Study Desk

These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the Lord 's commands and obey them and not become unfaithful by following your own heart and your own eyes.

So Moses told Korah, "You and all your followers are to appear before the Lord tomorrow—you, they, and Aaron.

"Separate yourselves from this community so I may consume them instantly."

So they got away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Meanwhile, Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrance of their tents with their wives, children, and infants.

But if the Lord brings about something unprecedented, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them along with all that belongs to them so that they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have despised the Lord ."

So Eleazar the priest took the bronze firepans that those who were burned had presented, and they were hammered into plating for the altar,

"Get away from this community so that I may consume them instantly." But they fell facedown.

So Aaron took his firepan as Moses had ordered, ran into the middle of the assembly, and saw that the plague had begun among the people. After he added incense, he made atonement for the people.

So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff, one for each of the leaders of their ancestral houses, 12 staffs in all. Aaron's staff was among them.

The Lord told Moses, "Put Aaron's staff back in front of the testimony to be kept as a sign for the rebels, so that you may put an end to their complaints before Me, or else they will die."

So Moses did as the Lord commanded him.

But also bring your relatives with you from the tribe of Levi, your ancestral tribe, so they may join you and assist you and your sons in front of the tent of the testimony.

"You are to guard the sanctuary and the altar so that wrath may not fall on the Israelites again.

You will not incur guilt because of it once you have presented the best part of it, but you must not defile the Israelites' holy offerings, so that you will not die."

There was no water for the community, so they assembled against Moses and Aaron.

So Moses took the staff from the Lord 's presence just as He had commanded him.

Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

So Moses did as the Lord commanded, and they climbed Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community.

The Lord listened to Israel's request, the Canaanites were defeated, and Israel completely destroyed them and their cities. So they named the place Hormah.

Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and they bit them so that many Israelites died.