Numbers 16:40

³⁸ 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.”

³⁹ So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned up, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar,

just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. This was to be a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his followers.

⁴¹ The next day the whole congregation of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the LORD’s people!”

⁴² But when the congregation gathered against them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the Tent of Meeting, and suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared.

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: just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. This was to be a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his followers.
KJV: 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.
WEB: to be a memorial to the children of Israel, to the end that no stranger who isn’t of the offspring of Aaron, would come near to burn incense before the LORD, that he not be as Korah and as his company; as the LORD spoke to him by Moses.
ASV: to be a memorial unto the children of Israel, to the end that no stranger, that is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to burn incense before Jehovah; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as Jehovah spake unto him by Moses.
DARBY: as a memorial to the children of Israel, that no stranger who is not of the seed of Aaron come near to burn incense before Jehovah, that he be not as Korah, and as his band, as Jehovah had said to him through Moses.
BLB: a memorial to the sons of Israel, so that a son of a foreigner who is not a descendant of Aaron should not come near to offer incense before the face of YHWH, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, as YHWH had said to him by the hand of Moses.

ÅB: for at Israels barn skulle komme i hu at ingen fremmed mann - ingen som ikke er av Arons slekt - skulle komme nær til for å brenne røkelse for Herrens åsyn, så det ikke skulle gå ham som det gikk Korah og hans flokk - slik som Herren hadde talt til ham ved Moses.
OTB: som en påminnelse til israelittene om at ingen unntatt en etterkommer av Aron skulle komme for å brenne røkelse foran Herren, ellers ville han bli som Korah og hans tilhengere—slik Herren hadde talt til ham gjennom Moses.
B1930: forat Israels barn skulde komme i hu at ingen fremmed mann - ingen som ikke er av Arons ætt - skulde komme nær til for å brenne røkelse for Herrens åsyn, så det ikke skulde gå ham som det gikk Korah og hans flokk - således som Herren hadde talt til ham ved Moses.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Numbers 3:10
So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”
Read in context
Numbers 18:4–7
They are to join you and attend to the duties of the Tent of Meeting, doing all the work at the Tent; but no outsider may come near you.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 26:16–21
But when Uzziah grew powerful, his arrogance led to his own destruction. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.
Read in context
Exodus 30:7–10
And Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps.
Read in context
Numbers 3:38
Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.
Read in context
Leviticus 22:10
No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired hand eat it.
Read in context
Jude 1:11
Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
Read in context
1 Kings 13:1–3
Suddenly, as Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD.
Read in context