1 Bet Levija dēla Kehata dēla Icehara dēls Korachs ņēma Dātanu un Abirāmu, Ēliāba dēlus, un Onu, Peleta dēlu, no Rūbena cilts,
2 Un sacēlās pret Mozu līdz ar divi simti piecdesmit vīriem no Israēla bērnu vidus, kas visi bija draudzes virsaiši, sapulču izziņotāji, vīri ar slaveniem vārdiem.
3 Un tie sapulcējās sanāksmē, kas bija vērsta pret Mozu un pret Aronu, un tiem sacīja: „Lai nu jums pietiek! Visa draudze ir tagad svēta, jo pats tas Kungs ir viņas vidū; kādēļ tad jūs vēl gribat būt par virsaišiem, un valdīt pār tā Kunga draudzi?“
4 Kad Mozus to dzirdēja, tad viņš krita ar seju pie zemes;
5 Un viņš runāja ar Korachu un visu tā baru, teikdams: „Rītu agri, tad tas Kungs parādīs, kas Viņam pieder un cik ir svētu un kas var viņam tuvoties; un kūpi Viņš sev izveies, tas varēs Viņam tuvoties.
6 Dariet tā: Korachs ar savu pulku, —ņemiet sev kvēpināmos traukus,
7 Un ritu tajos ielieciet uguni, un tur virsū uzlieciet kvēpināmās zāles tam Kungam, un kupa tas Kungs izraudzīs, tas ir svēts! Un nu, lai jums ir gana, jums Levija dēliem!“
8 Un Mozus sacīja Koracham: „Levija dēli, uzklausiet mani!
9 Vai tas jums vēl par maz, ka Israēla Dievs jūs ir izraudzījis no Israēla draudzes, lai jūs Viņam tuvotos, lai piedalītos tā Kunga mājokļa aprūpes darbos un lai nostātos draudzes priekšā, to pārvaldīdami?
10 Viņš tev līdz ar visiem taviem brāļiem, Levija dēliem, licis pie sevis tuvu nākt; un nu jūs pat meklējat sev priestera amatu?
11 Tādēļ tu esi nācis kopā ar savu baru, lai saceltos pret to Kungu; jo kas ir Ārons, ka jūs pret to kūdāt?“
12 Un Mozus pavēlēja ataicināt Dātanu un Abirāmu, Ēliāba dēlus, bet tie sacīja: „Mēs nenāksim!
13 Vai tad nepietiek, ka tu mūs esi izvedis no tās zemes, kurā piens un medus tek, lai mums liktu mirt tuksnesī? Kā tad tu vēl tagad sevi turi mums par valdnieku?
14 Tu mūs, patiesi, neesi ievedis zemē, kurā piens un medus pāri plūst, nedz arī mums devis iemantot laukus vai vīna kalnus, —vai tu šeit gribi tautai smiltis acīs kaisīt? —Nē! Mēs neiesim!“
15 Tad Mozus ļoti apskaitās un sacīja tam Kungam: „Neuzlūko viņu dāvanu upurus! Pat ne ēzeli es neesmu no viņiem ņēmis, un nevienam es neesmu no tiem ko ļauna darījis!“
16 Un Mozus sacīja Koracham: „Tu un viss tavs pulks nāciet rītu un nostā-jieties tā Kunga priekšā, tu, viņi un arī Ārons.
17 Un ņemiet ikviens savu kvēpināmo trauku un lieciet tur iekšā kvēpināmās zāles un nesiet ikviens savu trauku tā Kunga priekšā, pavisam divi simti piecdesmit ogļu tvertnes, un arī tu, Āron, ikviens ar savu kvēpināmo trauku!“
18 Tad tie ikviens ņēma savu ogļu trauku un iededzināja tanī uguni un tam virsū uzlika kvēpināmo, un tie nostājās saiešanas telts durvīs, —tāpat arī Mozus un Ārons.
19 Un Korachs, visus saukdams, sapulcināja pret viņiem visu draudzi pie saiešanas telts durvīm. Tad tā Kunga godība atklājās visai draudzei,
20 Un tas Kungs runāja ar Mozu un Āronu, sacīdams:
21 „Atdalieties nost no šīs draudzes, lai Es tos acumirklī apriju!“
22 Bet tie krita pie zemes uz sava vaiga un lūdzās: „Ak Dievs! Tu Kungs, kas Tu esi gars, —gars visās miesās, —ja viens cilvēks apgrēkojas, vai tad Tev jāienīst visa tauta?“
23 Un tas Kungs sacīja Mozum, teikdams:
24 „Runā uz draudzi un saki sekojošo: „Atkāpieties visapkārt nost no Koracha, Dātana un Abirāma dzīvokļiem!“
25 Tad Mozus piecēlās un piegāja pie Dātana un Abirāma, un viņam sekoja Israēla vecaji.
26 Un viņš sacīja draudzei, teikdams: „Atkāpieties nost no šo bezdievīgo vīru teltīm un nepieskarieties ne pie kā, kas viņiem pieder, lai arī jūs neejat bojā visu viņu grēku dēļ!“
27 Un tie visapkārt atkāpās nost no Koracha, Dātana un Abirāma dzīvo-kļiem, bet Dātans un Abirāms bija iznākuši savu telšu durvīs līdz ar savām sievām un saviem lieliem un maziem bērniem.
28 Un Mozus sacīja: „Ar šo pašu jūs atzīsit, ka tas Kungs ir mani sūtījis, lai es visus šos darbus padarītu, un ne no mana paša sirdsprāta:
29 Ja šie te mirs cilvēciskā nāvē, kā mirst visi cilvēki, un tiks piemeklēti tikai ar cilvēciskiem piemeklējumiem, tad tas Kungs mani nav sūtījis;
30 Bet ja tas Kungs ko jaunu rādīs, ko Viņš vēl līdz šim nav rādījis, un zeme atvērs savu muti, un tā tos apris līdz ar visu, kas tiem pieder, ka tie dzīvi nogrimst ellē, —tad tikai ar šo jūs atzīsit, ka šie vīri ir to Kungu nicinājuši!“
31 Un tad notikās, ka tiklīdz viņš šos vārdus bija pabeidzis runāt, tad zeme, uz kuras tie stāvēja, pāršķēlās,
32 Un zeme atdarīja savu muti un aprija viņus un viņu namus, kā arī visus cilvēkus, kas bija pie Koracha, un visu šo cilvēku mantu līdz ar viņiem.
33 Un tie dzīvi nogrima ellē ar visu, kas tiem piederēja, un zeme atkal aiz tiem aizvērās, un tie aizgāja bojā, pazuzdami no sasauktās draudzes vidus.
34 Bet viss Israēls, kas bija viņiem visapkārt, bēga, viņiem brēcot, jo tie domāja, ka tikai arī mūs neaprij zeme!
35 Un no tā Kunga izgāja uguns un aprija divi simti piecdesmit vīrus, kas bija pienesuši kvēpināmo.
The Rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram
1-2 Korah son of Izhar, from the Levite clan of Kohath, rebelled against the leadership of Moses. He was joined by three members of the tribe of Reuben—Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—and by 250 other Israelites, well-known leaders chosen by the community. 3 They assembled before Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! All the members of the community belong to the Lord, and the Lord is with all of us. Why, then, Moses, do you set yourself above the Lord's community?”
4 When Moses heard this, he threw himself on the ground and prayed. 5 Then he said to Korah and his followers, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show us who belongs to him; he will let the one who belongs to him, that is, the one he has chosen, approach him at the altar. 6-7 Tomorrow morning you and your followers take fire pans, put live coals and incense on them, and take them to the altar. Then we will see which of us the Lord has chosen. You Levites are the ones who have gone too far!”
8 Moses continued to speak to Korah. “Listen, you Levites! 9 Do you consider it a small matter that the God of Israel has set you apart from the rest of the community, so that you can approach him, perform your service in the Lord's Tent, and minister to the community and serve them? 10 He has let you and all the other Levites have this honor—and now you are trying to get the priesthood too! 11 When you complain against Aaron, it is really against the Lord that you and your followers are rebelling.”
12 Then Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, but they said, “We will not come! 13 Isn't it enough that you have brought us out of the fertile land of Egypt to kill us here in the wilderness? Do you also have to lord it over us? 14 You certainly have not brought us into a fertile land or given us fields and vineyards as our possession, and now you are trying to deceive us. We will not come!”
15 Moses became angry and said to the Lord, “Do not accept any offerings these men bring. I have not wronged any of them; I have not even taken one of their donkeys.”
16 Moses said to Korah, “Tomorrow you and your 250 followers must come to the Tent of the Lord's presence; Aaron will also be there. 17 Each of you will take his fire pan, put incense on it, and then present it at the altar.” 18 So they each took their fire pans, put live coals and incense on them, and stood at the entrance of the Tent with Moses and Aaron. 19 Then Korah gathered the whole community, and they stood facing Moses and Aaron at the entrance of the Tent. Suddenly the dazzling light of the Lord's presence appeared to the whole community, 20 and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 21 “Move back from these people, and I will destroy them immediately.”
22 But Moses and Aaron bowed down with their faces to the ground and said, “O God, you are the source of all life. When one of us sins, do you become angry with the whole community?”
23 The Lord said to Moses, 24 “Tell the people to move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”
25 Then Moses, accompanied by the leaders of Israel, went to Dathan and Abiram. 26 He said to the people, “Get away from the tents of these wicked men and don't touch anything that belongs to them. Otherwise, you will be wiped out with them for all their sins.” 27 So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing at the entrance of their tents, with their wives and children. 28 Moses said to the people, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things and that it is not by my own choice that I have done them. 29 If these men die a natural death without some punishment from God, then the Lord did not send me. 30 But if the Lord does something unheard of, and the earth opens up and swallows them with all they own, so that they go down alive to the world of the dead, you will know that these men have rejected the Lord.”
31 As soon as he had finished speaking, the ground under Dathan and Abiram split open 32 and swallowed them and their families, together with all of Korah's followers and their possessions. 33 So they went down alive to the world of the dead, with their possessions. The earth closed over them, and they vanished. 34 All the people of Israel who were there fled when they heard their cry. They shouted, “Run! The earth might swallow us too!”
35 Then the Lord sent a fire that blazed out and burned up the 250 men who had presented the incense.
The Fire Pans
36 Then the Lord said to Moses, 37 “Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to remove the bronze fire pans from the remains of those who have been burned, and scatter the coals from the fire pans somewhere else, because the fire pans are holy. 38 They became holy when they were presented at the Lord's altar. So take the fire pans of these who were put to death for their sin, beat them into thin plates, and make a covering for the altar. It will be a warning to the people of Israel.” 39 So Eleazar the priest took the fire pans and had them beaten into thin plates to make a covering for the altar. 40 This was a warning to the Israelites that no one who was not a descendant of Aaron should come to the altar to burn incense for the Lord. Otherwise he would be destroyed like Korah and his men. All this was done as the Lord had commanded Eleazar through Moses.
Aaron Saves the People
41 The next day the whole community complained against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have killed some of the Lord's people.” 42 After they had all gathered to protest to Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the Tent and saw that the cloud was covering it and that the dazzling light of the Lord's presence had appeared. 43 Moses and Aaron went and stood in front of the Tent, 44 and the Lord said to Moses, 45 “Move back from these people, and I will destroy them on the spot!”
The two of them bowed down with their faces to the ground, 46 and Moses said to Aaron, “Take your fire pan, put live coals from the altar in it, and put some incense on the coals. Then hurry with it to the people and perform the ritual of purification for them. Hurry! The Lord's anger has already broken out and an epidemic has already begun.” 47 Aaron obeyed, took his fire pan and ran into the middle of the assembled people. When he saw that the plague had already begun, he put the incense on the coals and performed the ritual of purification for the people. 48 This stopped the plague, and he was left standing between the living and the dead. 49 The number of people who died was 14,700, not counting those who died in Korah's rebellion. 50 When the plague had stopped, Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the Tent.
