם קְטֹרֶת וַֽיַּעַמְדוּ פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּמֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹֽן׃ |
19 When Korah had gathered all his rebellious group at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the Lord's glory appeared before the whole congregation.
| וַיַּקְהֵל עֲלֵיהֶם קֹרַח אֶת־כׇּל־הָעֵדָה אֶל־פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וַיֵּרָא כְבוֹד־יְהֹוָה אֶל־כׇּל־הָעֵדָֽה׃ |
20 The Lord told Moses and Aaron,
| וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹֽר׃ |
21 “Step away from these Israelites and I will destroy them right away.”
| הִבָּדְלוּ מִתּוֹךְ הָעֵדָה הַזֹּאת וַאֲכַלֶּה אֹתָם כְּרָֽגַע׃ |
22 But Moses and Aaron fell facedown on the ground said, “God—God of everything that lives—when it's just one man who sins, do you have to be angry with the everybody?”
| וַיִּפְּלוּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵל אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכׇל־בָּשָׂר הָאִישׁ אֶחָד יֶחֱטָא וְעַל כׇּל־הָעֵדָה תִּקְצֹֽף׃ |
23 Then the Lord told Moses,
| וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ |
24 “Tell the people to move away from the homes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”
| דַּבֵּר אֶל־הָעֵדָה לֵאמֹר הֵֽעָלוּ מִסָּבִיב לְמִשְׁכַּן־קֹרַח דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָֽם׃ |
25 So Moses went over to Dathan and Abiram, and the Israelite elders of Israel followed him.
| וַיָּקׇם מֹשֶׁה וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל־דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם וַיֵּלְכוּ אַחֲרָיו זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ |
26 He ordered the people, “Move away from the tents of these wicked men and don't touch anything that belongs to them, otherwise you will be destroyed along with them in all their sins.”
| וַיְדַבֵּר אֶל־הָעֵדָה לֵאמֹר סוּרוּ נָא מֵעַל אׇהֳלֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָֽרְשָׁעִים הָאֵלֶּה וְאַֽל־תִּגְּעוּ בְּכׇל־אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם פֶּן־תִּסָּפוּ בְּכׇל־חַטֹּאתָֽם׃ |
27 The people moved away from the homes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrances to their tents along with their wives, children and little ones.
| וַיֵּעָלוּ מֵעַל מִשְׁכַּן־קֹרַח דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם מִסָּבִיב וְדָתָן וַאֲבִירָם יָצְאוּ נִצָּבִים פֶּתַח אׇֽהֳלֵיהֶם וּנְשֵׁיהֶם וּבְנֵיהֶם וְטַפָּֽם׃ |
28 Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord did send me to carry out everything I've done, for it wasn't anything I thought up.
| וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה בְּזֹאת תֵּֽדְעוּן כִּֽי־יְהֹוָה שְׁלָחַנִי לַעֲשׂוֹת אֵת כׇּל־הַֽמַּעֲשִׂים הָאֵלֶּה כִּי־לֹא מִלִּבִּֽי׃ |
29 If these men die a natural death, experiencing the destiny of every human being, then the Lord didn't sent me.
| אִם־כְּמוֹת כׇּל־הָֽאָדָם יְמֻתוּן אֵלֶּה וּפְקֻדַּת כׇּל־הָאָדָם יִפָּקֵד עֲלֵיהֶם לֹא יְהֹוָה שְׁלָחָֽנִי׃ |
30 But if the Lord does something totally different, and the earth opens up and swallows them down along with everything that belongs to them so that they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have acted with contempt to the Lord.” (Sheol h7585)
| וְאִם־בְּרִיאָה יִבְרָא יְהֹוָה וּפָצְתָה הָאֲדָמָה אֶת־פִּיהָ וּבָלְעָה אֹתָם וְאֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם וְיָרְדוּ חַיִּים שְׁאֹלָה וִֽידַעְתֶּם כִּי נִֽאֲצוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃ (Sheol h7585) |
31 Immediately Moses finished saying all this the ground under the rebels split apart,
| וַיְהִי כְּכַלֹּתוֹ לְדַבֵּר אֵת כׇּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַתִּבָּקַע הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר תַּחְתֵּיהֶֽם׃ |
32 and the earth opened up and swallowed them and their households down, as well as everyone who was there with Korah and everything that belonged to them.
| וַתִּפְתַּח הָאָרֶץ אֶת־פִּיהָ וַתִּבְלַע אֹתָם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּיהֶם וְאֵת כׇּל־הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר לְקֹרַח וְאֵת כׇּל־הָרְכֽוּשׁ׃ |
33 They went down alive into Sheol with all that they had. The earth closed over them, and they were no more. (Sheol h7585)
| וַיֵּרְדוּ הֵם וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם חַיִּים שְׁאֹלָה וַתְּכַס עֲלֵיהֶם הָאָרֶץ וַיֹּאבְדוּ מִתּוֹךְ הַקָּהָֽל׃ (Sheol h7585) |
34 When they heard their cries, all the Israelites nearby ran away, shouting, “Watch out! The earth could swallow us too!”
| וְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתֵיהֶם נָסוּ לְקֹלָם כִּי אָֽמְרוּ פֶּן־תִּבְלָעֵנוּ הָאָֽרֶץ׃ |
35 Fire burst out from the Lord and burned up the 250 men who were offering incense.
| וְאֵשׁ יָצְאָה מֵאֵת יְהֹוָה וַתֹּאכַל אֵת הַחֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם אִישׁ מַקְרִיבֵי הַקְּטֹֽרֶת׃ |
36 Then the Lord said to Moses,
| וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ |
37 “Tell Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, to collect the holy incense burners from among those who have been burned up, and scatter the coals used for the incense well away from the camp.
| אֱמֹר אֶל־אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן־אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן וְיָרֵם אֶת־הַמַּחְתֹּת מִבֵּין הַשְּׂרֵפָה וְאֶת־הָאֵשׁ זְרֵה־הָלְאָה כִּי קָדֵֽשׁוּ׃ |
38 Have the incense burners of those who sinned at the expense of their own lives hammered into metal sheets as a covering for the altar, because they were offered before the Lord, and so have become holy. They will be a reminder to Israelites of what happened.”
| אֵת מַחְתּוֹת הַֽחַטָּאִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּנַפְשֹׁתָם וְעָשׂוּ אֹתָם רִקֻּעֵי פַחִים צִפּוּי לַמִּזְבֵּחַ כִּֽי־הִקְרִיבֻם לִפְנֵֽי־יְהֹוָה וַיִּקְדָּשׁוּ וְיִֽהְיוּ לְאוֹת לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ |
39 So Eleazar the priest collected the bronze incense burners used by those who had been burned up, and had them hammered out as a covering for the altar,
| וַיִּקַּח אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן אֵת מַחְתּוֹת הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר הִקְרִיבוּ הַשְּׂרֻפִים וַֽיְרַקְּעוּם צִפּוּי לַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ |
40 following the instructions given to him from the Lord through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one who is not a descendant of Aaron should come and offer incense before the Lord, otherwise they could end up like Korah and those with him.
| זִכָּרוֹן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יִקְרַב אִישׁ זָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא מִזֶּרַע אַהֲרֹן הוּא לְהַקְטִיר קְטֹרֶת לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶה כְקֹרַח וְכַעֲדָתוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁה לֽוֹ׃ |
41 The next day all the Israelites complained to Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the Lord's people!”
| וַיִּלֹּנוּ כׇּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִֽמׇּחֳרָת עַל־מֹשֶׁה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר אַתֶּם הֲמִתֶּם אֶת־עַם יְהֹוָֽה׃ |
42 But as the people gathered to confront them, Moses and Aaron went over to the Tent of Meeting, and suddenly the cloud covered it and the Lord's glory appeared.
| וַיְהִי בְּהִקָּהֵל הָֽעֵדָה עַל־מֹשֶׁה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹן וַיִּפְנוּ אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהִנֵּה כִסָּהוּ הֶעָנָן וַיֵּרָא כְּבוֹד יְהֹוָֽה׃ |
43 Moses and Aaron went and stood at the front of the Tent of Meeting,
| וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן אֶל־פְּנֵי אֹהֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ |
44 and the Lord said to Moses,
| וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ |
45 “Get away from these people and I will finish them off immediately.” Moses and Aaron fell facedown on the ground.
| הֵרֹמּוּ מִתּוֹךְ הָעֵדָה הַזֹּאת וַאֲכַלֶּה אֹתָם כְּרָגַע וַֽיִּפְּלוּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃ |
46 Moses told Aaron, “Put some coals from the altar and some incense in your incense burner. Then run to the people and make them right before the Lord, for the Lord is angry with them and a plague has started.”
| וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן קַח אֶת־הַמַּחְתָּה וְתֶן־עָלֶיהָ אֵשׁ מֵעַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְשִׂים קְטֹרֶת וְהוֹלֵךְ מְהֵרָה אֶל־הָעֵדָה וְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם כִּֽי־יָצָא הַקֶּצֶף מִלִּפְנֵי יְהֹוָה הֵחֵל הַנָּֽגֶף׃ |
47 Aaron took the incense burner just as Moses had told him and ran into the middle of the assembly. He saw that the plague had started to affect the people so he offered the incense and made the people right with the Lord.
| וַיִּקַּח אַהֲרֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר ׀ דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה וַיָּרׇץ אֶל־תּוֹךְ הַקָּהָל וְהִנֵּה הֵחֵל הַנֶּגֶף בָּעָם וַיִּתֵּן אֶֽת־הַקְּטֹרֶת וַיְכַפֵּר עַל־הָעָֽם׃ |
48 He stood between those who had died and those who were still alive, and the plague was stopped.
| וַיַּעֲמֹד בֵּֽין־הַמֵּתִים וּבֵין הַֽחַיִּים וַתֵּעָצַר הַמַּגֵּפָֽה׃ |
49 However, 14,700 died from the plague in addition to those who'd died because of Korah.
| וַיִּהְיוּ הַמֵּתִים בַּמַּגֵּפָה אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר אֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת מִלְּבַד הַמֵּתִים עַל־דְּבַר־קֹֽרַח׃ |
50 Then Aaron went back to Moses at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting because the plague had been stopped.
| וַיָּשׇׁב אַהֲרֹן אֶל־מֹשֶׁה אֶל־פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהַמַּגֵּפָה נֶעֱצָֽרָה׃ |
