קרח

In the wilderness, Korach, of the tribe of Levi, rose up against Moses and Aaron. With him were Dathan and Abiram, and On son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben, plus 250 respected leaders chosen by the community. They confronted Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far! All the community is holy, and God is in their midst. Why do you raise yourselves above God’s congregation?”

Moses fell on his face. Then he answered, “In the morning, God will make known who is chosen and who is holy.” He gave them a test: each man should take a fire pan, put fire and incense on it, and bring it before God at the Tent of Meeting, along with Aaron.

Moses also reminded Korach and the Levites that God had already set them apart to serve at the Tabernacle and help the people. “Is that not enough?” he asked. “Do you seek the priesthood too?”

The next day, Korach gathered the whole community at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. The Presence of God appeared, and God said to Moses and Aaron to stand back. But they fell on their faces and pleaded, “O God, Source of the breath of all flesh! When one person sins, will You be angry with everyone?”

God told Moses, “Warn the people: withdraw from the tents of Korach, Dathan, and Abiram.” Moses went with the elders and called out, “Move away from these wicked men and touch nothing that belongs to them.” Dathan and Abiram stood at their tent doors with their families.

Moses said that if something unheard-of happened, everyone would know God had sent him. At once the ground split open and swallowed them and all that belonged to them. They went down alive into Sheol, meaning the place of the dead, and the earth closed over them. Then fire went out from God and consumed the 250 men offering incense.

God told Moses to have Eleazar the priest collect the copper fire pans from the charred remains. Because they had been used for offerings, they were sacred. They were hammered into plating for the altar, a reminder that no outsider, not from Aaron’s family, should offer incense.

The next day the community blamed Moses and Aaron. As they gathered, God’s Presence appeared again, and a plague began. Moses told Aaron, “Take a fire pan with fire from the altar, add incense, and hurry to the people to make expiation.” Aaron ran in and stood between the dead and the living until the plague stopped. 14,700 died, besides those who died with Korach.

Then God ordered twelve staffs to be placed in the Tent of Meeting, with Aaron’s name on Levi’s staff. By morning, Aaron’s staff had sprouted blossoms and almonds.

God also set clear duties and gifts: priests would serve at the altar; Levites would assist but not approach the holy furnishings. The Levites received tithes, and they set aside a tenth of that tithe as a gift for God and for Aaron.