Numbers 16:21-49

²¹and seide, Be ye departid fro the myddis of this congregacioun, that Y leese hem sodeynli.

²²Whiche 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?

²³And the Lord seide to Moises,

²⁴Comaunde thou to al the puple, that it be departid fro the tabernaclis of Chore, and of Dathan, and of Abiron.

²⁵And Moises roos, and yede to Dathan and Abiron; and while the eldre men of Israel sueden hym,

²⁶he 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.

²⁷And 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.

²⁸And 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.

²⁹If thei perischen bi customable deeth of men, and wounde visite hem, bi which also othere men ben wont to be visitid,

³⁰the 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.

³¹Therfor anoon as he cesside to speke, the erthe was brokun vndur her feet,

³²and the erthe openyde his mouth, and deuowride hem, with her tabernaclis, and al the catel `of hem;

³³and thei yeden doun quike in to helle, and weren hilid with erthe, and perischiden fro the myddis of the multitude.

³⁴And sotheli al Israel that stood bi the cumpas, fledde fro the cry of men perischinge, and seide, Lest perauenture the erthe swolewe also vs.

³⁵But also fier yede out fro the Lord, and killide tweyn hundrid and fifti men that offriden encense.

³⁶And the Lord spak to Moises, and seide,

³⁷Comaunde 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;

³⁸and 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.

³⁹Therfor 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;

⁴⁰that 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.

⁴¹Forsothe 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.

⁴²And whanne discensioun roos,

⁴³and 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.

⁴⁴And the Lord seide to Moises and to Aaron,

⁴⁵Go 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,

⁴⁶Take 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.

⁴⁷And whanne Aaron hadde do this, and hadde runne to the myddis of the multitude, which the brennynge wastid thanne, he offeride encense;

⁴⁸and he stood bytwixe the deed men and lyuynge, and bisouyte for the puple, and the wounde ceesside.

⁴⁹Sotheli thei that weren smytun weren fourtene thousynde of men and seuene hundrid, with outen hem that perischiden in the discencioun of Chore.