10. He has let you and all the other Levites have this honour — and now you are trying to get the priesthood too!
11. When you complain against Aaron, it is really against the Lord that you and your followers are rebelling.”
12. Then Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, but they said, “We will not come!
13. Isn't it enough that you have brought us out of the fertile land of Egypt to kill us here in the wilderness? Do you also have to lord it over us?
14. You certainly have not brought us into a fertile land or given us fields and vineyards as our possession, and now you are trying to deceive us. We will not come!”
15. Moses was angry and said to the Lord, “Do not accept any offerings these men bring. I have not wronged any of them; I have not even taken one of their donkeys.”
16. Moses said to Korah, “Tomorrow you and your 250 followers must come to the Tent of the Lord's presence; Aaron will also be there.
17. Each of you will take his firepan, put incense on it, and then present it at the altar.”
18. So every man took his firepan, put live coals and incense on it, and stood at the entrance of the Tent with Moses and Aaron.
19. Then Korah gathered the whole community, and they stood facing Moses and Aaron at the entrance of the Tent. Suddenly the dazzling light of the Lord's presence appeared to the whole community,
20. and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
21. “Stand back from these people, and I will destroy them immediately.”
22. But Moses and Aaron bowed down with their faces to the ground and said, “O God, you are the source of all life. When one person sins, do you get angry with the whole community?”
23. The Lord said to Moses,
24. “Tell the people to move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”
25. Then Moses, accompanied by the leaders of Israel, went to Dathan and Abiram.
26. He said to the people, “Stand away from the tents of these wicked men and don't touch anything that belongs to them. Otherwise, you will be wiped out with them for all their sins.”
27. So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing at the entrance of their tents, with their wives and children.
28. Moses said to the people, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things and that it is not by my own choice that I have done them.
29. If these men die a natural death without some punishment from God, then the Lord did not send me.