Numbers 16
1 Lo! forsothe Chore, the sone of Isuar, sone of Caath, sone of Leuy, and Dathan and Abiron, the sones of Heliab, and Hon, the sone of Pheleph, of the sones of Ruben, rysen ayens Moises,
And behold Core the son of Isaar, the son of Caath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiron the sons of Eliab, and Hon the son of Pheleth of the children of Ruben,
2 and othere of the sones of Israel, two hundryd men and fifti, prynces of the synagoge, and whiche weren clepid bi names in the tyme of counsel.
Rose up against Moses, and with them two hundred and fifty others of the children of Israel, leading men of the synagogue, and who in the time of assembly were called by name.
3 And whanne `thei hadden stonde ayens Moises and Aaron, thei seiden, Suffice it to you, for al the multitude is of hooly men, and the Lord is in hem; whi ben ye reisid on the puple of the Lord?
And when they had stood up against Moses and Aaron, they said: Let it be enough for you, that all the multitude consisteth of holy ones, and the Lord is among them: Why lift you up yourselves above the people of the Lord?
4 And whanne Moises hadde herd this, he felde lowe on the face.
When Moses heard this, he fell flat on his face:
5 And he spak to Chore, and to al the multitude; he seide, Eerli the Lord schal make knowun whiche perteynen to hym, and he schal applie to hym hooli men; and thei whiche he hath chose, schulen neiye to hym.
And speaking to Core and all the multitude, he said: In the morning the Lord will make known who belong to him, and the holy he will join to himself: and whom he shall choose, they shall approach to him.
6 Therfor do ye this thing; ech man take his cencere, thou Chore, and al thi counsel;
Do this therefore: Take every man of you your censers, thou Core, and all thy company.
7 and to morewe whanne fier is takun vp, putte ye encense aboue bifor the Lord, and whom euer the Lord chesith, he schal be hooli. Ye sones of Leuy ben myche reisid.
And putting fire in them tomorrow, put incense upon it before the Lord: and whomsoever he shall choose, the same shall be holy: you take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
8 And eft Moises seide to Chore, Ye sones of Leuy, here.
And he said again to Core: Hear ye sons of Levi.
9 Whether it is litil to you, that God of Israel departide you fro al the puple, and ioynede you to hym silf, that ye schulden serue hym in the seruyce of tabernacle, and that ye schulden stonde bifor the multitude of puple, and schulden serue hym?
Is it a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath spared you from all the people, and joined you to himself, that you should serve him in the service of the tabernacle, and should stand before the congregation of the people, and should minister to him?
10 Made he therfor thee and alle thi bretheren the sones of Leuy to neiy to hym silf, that ye chalenge to you also preesthod,
Did he therefore make thee and all thy brethren the sons of Levi to approach unto him, that you should challenge to yourselves the priesthood also,
11 and al thi gaderyng togidere stonde ayens the Lord? For whi what is Aaron, that ye grutchen ayens hym?
And that all thy company should stand against the Lord? for what is Aaron that you murmur against him?
12 Therfor Moises sente to clepe Dathan and Abiron, the sones of Heliab; whiche answeriden, We comen not.
Then Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiron the sons of Eliab. But they answered: We will not come.
13 Whethir is it litil to thee, that thou leddist vs out of the lond that flowide with mylk and hony, to sle vs in the deseert, no but also thou be lord of vs?
Is it a small matter to thee, that thou hast brought us out of a land that flowed with milk and honey, to kill us in the desert, except thou rule also like a lord over us?
14 Verili thou hast bronyt vs in to the lond that flowith with streemys of mylk and hony, and hast youe to vs possessioun of feeldis, and of vyneris; whethir also thou wolt putte out oure iyen?
Thou best brought us indeed into a land that floweth with rivers of milk and honey, and hast given us possessions of fields and vineyards; wilt thou also pull out our eyes? We will not come.
15 We comen not. And Moises was wrooth greetli, and seide to the Lord, Biholde thou not the sacrifices of hem; thou wost that Y took neuere of hem, yhe, a litil asse, nethir Y turmentide ony of hem.
Moses therefore being very angry, raid to the Lord: Respect not their sacrifices: thou knowest that I have not taken of them so much as a young ass at any time, nor have injured any of them.
16 And Moises seide to Chore, Thou and al thi congregacioun stonde asidis half bifor the Lord, and Aaron to morewe bi hym silf.
And he said to Core: Do thou and thy congregation stand apart before the Lord tomorrow, and Aaron apart.
17 Take ye alle bi you silf youre censeris, and putte ye encense in tho, and offre ye to the Lord, tweyn hundrid and fifti censeris; and Aaron holde his censer.
Take every one of you censers, and put incense upon them, offering to the Lord two hundred and fifty censers: let Aaron also hold his censer.
18 And whanne thei hadden do this, while Moises and Aaron stoden,
When they had done this, Moses and Aaron standing,
19 and thei hadden gaderid al the multitude to the `dore of the tabernacle ayens hem, the glorie of the Lord apperide to alle.
And had drawn up all the multitude against them to the door of the tabernacle, the glory of the Lord appeared to them all.
20 And the Lord spak to Moises and Aaron,
And the Lord speaking to Moses and Aaron, said:
21 and seide, Be ye departid fro the myddis of this congregacioun, that Y leese hem sodeynli.
Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may presently destroy them.
22 Whiche felden lowe on the face, and seiden, Strongeste God of the spiritis of al fleisch, whethir `thin yre schal be fers ayens alle men, for o man synneth?
They fell flat on their face, and said: O most mighty, the God of the spirits of all flesh, for one man’s sin shall thy wrath rage against all?
23 And the Lord seide to Moises,
And the Lord said to Moses:
24 Comaunde thou to al the puple, that it be departid fro the tabernaclis of Chore, and of Dathan, and of Abiron.
Command the whole people to separate themselves from the tents of Core and Dathan and Abiron.
25 And Moises roos, and yede to Dathan and Abiron; and while the eldre men of Israel sueden hym,
And Moses arose, and went to Dathan and Abiron: and the ancients of Israel following him,
26 he seide to the cumpeny, Go ye awey fro the tabernaclis of wickid men, and nyle ye touche tho thingis that parteynen to hem, lest ye ben wlappid in the synnes of hem.
He said to the multitude: Depart from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be involved in their sins.
27 And whanne thei hadden gon awei fro the tentis `of hem bi the cumpas, Dathan and Abiron yeden out, and stoden in the entryng of her tentis, with wyues, and fre children, and al the multitude.
And when they were departed from their tents round about, Dathan and Abiron coming out stood in the entry of their pavilions with their wives and children, and all the people.
28 And Moises seide, In this ye schulen wite that the Lord sente me, that Y schulde do alle thingis whiche ye seen, and Y brouyte not forth tho of myn owne herte.
And Moses said: By this you shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all things that you see, and that I have not forged them of my own head:
29 If thei perischen bi customable deeth of men, and wounde visite hem, bi which also othere men ben wont to be visitid,
If these men die the common death of men, and if they be visited with a plague, wherewith others also are wont to be visited, the Lord did not send me.
30 the Lord sente not me; but if the Lord doith a newe thing, that the erthe opene his mouth, and swolewe hem, and alle thingis that perteynen to hem, and thei goen doun quyke in to helle, ye schulen wite that thei blasfemeden the Lord. (Sheol h7585)
But if the Lord do a new thing, and the earth opening her mouth swallow them down, and all things that belong to them, and they go down alive into hell, you shall know that they have blasphemed the Lord. (Sheol h7585)
31 Therfor anoon as he cesside to speke, the erthe was brokun vndur her feet,
And immediately as he had made an end of speaking, the earth broke asunder under their feet:
32 and the erthe openyde his mouth, and deuowride hem, with her tabernaclis, and al the catel `of hem;
And opening her mouth, devoured them with their tents and all their substance.
33 and thei yeden doun quike in to helle, and weren hilid with erthe, and perischiden fro the myddis of the multitude. (Sheol h7585)
And they went down alive into hell the ground closing upon them, and they perished from among the people. (Sheol h7585)
34 And sotheli al Israel that stood bi the cumpas, fledde fro the cry of men perischinge, and seide, Lest perauenture the erthe swolewe also vs.
But all Israel, that was standing round about, fled at the cry of them that were perishing: saying: Lest perhaps the earth swallow us up also.
35 But also fier yede out fro the Lord, and killide tweyn hundrid and fifti men that offriden encense.
And a fire coming out from the Lord, destroyed the two hundred and fifty men that offered the incense.
36 And the Lord spak to Moises, and seide,
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
37 Comaunde thou to Eleasar, sone of Aaron, preest, that he take the censeris that liggen in the brennyng, and that he schatere the fier hidur and thidur; for tho ben halewid in the dethis of synneris;
Command Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest to take up the censers that lie in the burning, and to scatter the fire of one side and the other: because they are sanctified
38 and that he bringe forth tho in to platis, and naile to the auter, for encense is offrid in tho to the Lord, and tho ben halewid, that the sonis of Israel se tho for a signe and memorial.
In the deaths of the sinners: and let him beat them into plates, and fasten them to the altar, because incense hath been offered in them to the Lord, and they are sanctified, that the children of Israel may see them for a sign and a memorial.
39 Therfor Eleazar, preest, took the brasun senseris, in whiche censeris thei whiche the brennyng deuouride hadden offrid, and he `brouyt forth tho in to platis, and nailide to the auter;
Then Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers, wherein they had offered, whom the burning fire had devoured, and beat them into plates, fastening them to the altar:
40 that the sones of Israel schulden haue thingis aftirward, bi whiche thei schulden remembre, lest ony alien, and which is not of the seed of Aaron, neiy to offre encense to the Lord, lest he suffre, as Chore sufferide, and al his multitude, while the Lord spak to Moises.
That the children of Israel might have for the time to come wherewith they should be admonished, that no stranger or any one that is not of seed of Aaron should come near to offer incense to the Lord, lest he should suffer as Core suffered, and all his congregation, according as the Lord spoke to Moses.
41 Forsothe al the multitude of the sones of Israel grutchide in the dai suynge ayens Moises and Aaron, and seide, Ye han slayn the puple of the Lord.
The following day all the multitude of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying: You have killed the people of the Lord.
42 And whanne discensioun roos,
And when there arose a sedition, and the tumult increased,
43 and noise encresside, Moises and Aaron fledden to the tabernacle of the boond of pees; and aftir that thei entriden in to it, a cloude hilide the tabernacle, and the glorie of the Lord apperide.
Moses and Aaron fled to the tabernacle of the covenant. And when the were gone into it, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.
44 And the Lord seide to Moises and to Aaron,
And the Lord said to Moses:
45 Go ye awey fro the myddis of this multitude, also now Y schal do awey hem. And whanne thei laien in the erthe, Moises seide to Aaron,
Get you out from the midst of this multitude, this moment will I destroy them. And as they were lying on the ground,
46 Take the censer, and whanne fyer is takun vp of the auter, caste encense aboue, and go soone to the puple, that thou preye for hem; for now ire is gon out fro the Lord, and the wounde is feers.
Moses said to Aaron: Take the censer, and putting fire in it from the altar, put incense upon it, and go quickly to the people to pray for them: for already wrath is gone out from the Lord, and the plague rageth.
47 And whanne Aaron hadde do this, and hadde runne to the myddis of the multitude, which the brennynge wastid thanne, he offeride encense;
When Aaron had done this, and had run to the midst of the multitude which the burning fire was now destroying, he offered the incense:
48 and he stood bytwixe the deed men and lyuynge, and bisouyte for the puple, and the wounde ceesside.
And standing between the dead and the living, he prayed for the people, and the plague ceased.
49 Sotheli thei that weren smytun weren fourtene thousynde of men and seuene hundrid, with outen hem that perischiden in the discencioun of Chore.
And the number of them that were slain was fourteen thousand and seven hundred men, besides them that had perished in the sedition of Core.
50 And Aaron turnyde ayen to Moyses, to the dore of the tabernacle of boond of pees, aftir that the perischyng restide.
And Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the tabernacle of the covenant after the destruction was over.
