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36 Then the Lord said to Moses, 37 “Tell Eleazar, son of the priest Aaron, to take the incense burners out of the fire and scatter the coals and incense somewhere else, because the incense burners have become holy. 38 The incense burners of these men who sinned and lost their lives are holy, because they were offered to the Lord. Hammer them into thin metal sheets to cover the altar. This will be a sign to the Israelites.”

39 So the priest Eleazar took the bronze incense burners which had been brought by those who had been burned to death. The incense burners were then hammered into thin metal sheets to cover the altar, 40 following the command that the Lord had given through Moses. The bronze-covered altar will remind Israel that no one but a descendant of Aaron can come near to burn incense to the Lord. Everyone else will die like Korah and his followers.

41 The next day the whole community of Israel complained to Moses and Aaron. They said, “You have killed the Lord’s people.” 42 The community came together to confront Moses and Aaron. When they turned toward the tent of meeting, they saw the smoke covering it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.

43 Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting. 44 The Lord said to Moses, 45 “Get away from these people, and let me destroy them in an instant!” Immediately, they bowed with their faces touching the ground.

46 Moses said to Aaron, “Take your incense burner, put burning coals from the altar and incense in it, and go quickly into the community to make peace with the Lord for the people. The Lord is showing his anger; a plague has started.”

47 Aaron took his incense burner, as Moses told him, and ran into the middle of the assembly, because the plague had already begun among the people. He put incense on the incense burner to make peace with the Lord for the people. 48 He stood between those who had died and those who were still alive, and the plague stopped. 49 Still, 14,700 died from the plague in addition to those who had died because of Korah. 50 By the time Aaron came back to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the plague had stopped.

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36 The Lord said to Moses, 37 “Tell Eleazar(A) son of Aaron, the priest, to remove the censers(B) from the charred remains and scatter the coals some distance away, for the censers are holy— 38 the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives.(C) Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar,(D) for they were presented before the Lord and have become holy. Let them be a sign(E) to the Israelites.”

39 So Eleazar the priest(F) collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned to death,(G) and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, 40 as the Lord directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense(H) before the Lord,(I) or he would become like Korah and his followers.(J)

41 The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. “You have killed the Lord’s people,” they said.

42 But when the assembly gathered in opposition(K) to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the tent of meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord(L) appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the Lord said to Moses, 45 “Get away from this assembly so I can put an end(M) to them at once.” And they fell facedown.

46 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer(N) and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly(O) to make atonement(P) for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord;(Q) the plague(R) has started.” 47 So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people,(S) but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. 48 He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.(T) 49 But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah.(U) 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 16:50 In Hebrew texts 16:36-50 is numbered 17:1-15.