Murmuring and Plague
The whole congregation grumbles against Moses and Aaron, and as they gather the cloud covers the Tent of Meeting and the LORD’s glory appears. The LORD again warns that He will consume the congregation, and Moses and Aaron fall facedown.
T41he next day the whole congregation of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the LORD’s people!” 42But 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. 43Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the Tent of Meeting, 44and the LORD said to Moses, 45“Get away from this congregation so that I may consume them in an instant.” And Moses and Aaron fell facedown.
Moses tells Aaron to take fire from the altar and make atonement quickly, because the plague has already begun. Aaron runs into the assembly, offers incense, and stands between the living and the dead until the plague stops, though 14,700 die besides those lost with Korah.
46Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, place fire from the altar in it, and add incense. Go quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, because wrath has come out from the LORD; the plague has begun.” 47So Aaron took the censer as Moses had ordered and ran into the midst of the assembly. And seeing that the plague had begun among the people, he offered the incense and made atonement for the people. 48He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague was halted. 49But those who died from the plague numbered 14,700, in addition to those who had died on account of Korah. 50Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, since the plague had been halted.