Numbers 16:3-29

³They 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?”

⁴When Moses heard what they were saying, he fell facedown on the ground.

⁵Then 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.

⁶This is what you, Korah, and everyone with you are going to do. Take some incense burners,

⁷and 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!”

⁸Moses also told Korah, “Listen, you Levites!

⁹Do 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?

¹⁰He 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!

¹¹So in reality you and those who have joined you are fighting against the Lord—because who is Aaron that you should complain about him?”

¹²Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they replied, “We're not going to appear before you!

¹³Haven'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?

¹⁴On 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!”

¹⁵Moses 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.”

¹⁶Moses told Korah, “You and all those who have joined you must appear before the Lord tomorrow—all of you and Aaron too.

¹⁷Each 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.”

¹⁸So 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.

¹⁹When Korah had gathered all his rebellious group at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the Lord's glory appeared before the whole congregation.

²⁰The Lord told Moses and Aaron,

²¹“Step away from these Israelites and I will destroy them right away.”

²²But 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?”

²³Then the Lord told Moses,

²⁴“Tell the people to move away from the homes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”

²⁵So Moses went over to Dathan and Abiram, and the Israelite elders of Israel followed him.

²⁶He 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.”

²⁷The 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.

²⁸Moses 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.

²⁹If these men die a natural death, experiencing the destiny of every human being, then the Lord didn't sent me.