Korah's Rebellion
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Now a Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with b Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men;
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and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, c representatives of the congregation, men of renown.
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d They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You take too much upon yourselves, for e all the congregation is holy, every one of them, f and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?"
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So when Moses heard it, he g fell on his face;
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and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, "Tomorrow morning the LORD will show who is h His and who is i holy, and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to j come near to Him.
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"Do this: Take censers, Korah and all your company;
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"put fire in them and put incense in them before the LORD tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom the LORD chooses is the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!"
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Then Moses said to Korah, "Hear now, you sons of Levi:
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"Is it k a small thing to you that the God of Israel has l separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to serve them;
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"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?
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"Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the LORD. m And what is Aaron that you complain against him?"
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And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, but they said, "We will not come up!
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"Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of n a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you should o keep acting like a prince over us?
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"Moreover p you have not brought us into q 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!"
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Then Moses was very angry, and said to the LORD, r "Do not respect their offering. s I have not taken one donkey from them, nor have I hurt one of them."
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And Moses said to Korah, "Tomorrow, you and all your company be present t before the LORD - you and they, as well as Aaron.
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"Let each take his censer and put incense in it, and each of you bring his censer before the LORD, two hundred and fifty censers; both you and Aaron, each with his censer."
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So every man took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and stood at the door of the tabernacle of meeting with Moses and Aaron.
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And Korah gathered all the congregation against them at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then u the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.
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And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
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v "Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may w consume them in a moment."
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Then they x fell on their faces, and said, "O God, y the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the z congregation?"
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So the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
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"Speak to the congregation, saying, 'Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.' "
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Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.
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And he spoke to the congregation, saying, a "Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins."
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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 b children.
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And Moses said: c "By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them d of my own will.
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"If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are e visited by the common fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me.
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"But if the LORD creates f a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they g go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the LORD."
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h Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them,
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and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and i all the men with Korah, with all their goods.
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So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly.
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Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, "Lest the earth swallow us up also!"
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And j a fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.
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Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
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"Tell Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, to pick up the censers out of the blaze, for k they are holy, and scatter the fire some distance away.
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"The censers of l these men who sinned against their own souls, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar. Because they presented them before the LORD, therefore they are holy; m and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel."
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So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned up had presented, and they were hammered out as a covering on the altar,
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to be a memorial to the children of Israel n that no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the LORD, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, just as the LORD had said to him through Moses.
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On the next day o all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You have killed the people of the LORD."
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Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly p the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.
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Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting.
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And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
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"Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment." And they fell on their faces.
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So 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; q for wrath has gone out from the LORD. The plague has begun."
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Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people.
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And he stood between the dead and the living; so r the plague was stopped.
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Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident.
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So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, for the plague had stopped.
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Cross References
Exodus 6:21
The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.
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Cross References
Numbers 26:9
The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, representatives of the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD.
Deuteronomy 11:6
And what He did to Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, their households, their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel -
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Cross References
Numbers 1:16
These were chosen from the congregation, leaders of their fathers' tribes, heads of the divisions in Israel.
Numbers 26:9
The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, representatives of the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD.
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Cross References
Numbers 12:2
So they said, "Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?" And the LORD heard it.
Numbers 14:2
And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!
Psalms 106:16
When they envied Moses in the camp, And Aaron the saint of the LORD.
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Cross References
Exodus 19:6
'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."
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Cross References
Exodus 29:45
I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God.
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Cross References
Numbers 14:5
Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
Numbers 20:6
So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them.
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Cross References
2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
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Cross References
Leviticus 21:6 - 8
They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy.
Leviticus 21:12
Nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 40:46
"The chamber which faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar; these are the sons of Zadok, from the sons of Levi, who come near the LORD to minister to Him."
Ezekiel 44:15
But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and the blood," says the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 44:16
They shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall come near My table to minister to Me, and they shall keep My charge.
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Cross References
1 Samuel 18:23
So Saul's servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, "Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king's son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?
Isaiah 7:13
Then he said, "Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?
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Cross References
Numbers 3:41
"And you shall take the Levites for Me - I am the LORD - instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel."
Numbers 3:45
Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock. The Levites shall be Mine: I am the LORD.
Numbers 8:13 - 16
And you shall stand the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and then offer them like a wave offering to the LORD.
Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister to Him and to bless in His name, to this day.
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Cross References
Exodus 16:7
"And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He hears your complaints against the LORD. But what are we, that you complain against us?"
Exodus 16:8
Also Moses said, " This shall be seen when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the LORD hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the LORD.
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Cross References
Exodus 16:3
And the children of Israel said to them, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
Numbers 11:4 - 6
Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: "Who will give us meat to eat?
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Cross References
Exodus 2:14
Then he said, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" So Moses feared and said, "Surely this thing is known!
Acts 7:27
But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?
Acts 7:35
This Moses whom they rejected, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?' is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush.
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Cross References
Numbers 14:1 - 4
So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night.
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Cross References
Exodus 3:8
So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.
Leviticus 20:24
But I have said to you, "You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey." I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples.
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Cross References
Genesis 4:4
Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering.
Genesis 4:5
But He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
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Cross References
1 Samuel 12:3
"Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you."
Acts 20:33
I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.
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Cross References
1 Samuel 12:3
"Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you."
1 Samuel 12:7
Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did to you and your fathers:
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Cross References
Exodus 16:7
"And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He hears your complaints against the LORD. But what are we, that you complain against us?"
Exodus 16:10
Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.
Leviticus 9:6
Then Moses said, "This is the thing which the LORD commanded you to do, and the glory of the LORD will appear to you.
Leviticus 9:23
And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.
Numbers 14:10
And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel.
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Cross References
Genesis 19:17
So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.
Jeremiah 51:6
Flee from the midst of Babylon, And every one save his life! Do not be cut off in her iniquity, For this is the time of the LORD's vengeance; He shall recompense her.
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Cross References
Exodus 32:10
"Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation."
Exodus 33:5
For the LORD had said to Moses, "Say to the children of Israel, 'You are a stiff-necked people. I could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you. Now therefore, take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do to you.'
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Cross References
Numbers 14:5
Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
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Cross References
Numbers 27:16
Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation.
Job 12:10
In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?
Ecclesiastes 12:7
Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it.
Hebrews 12:9
Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
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Cross References
Genesis 18:23 - 32
And Abraham came near and said, "Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Genesis 20:4
But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, "Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also?
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Cross References
Genesis 19:12
Then the men said to Lot, "Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city - take them out of this place!
Genesis 19:14
So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, "Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!" But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.
Genesis 19:15
When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.
Genesis 19:17
So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.
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Cross References
Exodus 20:5
You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.
Numbers 26:11
Nevertheless the children of Korah did not die.
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Cross References
Exodus 3:12
So He said, "I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.
John 5:36
But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish - the very works that I do - bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.
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Cross References
Numbers 24:13
If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD, to do good or bad of my own will. What the LORD says, that I must speak'?
John 5:30
I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
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Cross References
Exodus 20:5
You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.
Job 35:15
And now, because He has not punished in His anger, Nor taken much notice of folly.
Isaiah 10:3
What will you do in the day of punishment, And in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your glory?
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Cross References
Job 31:3
Is it not destruction for the wicked, And disaster for the workers of iniquity?
Isaiah 28:21
For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon - That He may do His work, His awesome work, And bring to pass His act, His unusual act.
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Cross References
Psalms 55:15
Let death seize them; Let them go down alive into hell, For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.
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Cross References
Numbers 26:10
And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men; and they became a sign.
Psalms 106:17
The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan, And covered the faction of Abiram.
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Cross References
Numbers 26:11
Nevertheless the children of Korah did not die.
1 Chronicles 6:22
The sons of Kohath were Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son.
1 Chronicles 6:37
The son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah.
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Cross References
Leviticus 10:2
So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
Numbers 11:1 - 3
Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.
Numbers 26:10
And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men; and they became a sign.
Psalms 106:18
A fire was kindled in their company; The flame burned up the wicked.
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Cross References
Leviticus 27:28
Nevertheless no devoted offering that a man may devote to the LORD of all that he has, both man and beast, or the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed; every devoted offering is most holy to the LORD.
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Cross References
Proverbs 20:2
The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
Habakkuk 2:10
You give shameful counsel to your house, Cutting off many peoples, And sin against your soul.
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Cross References
Numbers 17:10
And the LORD said to Moses, "Bring Aaron's rod back before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die.
Ezekiel 14:8
I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.
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Cross References
Numbers 3:10
"So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall attend to their priesthood; but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death."
2 Chronicles 26:18
And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, " It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the LORD God.
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Cross References
Numbers 14:2
And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!
Psalms 106:25
But complained in their tents, And did not heed the voice of the LORD.
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Cross References
Exodus 40:34
Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
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Cross References
Leviticus 10:6
And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons, "Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the people. But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD has kindled.
Numbers 18:5
And you shall attend to the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the altar, that there may be no more wrath on the children of Israel.
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Cross References
Numbers 25:8
And he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel.
Psalms 106:30
Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, And the plague was stopped.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.