Numbers 16 17

Numbers 16:17 kjv

And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.

Numbers 16:17 nkjv

Let each take his censer and put incense in it, and each of you bring his censer before the LORD, two hundred and fifty censers; both you and Aaron, each with his censer."

Numbers 16:17 niv

Each man is to take his censer and put incense in it?250 censers in all?and present it before the LORD. You and Aaron are to present your censers also."

Numbers 16:17 esv

And let every one of you take his censer and put incense on it, and every one of you bring before the LORD his censer, 250 censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer."

Numbers 16:17 nlt

You and each of your 250 followers must prepare an incense burner and put incense on it, so you can all present them before the LORD. Aaron will also bring his incense burner."

Numbers 16 verses

Numbers 16 17 Meaning

Numbers 16:17 presents a crucial directive from Moses, divinely inspired, for the challenging factions to demonstrate their claim to priesthood. It commands each of the two hundred and fifty rebel leaders, along with Aaron, to take his own censer, place incense in it, and present it before the Lord. This act was designed as a divine test to visibly reveal who the Lord had chosen and set apart for the sacred priestly office, thereby settling the controversy ignited by Korah and his followers.

Numbers 16 17 Context

Numbers chapter 16 describes a major rebellion against Moses' leadership and Aaron's priesthood. Korah, a Levite (of Kohathite clan, cousins to Aaron's line, with duties relating to carrying holy objects but not touching them or performing priestly functions), joined by Dathan and Abiram (prominent Reubenites) and 250 Israelite leaders, challenged Moses and Aaron, stating, "You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?" (Num 16:3). This challenge was not merely political but profoundly theological, aiming to dismantle God's established order for Tabernacle worship and governance.

Moses responds by proposing a test: if these 250 men, claiming priestly rights, could legitimately offer incense—an act reserved exclusively for the consecrated Aaronic priesthood—then the Lord would validate their claim. Verse 17 sets out this divinely ordained test, instructing them to perform the very act they desired to do, with their own censers and incense, as a direct confrontation before the Lord Himself. Aaron also participates to affirm his true, God-given calling. Historically, offering incense was one of the most solemn priestly duties, tied intimately to the atonement and holiness of God's presence, making its unauthorized performance a grievous affront.

Numbers 16 17 Word Analysis

• And take: וְלִקְחוּ (vəliqcḥu) - The Hebrew is a command, a plural imperative. This signifies a direct, non-negotiable instruction from Moses to the gathered challengers. It’s an active and decisive order, setting the stage for the immediate action required for the test.
• every man his: אִישׁ מַחְתַּתּוֹ ('îš maḥtattōw) - "every man" emphasizes the individual responsibility and participation of each of the 250 leaders. "His censer" highlights that these were not general cultic items but their own personal censers or fire-pans, carried presumably to assert their readiness for priestly service. This stresses their collective claim to an office they did not possess.
• censer: מַחְתַּת (maḥtat) - A "fire-pan" or "censer" was a small bronze vessel used by priests to carry hot coals from the altar of burnt offering into the Holy Place for burning incense (Ex 27:3). It also served a function in other specific cultic rites, demonstrating the solemnity and exclusiveness of its proper use. Here, it becomes the instrument of both their presumption and their judgment.
• and put incense in them: תְּנוּ עֲלֵיהֶן קְטֹרֶת (tənû ‘ǎlêhen qəṭōreṯ) -
  • put: תְּנוּ (tənû) - A plural imperative, directly commanding them to fill their censers.
  • incense: קְטֹרֶת (qəṭōreṯ) - The holy, specifically formulated incense (Ex 30:34-38) prescribed only for authorized priestly use within the Tabernacle. Its composition was exclusive, and its offering a privilege and sacred duty. To use it otherwise was an act of presumption against God's command. This very act, normally sacred and purifying, becomes the point of their desecration.
• and present before the Lord: וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם לִפְנֵי יְהוָה (vəhiqrāvtem lifnê YHWH) -
  • present: וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם (vəhiqrāvtem) - A causative verb (Hiphil), meaning "cause to come near" or "bring as an offering." It indicates a formal, ritualistic presentation.
  • before the Lord: לִפְנֵי יְהוָה (lifnê YHWH) - This phrase denotes appearing in God's immediate presence, implying divine scrutiny and judgment. It means "to stand in the presence of," or "at the face of Yahweh," in His chosen sanctuary, the Tabernacle entrance. This signifies the direct accountability of their action to God Himself.
• two hundred and fifty censers: חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם מַחְתֹּת (ḥǎmiššîm ûmāʾtayim maḥtōt) - This specific number highlights the significant scale of the rebellion. These were not a few rogue individuals but a substantial group of Israelite leaders, giving their challenge considerable weight. Each censer represents an individual claim to priesthood.
• thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer: וְאַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן אִישׁ מַחְתַּתּוֹ (vəʾattâ vəʾahărōn 'îš maḥtattōw) - This critical clause juxtaposes Aaron, God's chosen High Priest, with the rebels. Aaron's participation confirms his obedience to the divine will and sets him apart as the legitimate priestly officeholder against the unlawful claims of the 250. It underscores that this test is meant to discern between genuine, God-ordained authority and audacious presumption. Moses, in speaking, includes Aaron as the one truly appointed.

Numbers 16 17 Bonus Section

The censers of the 250 consumed men, which were sacred despite being used for unauthorized purposes, were subsequently repurposed for God's glory. Numbers 16:38-40 instructs Moses to have them beaten into plates to cover the altar, serving as a permanent memorial and a warning to the Israelites. This transformation of the instruments of rebellion into a holy covering signifies God's power to appropriate even the remnants of human defiance for His purposes, turning a symbol of judgment into an enduring sign of the exclusive and holy nature of the priesthood. This action emphasizes that God's holiness transcends human sin, and His established order must always be respected.

Numbers 16 17 Commentary

Numbers 16:17 is the divine instruction that set the stage for one of the Bible's most dramatic displays of divine judgment. The verse reveals God's unyielding demand for holiness and strict adherence to His established order for worship. The act of offering incense was not a trivial matter; it symbolized bringing prayer and praise into the most sacred space before God. By commanding the rebels to perform this very act, God effectively put their audacious claim to a definitive, immediate test. This was not a negotiation but a demonstration of God's sovereign prerogative to choose and set apart His servants for specific, sacred tasks. The destruction of the 250 men for their unauthorized incense offering unequivocally confirmed Aaron's God-appointed priesthood and warned all Israel against challenging divine authority or presuming upon God's holiness. It emphasized that God's ways are not human ways, and His choosing is absolute, not based on popular acclaim or self-assertion.