17. So the earth opened up, swallowing Dathan,and covering over Abiram’s crowd.
18. Fire blazed throughout that whole group;flames burned up the wicked.
19. They made a calf at Horeb,bowing down to a metal idol.
20. They traded their glorious Godfor an image of a bull that eats grass.
21. They forgot the God who saved them—the one who had done great things in Egypt,
22. wondrous works in the land of Ham,awesome deeds at the Reed Sea.
23. So God determined that he would destroy them—except for the fact that Moses, his chosen one,stood in the way, right in front of him,and turned God’s destructive anger away.
24. But then they rejected the land that was so desirable.They didn’t trust God’s promise.
25. They muttered in their tentsand wouldn’t listen to the Lord’s voice.