21. “Move away from these men. In a minute I will destroy them.”
22. But Moses and Aaron bowed facedown. They cried out, “God, you are the God over the spirits of all people. Please don’t be angry with this whole group. Only one man has really sinned.”
23. Then the Lord said to Moses,
24. “Tell everyone to move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.”
25. Moses stood and went to Dathan and Abiram. The elders of Israel followed him.
26. Moses warned the people, “Move away from the tents of these evil men! Don’t touch anything of theirs. If you do, you will be destroyed because of their sins.”
27. So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram were standing outside their tents with their wives, children and little babies.
28. Then Moses said, “Now you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things. It was not my idea.
29. If these men die a normal death—the way men usually die—then the Lord did not really send me.
30. But if the Lord does something new, you will know they have insulted the Lord. The earth will open and swallow them. Alive, they will go to where the dead are. And everything that belongs to them will go with them.”
31. When Moses finished saying these things, the ground under the men opened up.
32. The earth seemed to open its mouth and swallow them. All their families, all Korah’s men and everything they owned went down.
33. They were buried alive, going to where the dead are. And everything they owned went with them. Then the earth closed over them. They died and were gone from the community.
34. The people of Israel around them heard their screams. They ran away and said, “The earth will swallow us, too!”