Numbers 16:38

³⁶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

³⁷ Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.

The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.

³⁹ And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:

⁴⁰ To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: As for the censers of those who sinned at the cost of their own lives, hammer them into sheets to overlay the altar, for these were presented before the LORD, and so have become holy. They will serve as a sign to the Israelites.”
KJV: The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
WEB: even the censers of those who sinned against their own lives. Let them be beaten into plates for a covering of the altar, for they offered them before the LORD. Therefore they are holy. They shall be a sign to the children of Israel.”
ASV: even the censers of these sinners against their own lives; and let them be made beaten plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before Jehovah; therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
DARBY: the censers of these sinners who have forfeited their life; and they shall make them into broad plates for the covering of the altar; for they presented them before Jehovah, therefore they are hallowed; and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
BLB: [As for] the censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, because they presented them before the face of YHWH, and they are holy; and they shall be a sign to the sons of Israel.”

ÅB: de ildkar som tilhørte disse menn som ved sin synd har forbrutt sitt liv; der skal gjøres tynne plater av dem til å kle alteret med, for de bar dem fram for Herrens åsyn, og derfor er de hellige; og de skal være til et tegn for Israels barn.
OTB: ildkarene til de mennene som syndet med tap av sine liv. La dem bli laget til hamrede plater som dekke for alteret, for de ble båret fram for Herren og har blitt hellige. La dem være et tegn for israelittene.»
B1930: de ildkar som tilhørte disse menn som ved sin synd har forbrutt sitt liv; der skal gjøres tynne plater av dem til å klæ alteret med, for de bar dem frem for Herrens åsyn, og derfor er de hellige; og de skal være til et tegn for Israels barn.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Ezekiel 14:8
And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Read in context
Proverbs 20:2
The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
Read in context
2 Peter 2:6
And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
Read in context
Numbers 26:10
And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign.
Read in context
1 Kings 2:23
Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.
Read in context
Numbers 17:10
And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
Read in context
Habakkuk 2:10
Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.
Read in context
Proverbs 8:36
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
Read in context