Numbers 16:40

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 Yahweh, that he not be as Korah, and as his company; as Yahweh spoke to him by Moses.

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Other translations

WEBBE

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.

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.

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.

BBE

To be a sign, kept in memory for ever by the children of Israel, that no man who is not of the seed of Aaron has the right of burning spices before the Lord, so that he may not be like Korah and his band: as the Lord said to him by the mouth of Moses.

Original Hebrew

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זִכָּרוֹן zi·ka·ron a reminder H2146 לִבְנֵי liv·nei to [the] people of H1121 יִשְׂרָאֵל yis·ra·'el Israel H3478 לְמַעַן le·ma·'an so that H4616 אֲשֶׁר 'a·sher that H834 לֹא־ lo'- not H3808 יִקְרַב yik·rav he may draw near H7126 אִישׁ 'ish a man H376 זָר zar strange H2114 אֲשֶׁר 'a·sher who H834 לֹא lo' not H3808 מִזֶּרַע mi·ze·ra' [is] one of [the] offspring of H2233 אַהֲרֹן 'a·ha·ron Aaron H175 הוּא hu' he H1931 לְהַקְטִיר le·hak·tir to make smoke H6999 קְטֹרֶת ke·to·ret incense H7004 לִפְנֵי lif·nei (to) before H6440 יְהוָה yah·weh Yahweh H3068 וְלֹא־ ve·lo'- and not H3808 יִהְיֶה yih·yeh he will be H1961 כְקֹרַח khe·ko·rach like Korah H7141 וְכַעֲדָתוֹ ve·kha·'a·da·to and like company his H5712 כַּאֲשֶׁר ka·'a·sher just as H834 דִּבֶּר di·ber he had spoken H1696 יְהוָה yah·weh Yahweh H3068 בְּיַד־ be·yad- by [the] hand of H3027 מֹשֶׁה mo·sheh Moses H4872 לוֹ lo to (the) him H9033

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 35–40

A fire went out from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense, while Aaron, who stood with them, was preserved alive. God is jealous of the honour of his own institutions, and will not have them invaded. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. The censers are devoted, and, as all devoted things, must be made serviceable to the glory of God. This covering of the altar would remind the children of Israel of this event, that others might hear and fear, and do no more presumptuously. They brought destruction on themselves both in body and soul. Thus all who break the law and neglect the gospel choose and love death.

Read Matthew Henry on Numbers 16 →

Cross-references

10

People & places

MosesAaronKorahIsrael

Topics

IncenseSacrilege

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.