Numbers 16:36-50
36 ▼▼Numbers 16:36–17:13 in the English Bible is 17:1–28 in the Hebrew Bible
And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 37“Say to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, ‘⌞Take out⌟ ▼▼Literally “raise up”
the censers from among the place of burning because they are sacred, and scatter the fire outside. 38The censers of these ⌞who have sinned⌟ ▼▼Literally “sinners”
at the cost of their lives, let them be made into gilded leafing plating for the altar; because they presented them ⌞before Yahweh⌟, ▼▼Literally “in the presence of Yahweh”
they are holy; and they will be a sign for the ⌞Israelites⌟.’ ” ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
39Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers that the ones who were burned presented, and they hammered them out thinly as plating for the altar; 40it was a memorial for the ⌞Israelites⌟, ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
so that ⌞no strange man⌟ ▼▼NASB translates “no layman”
who is not from ⌞the offspring⌟ ▼▼Literally “the seed”
of Aaron should approach the presence of Yahweh to burn a smoke offering; ▼▼That is, an incense offering
he will not be like Korah and his company, just as Yahweh had spoken to him by the hand of Moses. ▼▼Or “through Moses”
The Israelites Grumble
41The next day all the community of the ⌞Israelites⌟ ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of Yahweh!” 42Then, when the community had gathered against Moses and Aaron, they turned to the tent of assembly, and behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of Yahweh appeared. 43And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of assembly, 44and Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 45“Get away from the midst of this community, and I will finish them in an instant,” ▼▼Or “in a moment”
but they fell on their faces. 46And Moses and Aaron said, “Take the censer, and put fire on it from the altar. Place incense on it, and bring it quickly to the community, and make atonement for them, because wrath went out from the presence of Yahweh, and a plague has begun.” 47And so Aaron took it just as Moses had spoken, and he ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people; so he gave the incense and made atonement for the people. 48He stood between the dead and between the living, and the plague was stopped. 49Those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died on account of Korah. 50Then Aaron returned to Moses at the doorway of the tent of assembly, and the plague was stopped. Numbers 17
Aaron’s Staff Is Chosen
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the ⌞Israelites⌟, ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
and take from among them twelve staffs, ⌞a staff from each family⌟ ▼▼Literally “a staff from a house of a father”
from among all their leaders according to their families’ households. Write the name of each man on his staff, 3and the name of Aaron on the staff of Levi, because one staff is for the head of each of ⌞their families⌟. ▼▼Literally “the house of their fathers”
4You must then put them in the tent of assembly ⌞before⌟ ▼▼Literally “in the presence of”
the testimony ▼▼Or “the statute”
where I meet with you. 5And it will happen, the man whom I will choose, his staff will blossom, and so I will rid from upon myself the grumblings of the ⌞Israelites⌟, ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
who are grumbling against you.” 6Moses spoke to the ⌞Israelites⌟, ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
and all their leaders gave him a staff for each leader, one from ⌞each of their families⌟, ▼▼Literally “each from the house of their fathers”
twelve staffs, and the staff of Aaron was in the midst of their tribes. 7And Moses put the staffs before Yahweh in the tent of testimony. 8Then the next day, Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi blossomed and put forth a flower and produced blossoms, and it produced almonds. 9Then Moses brought out to all the ⌞Israelites⌟ ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
all the staffs before the presence of Yahweh, and they saw, and each man took his staff. 10And Yahweh said to Moses, “Bring back the staff of Aaron before the testimony ▼▼Or “the statute”
as a guard and sign for the children of rebellion, and let them finish their grumblings before me and not die.” 11So Moses did; just as Yahweh commanded him, so he did. 12And the ⌞Israelites⌟ ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
said to Moses, saying, “Look! We will die! We will be destroyed! All of us will perish! 13Anyone who approaches the tabernacle of Yahweh will die. ⌞Will we all die⌟?” ▼▼Literally “Will we all die to perish?”
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