Numbers 16:40
38 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:
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.
41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.
42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, 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
And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
Read in contextNumbers 18:4–7
And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.
Read in context2 Chronicles 26:16–21
But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
Read in contextExodus 30:7–10
And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
Read in contextNumbers 3:38
But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
Read in contextLeviticus 22:10
There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.
Read in contextJude 1:11
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
Read in context1 Kings 13:1–3
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Beth-el: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
Read in context