Korah, Dathan, and Abiram
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continually dwelling upon the necessity of the congregation’s being
holy, when there was no need of it, for they were holy.
These rebellious ones had flattered the people in general to believe
that they were right, and that all their troubles arose from Moses their
ruler, who was continually reminding them of their sins. The people
thought if Korah could lead them, and encourage them, and dwell upon
their righteous acts, instead of reminding them of their failures, they
should have a very peaceful, prosperous journey, and he would without
doubt lead them, not back and forward in the wilderness, but into the
promised land. They said that it was Moses who had told them that they
could not go into the land, and that the Lord had not thus said. Korah
in his exalted self-confidence gathered all the congregation against
Moses and Aaron, “unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation. And the
Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Separate yourselves
from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits
of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the
congregation? And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, Speak unto the
congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah,
Dathan, and Abiram. And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and
Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. And he spake unto
the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these
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wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs’, lest ye be consumed in all
their sins. So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and
Abiram, on every side, and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood
in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their
little children. And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord
hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine
own mind. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they
be visited after the visitation of all men, then the Lord hath not sent
me. But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth,
and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go
down quick into the pit, then ye shall understand that these men have
provoked the Lord.” As Moses ceased speaking, the earth opened and
swallowed them up, and their tents, and all that pertained unto them.
They went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed over them, and
they perished from among the congregation.