במדבר 16
| וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח בֶּן־יִצְהָר בֶּן־קְהָת בֶּן־לֵוִי וְדָתָן וַאֲבִירָם בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב וְאוֹן בֶּן־פֶּלֶת בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵֽן׃ | 1 |
One day Korah, who was the son of Izhar and a descendant of Levi’s son Kohath, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, who were the sons of Eliab, and On, who was the son of Peleth. Those three men were from the tribe of Reuben.
| וַיָּקֻמוּ לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה וַאֲנָשִׁים מִבְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתָיִם נְשִׂיאֵי עֵדָה קְרִאֵי מוֹעֵד אַנְשֵׁי־שֵֽׁם׃ | 2 |
Korah and those other three men incited 250 other people who were leaders among the Israeli people to join them in rebelling against Moses/me.
| וַיִּֽקָּהֲלוּ עַל־מֹשֶׁה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם רַב־לָכֶם כִּי כׇל־הָֽעֵדָה כֻּלָּם קְדֹשִׁים וּבְתוֹכָם יְהֹוָה וּמַדּוּעַ תִּֽתְנַשְּׂאוּ עַל־קְהַל יְהֹוָֽה׃ | 3 |
They came together to criticize Aaron and Moses/me. They said to them/us, “You two are using more [authority] than you should! Yahweh has set apart all of us Israeli people, and he is with/helping all of us. So why do you act as though you are more important than the rest of us people who belong to Yahweh [RHQ]?”
| וַיִּשְׁמַע מֹשֶׁה וַיִּפֹּל עַל־פָּנָֽיו׃ | 4 |
When Moses/I heard what they were saying, he/I prostrated himself/myself on the ground.
| וַיְדַבֵּר אֶל־קֹרַח וְאֶֽל־כׇּל־עֲדָתוֹ לֵאמֹר בֹּקֶר וְיֹדַע יְהֹוָה אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ וְאֶת־הַקָּדוֹשׁ וְהִקְרִיב אֵלָיו וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר־בּוֹ יַקְרִיב אֵלָֽיו׃ | 5 |
Then he/I said to Korah and those [Israeli leaders] who were with Korah, “Tomorrow morning Yahweh will show us whom he has chosen to be his [priest], and who is holy and allowed to come near to him. Yahweh will permit [only] those whom he chooses to come into his presence.
| זֹאת עֲשׂוּ קְחוּ־לָכֶם מַחְתּוֹת קֹרַח וְכׇל־עֲדָתֽוֹ׃ | 6 |
So Korah, tomorrow you and those who are with you must prepare your pans to burn incense.
| וּתְנוּ בָהֵן ׀ אֵשׁ וְשִׂימוּ עֲלֵיהֶן ׀ קְטֹרֶת לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה מָחָר וְהָיָה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַר יְהֹוָה הוּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ רַב־לָכֶם בְּנֵי לֵוִֽי׃ | 7 |
Then you must light a fire in them and burn the incense in the presence of Yahweh. Then we will see which one of us Yahweh has chosen to be his holy servant. It is you men who are descendants of Levi who are trying to use more [authority] than you should!”
| וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־קֹרַח שִׁמְעוּ־נָא בְּנֵי לֵוִֽי׃ | 8 |
Then Moses/I spoke again to Korah. He/I said, “You men who are descendants of Levi, listen to me!
| הַמְעַט מִכֶּם כִּֽי־הִבְדִּיל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶתְכֶם מֵעֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַקְרִיב אֶתְכֶם אֵלָיו לַעֲבֹד אֶת־עֲבֹדַת מִשְׁכַּן יְהֹוָה וְלַעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי הָעֵדָה לְשָׁרְתָֽם׃ | 9 |
The God of us Israelis has chosen all of you to be close to him in order that you can work for him at his Sacred Tent and serve the people. (Is that unimportant/Does that mean nothing) to you [RHQ]?
| וַיַּקְרֵב אֹֽתְךָ וְאֶת־כׇּל־אַחֶיךָ בְנֵי־לֵוִי אִתָּךְ וּבִקַּשְׁתֶּם גַּם־כְּהֻנָּֽה׃ | 10 |
Yahweh has brought you, [Korah], and your fellow descendants of Levi, near to himself. Now are you demanding to become priests also?
| לָכֵן אַתָּה וְכׇל־עֲדָתְךָ הַנֹּעָדִים עַל־יְהֹוָה וְאַהֲרֹן מַה־הוּא כִּי (תלונו) [תַלִּינוּ] עָלָֽיו׃ | 11 |
It is really Yahweh against whom you and your fellow descendants of Levi are rebelling. Aaron is not the one about whom you are really complaining [RHQ].”
| וַיִּשְׁלַח מֹשֶׁה לִקְרֹא לְדָתָן וְלַאֲבִירָם בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא נַעֲלֶֽה׃ | 12 |
Then Moses/I summoned Dathan and Abiram, but [they refused to come]. They [sent a message] saying, “We will not come to you!
| הַמְעַט כִּי הֶֽעֱלִיתָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ לַהֲמִיתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר כִּֽי־תִשְׂתָּרֵר עָלֵינוּ גַּם־הִשְׂתָּרֵֽר׃ | 13 |
You brought us out of Egypt, which was a very fertile [IDM] land, in order to cause us to die here in this desert. That was bad. But now you are also trying to boss us [RHQ], and that is worse.
| אַף לֹא אֶל־אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ הֲבִיאֹתָנוּ וַתִּתֶּן־לָנוּ נַחֲלַת שָׂדֶה וָכָרֶם הַעֵינֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָהֵם תְּנַקֵּר לֹא נַעֲלֶֽה׃ | 14 |
You have not given us a new land to live in, a land that has good fields and vineyards. You are only trying to [RHQ] trick these people. So we will not come to you.”
| וַיִּחַר לְמֹשֶׁה מְאֹד וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־יְהֹוָה אַל־תֵּפֶן אֶל־מִנְחָתָם לֹא חֲמוֹר אֶחָד מֵהֶם נָשָׂאתִי וְלֹא הֲרֵעֹתִי אֶת־אַחַד מֵהֶֽם׃ | 15 |
Then Moses/I became very angry. He/I said to Yahweh, “Do not accept the grain offerings that they have brought. I have not taken anything from them, not even one donkey, and I have never done anything wrong to them, [so they have no reason to complain about me].”
| וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־קֹרַח אַתָּה וְכׇל־עֲדָתְךָ הֱיוּ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אַתָּה וָהֵם וְאַהֲרֹן מָחָֽר׃ | 16 |
Then Moses/I said to Korah, “You and all those who are with you must come here tomorrow and stand in front of Yahweh. Aaron will also be here.
| וּקְחוּ ׀ אִישׁ מַחְתָּתוֹ וּנְתַתֶּם עֲלֵיהֶם קְטֹרֶת וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אִישׁ מַחְתָּתוֹ חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם מַחְתֹּת וְאַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן אִישׁ מַחְתָּתֽוֹ׃ | 17 |
You and all the 250 men who are with you must each take a pan in which to burn incense, and put incense in it, to [burn it to be] an offering to Yahweh. Aaron will do the same thing.”
| וַיִּקְחוּ אִישׁ מַחְתָּתוֹ וַיִּתְּנוּ עֲלֵיהֶם אֵשׁ וַיָּשִׂימוּ עֲלֵיהֶם קְטֹרֶת וַֽיַּעַמְדוּ פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּמֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹֽן׃ | 18 |
So [the next day] each of those men got a pan to burn incense. They put in it incense and hot coals to light it, and then they all stood at the entrance of the Sacred Tent with Aaron and Moses/me.
| וַיַּקְהֵל עֲלֵיהֶם קֹרַח אֶת־כׇּל־הָעֵדָה אֶל־פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וַיֵּרָא כְבוֹד־יְהֹוָה אֶל־כׇּל־הָעֵדָֽה׃ | 19 |
Then Korah summoned all the people who supported him and who were against Moses/me, and they also gathered at the entrance of the tent. Then the glory of Yahweh appeared to all of them/us,
| וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹֽר׃ | 20 |
and Yahweh said to Aaron and Moses/me,
| הִבָּדְלוּ מִתּוֹךְ הָעֵדָה הַזֹּאת וַאֲכַלֶּה אֹתָם כְּרָֽגַע׃ | 21 |
“Get away from all these people, in order that I can get rid of them immediately!”
| וַיִּפְּלוּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵל אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכׇל־בָּשָׂר הָאִישׁ אֶחָד יֶחֱטָא וְעַל כׇּל־הָעֵדָה תִּקְצֹֽף׃ | 22 |
But Aaron and Moses/I prostrated themselves/ourselves on the ground. We pleaded with Yahweh, saying, “God, you are the one who caused all these people to live [MTY]. Only one of these men has sinned; so, (is it right for you to be angry with all the people?/it is not right for you to be angry with all the people!) [RHQ]”
| וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ | 23 |
Yahweh said to Moses/me,
| דַּבֵּר אֶל־הָעֵדָה לֵאמֹר הֵֽעָלוּ מִסָּבִיב לְמִשְׁכַּן־קֹרַח דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָֽם׃ | 24 |
“[Okay], but tell all the people to get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”
| וַיָּקׇם מֹשֶׁה וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל־דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם וַיֵּלְכוּ אַחֲרָיו זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | 25 |
So Moses/I stood up and went to the tents of Dathan and Abiram. The Israeli leaders followed him/me.
| וַיְדַבֵּר אֶל־הָעֵדָה לֵאמֹר סוּרוּ נָא מֵעַל אׇהֳלֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָֽרְשָׁעִים הָאֵלֶּה וְאַֽל־תִּגְּעוּ בְּכׇל־אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם פֶּן־תִּסָּפוּ בְּכׇל־חַטֹּאתָֽם׃ | 26 |
He/I told the people, “Get away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything that belongs to them! If you touch anything, you will die because of their sins!”
| וַיֵּעָלוּ מֵעַל מִשְׁכַּן־קֹרַח דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם מִסָּבִיב וְדָתָן וַאֲבִירָם יָצְאוּ נִצָּבִים פֶּתַח אׇֽהֳלֵיהֶם וּנְשֵׁיהֶם וּבְנֵיהֶם וְטַפָּֽם׃ | 27 |
So all the people moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram came out of their tents with their wives and children and babies, and stood at the entrances of their tents.
| וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה בְּזֹאת תֵּֽדְעוּן כִּֽי־יְהֹוָה שְׁלָחַנִי לַעֲשׂוֹת אֵת כׇּל־הַֽמַּעֲשִׂים הָאֵלֶּה כִּי־לֹא מִלִּבִּֽי׃ | 28 |
Then Moses/I said, “I was not the one who decided to do all these things that I have done. It was Yahweh who [chose me and] sent me to do them. And now he will prove that to you.
| אִם־כְּמוֹת כׇּל־הָֽאָדָם יְמֻתוּן אֵלֶּה וּפְקֻדַּת כׇּל־הָאָדָם יִפָּקֵד עֲלֵיהֶם לֹא יְהֹוָה שְׁלָחָֽנִי׃ | 29 |
If these men die in a normal way, then it will be clear that Yahweh did not choose me.
| 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) | 30 |
But if Yahweh does something that has never happened before, if he causes the ground [that is under their feet] to open up and swallow these men [and their families] and all their possessions, and they fall into the opening and are buried while they are still alive, then you will know that these men have insulted Yahweh.” (Sheol h7585)
| וַיְהִי כְּכַלֹּתוֹ לְדַבֵּר אֵת כׇּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַתִּבָּקַע הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר תַּחְתֵּיהֶֽם׃ | 31 |
As soon as Moses/I said this, the ground split open beneath those men.
| וַתִּפְתַּח הָאָרֶץ אֶת־פִּיהָ וַתִּבְלַע אֹתָם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּיהֶם וְאֵת כׇּל־הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר לְקֹרַח וְאֵת כׇּל־הָרְכֽוּשׁ׃ | 32 |
It swallowed them and their families and all those who were standing there with Korah and all of their possessions.
| וַיֵּרְדוּ הֵם וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם חַיִּים שְׁאֹלָה וַתְּכַס עֲלֵיהֶם הָאָרֶץ וַיֹּאבְדוּ מִתּוֹךְ הַקָּהָֽל׃ (Sheol h7585) | 33 |
They fell into the opening in the ground while they were still alive, and all their possessions fell into the opening also. They disappeared, and the ground closed back up again. (Sheol h7585)
| וְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתֵיהֶם נָסוּ לְקֹלָם כִּי אָֽמְרוּ פֶּן־תִּבְלָעֵנוּ הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | 34 |
They screamed as they fell, and all the people who were standing nearby heard them scream. The people [were terrified and] cried out as they ran away, saying, “[We do not want] the ground to swallow us also!”
| וְאֵשׁ יָצְאָה מֵאֵת יְהֹוָה וַתֹּאכַל אֵת הַחֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם אִישׁ מַקְרִיבֵי הַקְּטֹֽרֶת׃ | 35 |
And then a fire from Yahweh came down [from the sky] and burned up the 250 men who were burning the incense!
| וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ | 36 |
Then Yahweh said to Moses/me,
| אֱמֹר אֶל־אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן־אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן וְיָרֵם אֶת־הַמַּחְתֹּת מִבֵּין הַשְּׂרֵפָה וְאֶת־הָאֵשׁ זְרֵה־הָלְאָה כִּי קָדֵֽשׁוּ׃ | 37 |
“Tell Aaron’s son Eleazar to take the pans that had incense in them away from the fire and to scatter the burning coals. The pans that those men [were carrying] are (holy/dedicated to me) [because they burned incense to me in them].
| אֵת מַחְתּוֹת הַֽחַטָּאִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּנַפְשֹׁתָם וְעָשׂוּ אֹתָם רִקֻּעֵי פַחִים צִפּוּי לַמִּזְבֵּחַ כִּֽי־הִקְרִיבֻם לִפְנֵֽי־יְהֹוָה וַיִּקְדָּשׁוּ וְיִֽהְיוּ לְאוֹת לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | 38 |
Those men have now died because of their sin; so [Eleazar must] take their pans and hammer the metal to make it become very thin. He must make a covering for the altar with that metal. Those pans were used to offer incense to me, so they are (holy/dedicated to me). [What happened to] those pans will now warn the Israeli people.”
| וַיִּקַּח אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן אֵת מַחְתּוֹת הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר הִקְרִיבוּ הַשְּׂרֻפִים וַֽיְרַקְּעוּם צִפּוּי לַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ | 39 |
So Eleazar the priest collected the 250 pans for burning incense that had been used by the men who died in the fire. He hammered the pans very thin to make a covering for the altar, as Yahweh told Moses/me should be done.
| 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׃ | 40 |
That warned the Israeli people that only those who were descendants of Aaron were permitted to burn incense for an offering to Yahweh. If anyone else did that, the same thing that happened to Korah and those who were with him would happen to them.
| וַיִּלֹּנוּ כׇּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִֽמׇּחֳרָת עַל־מֹשֶׁה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר אַתֶּם הֲמִתֶּם אֶת־עַם יְהֹוָֽה׃ | 41 |
But the following morning, all the Israeli people started to complain against Aaron and Moses/me, saying “You have killed many people who belonged to Yahweh!”
| וַיְהִי בְּהִקָּהֵל הָֽעֵדָה עַל־מֹשֶׁה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹן וַיִּפְנוּ אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהִנֵּה כִסָּהוּ הֶעָנָן וַיֵּרָא כְּבוֹד יְהֹוָֽה׃ | 42 |
When all the people gathered together to protest about what Aaron and Moses/I had done, they looked at the Sacred Tent and saw that the sacred cloud had covered it, and the glory of Yahweh had appeared.
| וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן אֶל־פְּנֵי אֹהֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ | 43 |
Aaron and Moses/I went and stood in front of the Sacred Tent.
| וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ | 44 |
Then Yahweh said to Moses/me,
| הֵרֹמּוּ מִתּוֹךְ הָעֵדָה הַזֹּאת וַאֲכַלֶּה אֹתָם כְּרָגַע וַֽיִּפְּלוּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃ | 45 |
“Get away from these people, in order that I can get rid of them immediately [without injuring you two]!” But Aaron and Moses/I prostrated themselves/ourselves on the ground [and prayed].
| 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׃ | 46 |
Moses/I said to Aaron, “Quickly take another pan and put in it some burning/hot coals from the altar. Put incense in the pan, and carry it out among the people to atone for the sins of the people. Yahweh is very angry with them, and [I know that] a (severe plague/bad sickness) has already started among them.”
| וַיִּקַּח אַהֲרֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר ׀ דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה וַיָּרׇץ אֶל־תּוֹךְ הַקָּהָל וְהִנֵּה הֵחֵל הַנֶּגֶף בָּעָם וַיִּתֵּן אֶֽת־הַקְּטֹרֶת וַיְכַפֵּר עַל־הָעָֽם׃ | 47 |
So Aaron did what Moses/I told him. He took the burning incense out among the people. The plague had already started to strike the people, but Aaron continued to burn the incense so that God would forgive them for the sins they had committed.
| וַיַּעֲמֹד בֵּֽין־הַמֵּתִים וּבֵין הַֽחַיִּים וַתֵּעָצַר הַמַּגֵּפָֽה׃ | 48 |
He stood between the people who had already died and those who were still alive, and then the plague stopped.
| וַיִּהְיוּ הַמֵּתִים בַּמַּגֵּפָה אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר אֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת מִלְּבַד הַמֵּתִים עַל־דְּבַר־קֹֽרַח׃ | 49 |
But 14,700 people had already died from that plague/sickness, in addition to the people who died with Korah.
| וַיָּשׇׁב אַהֲרֹן אֶל־מֹשֶׁה אֶל־פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהַמַּגֵּפָה נֶעֱצָֽרָה׃ | 50 |
Then after the plague had ended, Aaron and Moses/I returned to the entrance of the Sacred Tent.
