Numbers 16:41-49

Good News Translation

Aaron Saves the People

⁴¹ The next day the whole community complained against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have killed some of the Lord's people.” ⁴² After they had all gathered to protest to Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the Tent and saw that the cloud was covering it and that the dazzling light of the Lord's presence had appeared. ⁴³ Moses and Aaron went and stood in front of the Tent, ^44 (A)and the Lord said to Moses, ⁴⁵ “Move back from these people, and I will destroy them on the spot!”

The two of them bowed down with their faces to the ground, ⁴⁶ and Moses said to Aaron, “Take your fire pan, put live coals from the altar in it, and put some incense on the coals. Then hurry with it to the people and perform the ritual of purification for them. Hurry! The Lord's anger has already broken out and an epidemic has already begun.” ⁴⁷ Aaron obeyed, took his fire pan and ran into the middle of the assembled people. When he saw that the plague had already begun, he put the incense on the coals and performed the ritual of purification for the people. ⁴⁸ This stopped the plague, and he was left standing between the living and the dead. ⁴⁹ The number of people who died was 14,700, not counting those who died in Korah's rebellion.