1 Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men;2 and they rose up before Moses with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown.3 They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and Jehovah is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of Jehovah?4 And when Moses heard it, he fell on his face;5 and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, Tomorrow morning Jehovah will show who is His and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him. The one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him.6 Do this: Take censers, Korah and all your company;7 put fire in them and put incense in them before Jehovah tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom Jehovah chooses is the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!8 And Moses said to Korah, Hear now, you sons of Levi:9 Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of Jehovah, and to stand before the congregation to serve them;10 and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also?11 Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against Jehovah. And what is Aaron that you grumble against him?12 And Moses sent to summon Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, but they said, We will not come up.13 Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you rule to lord it over us?14 Moreover you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!15 And Moses was very angry, and said to Jehovah, Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, nor have I done evil to any of them.16 And Moses said to Korah, Tomorrow, you and all your company be before Jehovah; you and they, as well as Aaron.17 Each one take his censer and put incense in it, and each of you bring his censer before Jehovah, two hundred and fifty censers; you and Aaron, each with his censer.18 And each man took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and stood at the door of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron.19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them at the door of the tent of meeting. And the glory of Jehovah appeared to all the congregation.20 And Jehovah spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.22 And they fell on their faces, and said, O Mighty God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will You be angry with all the congregation?23 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,24 Speak to the congregation, saying, Get away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.25 And Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.27 So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children.28 And Moses said: By this you shall know that Jehovah has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them from my own heart.29 If these men die the death of all men, or if they are visited according to the visitation of all men, then Jehovah has not sent me.30 But if Jehovah creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall understand that these men have rejected Jehovah.31 And it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them,32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their houses and all the men with Korah, with all their possessions.33 So they and all those with them went down alive into Sheol; the earth covered over them, and they perished from among the assembly.34 And all Israel who were around them fled at the sound, for they thought, Lest the earth swallow us up also!35 And a fire came forth from Jehovah and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.36 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying:37 Speak to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he pick up the censers out of the burning, for they are holy, and scatter the fire away.38 The censers of these men who sinned against their own souls, let them be made into broad plates as a covering for the altar; because they presented them before Jehovah, therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned had presented, and they were beaten out as a covering for the altar,40 as a memorial to the children of Israel; that no strange man, who is not a seed of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before Jehovah, that he might not become like Korah and his company, as Jehovah had spoken by the hand of Moses.41 And the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, You have killed the people of Jehovah.42 And it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tent of meeting; and behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of Jehovah appeared.43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tent of meeting.44 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,45 Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. And they fell on their faces.46 And Moses said to Aaron, Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from Jehovah; the plague has begun.47 And Aaron took as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague had begun among the people. So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people.48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was restrained.49 Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the matter of Korah.50 And Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tent of meeting, for the plague had been restrained.

1 Lo! forsothe Chore, the sone of Isuar, sone of Caath, sone of Leuy, and Dathan and Abiron, the sones of Heliab, and Hon, the sone of Pheleph, of the sones of Ruben, rysen ayens Moises,2 and othere of the sones of Israel, two hundryd men and fifti, prynces of the synagoge, and whiche weren clepid bi names in the tyme of counsel.3 And whanne `thei hadden stonde ayens Moises and Aaron, thei seiden, Suffice it to you, for al the multitude is of hooly men, and the Lord is in hem; whi ben ye reisid on the puple of the Lord?4 And whanne Moises hadde herd this, he felde lowe on the face.5 And he spak to Chore, and to al the multitude; he seide, Eerli the Lord schal make knowun whiche perteynen to hym, and he schal applie to hym hooli men; and thei whiche he hath chose, schulen neiye to hym.6 Therfor do ye this thing; ech man take his cencere, thou Chore, and al thi counsel;7 and to morewe whanne fier is takun vp, putte ye encense aboue bifor the Lord, and whom euer the Lord chesith, he schal be hooli. Ye sones of Leuy ben myche reisid.8 And eft Moises seide to Chore, Ye sones of Leuy, here.9 Whether it is litil to you, that God of Israel departide you fro al the puple, and ioynede you to hym silf, that ye schulden serue hym in the seruyce of tabernacle, and that ye schulden stonde bifor the multitude of puple, and schulden serue hym?10 Made he therfor thee and alle thi bretheren the sones of Leuy to neiy to hym silf, that ye chalenge to you also preesthod,11 and al thi gaderyng togidere stonde ayens the Lord? For whi what is Aaron, that ye grutchen ayens hym?12 Therfor Moises sente to clepe Dathan and Abiron, the sones of Heliab; whiche answeriden, We comen not.13 Whethir is it litil to thee, that thou leddist vs out of the lond that flowide with mylk and hony, to sle vs in the deseert, no but also thou be lord of vs?14 Verili thou hast bronyt vs in to the lond that flowith with streemys of mylk and hony, and hast youe to vs possessioun of feeldis, and of vyneris; whethir also thou wolt putte out oure iyen?15 We comen not. And Moises was wrooth greetli, and seide to the Lord, Biholde thou not the sacrifices of hem; thou wost that Y took neuere of hem, yhe, a litil asse, nethir Y turmentide ony of hem.16 And Moises seide to Chore, Thou and al thi congregacioun stonde asidis half bifor the Lord, and Aaron to morewe bi hym silf.17 Take ye alle bi you silf youre censeris, and putte ye encense in tho, and offre ye to the Lord, tweyn hundrid and fifti censeris; and Aaron holde his censer.18 And whanne thei hadden do this, while Moises and Aaron stoden,19 and thei hadden gaderid al the multitude to the `dore of the tabernacle ayens hem, the glorie of the Lord apperide to alle.20 And the Lord spak to Moises and Aaron,21 and seide, Be ye departid fro the myddis of this congregacioun, that Y leese hem sodeynli.22 Whiche felden lowe on the face, and seiden, Strongeste God of the spiritis of al fleisch, whethir `thin yre schal be fers ayens alle men, for o man synneth?23 And the Lord seide to Moises,24 Comaunde thou to al the puple, that it be departid fro the tabernaclis of Chore, and of Dathan, and of Abiron.25 And Moises roos, and yede to Dathan and Abiron; and while the eldre men of Israel sueden hym,26 he seide to the cumpeny, Go ye awey fro the tabernaclis of wickid men, and nyle ye touche tho thingis that parteynen to hem, lest ye ben wlappid in the synnes of hem.27 And whanne thei hadden gon awei fro the tentis `of hem bi the cumpas, Dathan and Abiron yeden out, and stoden in the entryng of her tentis, with wyues, and fre children, and al the multitude.28 And Moises seide, In this ye schulen wite that the Lord sente me, that Y schulde do alle thingis whiche ye seen, and Y brouyte not forth tho of myn owne herte.29 If thei perischen bi customable deeth of men, and wounde visite hem, bi which also othere men ben wont to be visitid,30 the Lord sente not me; but if the Lord doith a newe thing, that the erthe opene his mouth, and swolewe hem, and alle thingis that perteynen to hem, and thei goen doun quyke in to helle, ye schulen wite that thei blasfemeden the Lord.31 Therfor anoon as he cesside to speke, the erthe was brokun vndur her feet,32 and the erthe openyde his mouth, and deuowride hem, with her tabernaclis, and al the catel `of hem;33 and thei yeden doun quike in to helle, and weren hilid with erthe, and perischiden fro the myddis of the multitude.34 And sotheli al Israel that stood bi the cumpas, fledde fro the cry of men perischinge, and seide, Lest perauenture the erthe swolewe also vs.35 But also fier yede out fro the Lord, and killide tweyn hundrid and fifti men that offriden encense.36 And the Lord spak to Moises, and seide,37 Comaunde thou to Eleasar, sone of Aaron, preest, that he take the censeris that liggen in the brennyng, and that he schatere the fier hidur and thidur; for tho ben halewid in the dethis of synneris;38 and that he bringe forth tho in to platis, and naile to the auter, for encense is offrid in tho to the Lord, and tho ben halewid, that the sonis of Israel se tho for a signe and memorial.39 Therfor Eleazar, preest, took the brasun senseris, in whiche censeris thei whiche the brennyng deuouride hadden offrid, and he `brouyt forth tho in to platis, and nailide to the auter;40 that the sones of Israel schulden haue thingis aftirward, bi whiche thei schulden remembre, lest ony alien, and which is not of the seed of Aaron, neiy to offre encense to the Lord, lest he suffre, as Chore sufferide, and al his multitude, while the Lord spak to Moises.41 Forsothe al the multitude of the sones of Israel grutchide in the dai suynge ayens Moises and Aaron, and seide, Ye han slayn the puple of the Lord.42 And whanne discensioun roos,43 and noise encresside, Moises and Aaron fledden to the tabernacle of the boond of pees; and aftir that thei entriden in to it, a cloude hilide the tabernacle, and the glorie of the Lord apperide.44 And the Lord seide to Moises and to Aaron,45 Go ye awey fro the myddis of this multitude, also now Y schal do awey hem. And whanne thei laien in the erthe, Moises seide to Aaron,46 Take the censer, and whanne fyer is takun vp of the auter, caste encense aboue, and go soone to the puple, that thou preye for hem; for now ire is gon out fro the Lord, and the wounde is feers.47 And whanne Aaron hadde do this, and hadde runne to the myddis of the multitude, which the brennynge wastid thanne, he offeride encense;48 and he stood bytwixe the deed men and lyuynge, and bisouyte for the puple, and the wounde ceesside.49 Sotheli thei that weren smytun weren fourtene thousynde of men and seuene hundrid, with outen hem that perischiden in the discencioun of Chore.50 And Aaron turnyde ayen to Moyses, to the dore of the tabernacle of boond of pees, aftir that the perischyng restide.