Numbers 16:20-35 - The Judgment On The Rebels

20 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 21 Come out from among this people, so that I may send sudden destruction on them.

22 Then falling down on their faces they said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, because of one man's sin will your wrath be moved against all the people?

23 And the Lord said to Moses, 24 Say to the people, Come away from the tent of Korah Dathan, and Abiram.

25 So Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the responsible men of Israel went with him. 26 And he said to the people, Come away now from the tents of these evil men, without touching anything of theirs, or you may be taken in the punishment of their sins. 27 So on every side they went away from the tent of Korah Dathan, and Abiram: and Dathan and Abiram came out to the door of their tents, with their wives and their sons and their little ones.

28 And Moses said, Now you will see that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, and I have not done them of myself. 29 If these men have the common death of men, or if the natural fate of all men overtakes them, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord does something new, opening the earth to take them in, with everything which is theirs, and they go down living into the underworld, then it will be clear to you that the Lord has not been honoured by these men.

31 And while these words were on his lips, the earth under them was parted in two; 32 And the earth, opening her mouth, took them in, with their families, and all the men who were joined to Korah, and their goods. 33 So they and all theirs went down living into the underworld, and the earth was shut over them, and they were cut off from among the meeting of the people. 34 And all Israel round about them went in flight at their cry, For fear, said they, that we go down into the heart of the earth. 35 Then fire came out from the Lord, burning up the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the perfume.


Related Bible Readings

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain