Numbers 16:5-16

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.