Study Desk

So they went up and investigated the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, at Lebo Hamath.

When they went up through the Negev, they came to Hebron where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, descendants of Anak, were living. (Now Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)

When they came to the valley of Eshcol, they cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a staff between two men, as well as some of the pomegranates and the figs.

They came back to Moses and Aaron and to the whole community of the Israelites in the wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They reported to the whole community and showed the fruit of the land.

They told Moses, "We went to the land where you sent us. It is indeed flowing with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.

So they said to one another, "Let's appoint a leader and return to Egypt."

Only do not rebel against the Lord , and do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection has turned aside from them, but the Lord is with us. Do not fear them!"

The Lord said to Moses, "How long will this people despise me, and how long will they not believe in me, in spite of the signs that I have done among them?

I will strike them with the pestilence, and I will disinherit them; I will make you into a nation that is greater and mightier than they!"

then they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, Lord , are among this people, that you, Lord , are seen face to face, that your cloud stands over them, and that you go before them by day in a pillar of cloud and in a pillar of fire by night.

But I will bring in your little ones, whom you said would become victims of war, and they will enjoy the land that you have despised.

I, the Lord , have said, "I will surely do so to all this evil congregation that has gathered together against me. In this wilderness they will be finished, and there they will die!"'"

And early in the morning they went up to the crest of the hill country, saying, "Here we are, and we will go up to the place that the Lord commanded, for we have sinned."

And the priest is to make atonement for the whole community of the Israelites, and they will be forgiven, because it was unintentional and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to the Lord , and their purification offering before the Lord , for their unintentional offense.

And they assembled against Moses and Aaron, saying to them, "You take too much upon yourselves, seeing that the whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the community of the Lord ?"

Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, "We will not come up.

Then Moses said to Korah, "You and all your company present yourselves before the Lord —you and they, and Aaron—tomorrow.

Then they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all people, will you be angry with the whole community when only one man sins?"

And he said to the community, "Move away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything they have, lest you be destroyed because of all their sins."

So they got away from the homes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram on every side, and Dathan and Abiram came out and stationed themselves in the entrances of their tents with their wives, their children, and their toddlers.