The Earth Swallows Korah
Moses declares that what happens next will show whether the LORD sent him or whether he acts on his own. If the rebels die an ordinary death, his claim fails; if the earth swallows them alive, their contempt for the LORD will be clear.
T28hen Moses said, “This is how you will know that the LORD has sent me to do all these things, for it was not my own doing: 29If these men die a natural death, or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. 30But if the LORD brings about something unprecedented, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them and all that belongs to them so that they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have treated the LORD with contempt.”
As Moses finishes speaking, the ground splits and swallows the rebels, their households, and their possessions alive into Sheol. The surrounding people flee in terror, and fire from the LORD consumes the two hundred fifty men offering incense.
31As soon as Moses had finished saying all this, the ground beneath them split open, 32and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households — all Korah’s men and all their possessions. 33They went down alive into Sheol with all they owned. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly. 34At their cries, all the people of Israel who were around them fled, saying, “The earth may swallow us too!” 35And fire came forth from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.