1. Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On turned against Moses. (Korah was the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi; Dathan and Abiram were brothers, the sons of Eliab; and On was the son of Peleth; Dathan, Abiram, and On were from the tribe of Reuben.)
2. These men gathered two hundred fifty other Israelite men, well-known leaders chosen by the community, and challenged Moses.
3. They came as a group to speak to Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far. All the people are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. So why do you put yourselves above all the people of the Lord?”
4. When Moses heard this, he bowed facedown.
5. Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who belongs to him. He will bring the one who is holy near to him; he will bring to himself the person he chooses.
6. So Korah, you and all your followers do this: Get some pans for burning incense.
7. Tomorrow put fire and incense in them and take them before the Lord. He will choose the man who is holy. You Levites have gone too far.”
8. Moses also said to Korah, “Listen, you Levites.
9. The God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelites. He brought you near to himself to do the work in the Lord’s Holy Tent and to stand before all the Israelites and serve them. Isn’t that enough?
10. He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near to himself, yet now you want to be priests.
11. You and your followers have joined together against the Lord. Your complaint is not against Aaron.”
12. Then Moses called Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come!