16:5. And speaking to Core and all the multitude, he said: In the
morning the Lord will make known who belong to him, and the holy he will
join to himself: and whom he shall choose, they shall approach to him.
16:6. Do this therefore: Take every man of you your censers, thou Core,
and all thy company.
16:7. And putting fire in them to morrow, put incense upon it before the
Lord: and whomsoever he shall choose, the same shall be holy: you take
too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
16:8. And he said again to Core: Hear ye sons of Levi.
16:9. Is it a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath spared
you from all the people, and joined you to himself, that you should
serve him in the service of the tabernacle, and should stand before the
congregation of the people, and should minister to him?
16:10. Did he therefore make thee and all thy brethren the sons of Levi
to approach unto him, that you should challenge to yourselves the
priesthood also,
16:11. And that all thy company should stand against the Lord? for what
is Aaron that you murmur against him?
16:12. Then Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiron the sons of Eliab. But
they answered: We will not come.
16:13. Is it a small matter to thee, that thou hast brought us out of a
land that flowed with milk and honey, to kill us in the desert, except
thou rule also like a lord over us?
16:14. Thou hast brought us indeed into a land that floweth with rivers
of milk and honey, and hast given us possessions of fields and
vineyards; wilt thou also pull out our eyes? We will not come.
16:15. Moses therefore being very angry, said to the Lord: Respect not
their sacrifices: thou knowest that I have not taken of them so much as
a young ass at any time, nor have injured any of them.
Very angry... This anger was a zeal against sin; and an indignation at
the affront offered to God; like that which the same holy prophet
conceived upon the sight of the golden calf, Ex. 32.19.
16:16. And he said to Core: Do thou and thy congregation stand apart
before the Lord to morrow, and Aaron apart.
16:17. Take every one of you censers, and put incense upon them,
offering to the Lord two hundred and fifty censers: let Aaron also hold
his censer.
16:18. When they had done this, Moses and Aaron standing,
16:19. And had drawn up all the multitude against them to the door of
the tabernacle, the glory of the Lord appeared to them all.
16:20. And the Lord speaking to Moses and Aaron, said:
16:21. Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may
presently destroy them.
16:22. They fell flat on their face, and said: O most mighty, the God of
the spirits of all flesh, for one man's sin shall thy wrath rage against
all?
16:23. And the Lord said to Moses:
16:24. Command the whole people to separate themselves from the tents of
Core and Dathan and Abiron.
16:25. And Moses arose, and went to Dathan and Abiron: and the ancients
of Israel following him,