Numbers 16:40 kjv
To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.
Numbers 16:40 nkjv
to be a memorial to the children of Israel that no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the LORD, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, just as the LORD had said to him through Moses.
Numbers 16:40 niv
as the LORD directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the LORD, or he would become like Korah and his followers.
Numbers 16:40 esv
to be a reminder to the people of Israel, so that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his company ? as the LORD said to him through Moses.
Numbers 16:40 nlt
This would warn the Israelites that no unauthorized person ? no one who was not a descendant of Aaron ? should ever enter the LORD's presence to burn incense. If anyone did, the same thing would happen to him as happened to Korah and his followers. So the LORD's instructions to Moses were carried out.
Numbers 16 40 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 10:1-2 | Now Nadab and Abihu...offered unauthorized fire before the LORD...and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them. | Unauthorised worship incurs divine judgment. |
| Lev 21:17-23 | No man of the offspring of Aaron...who has a blemish, shall come near to offer the bread of his God. | Requirements for priestly service: lineage & physical purity. |
| Num 3:10 | And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood; but if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death. | God's strict rule regarding exclusive Aaronic priesthood. |
| Num 4:15 | And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects...after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. | Only designated individuals handle sacred items. |
| Num 17:5 | And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout...to make cease from me the grumblings of the people of Israel. | God's clear sign to validate Aaron's priesthood. |
| Heb 5:4 | And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. | Priestly calling is divine, not self-appointed. |
| Heb 7:12 | For when there is a change in the priesthood, there must of necessity be a change in the law as well. | New Testament priesthood is distinct and superior. |
| Heb 9:6-7 | These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section of the tent...But into the second only the high priest goes... | Access to God's presence strictly regulated under Old Covenant. |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. | Believers are now a holy priesthood in Christ. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you... | Believers' royal priesthood to declare God's praise. |
| Exod 28:1 | "You shall bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to be my priests." | Divine appointment of Aaron and his sons. |
| Exod 30:7-8 | Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it...every morning...and again when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight. | Offering incense is a specific priestly duty. |
| Deut 17:12 | The man who acts presumptuously by not obeying the priest or the judge...that man shall die. | Disobedience to God's ordained authority punishable by death. |
| Jer 7:9-10 | Will you steal, murder...and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, 'We are delivered!'—only to go on doing all these abominations? | Hypocritical worship and defying God's standards. |
| Zech 14:20-21 | On that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, "Holy to the Lord."...And every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holy to the Lord of hosts. | Future full consecration of all things. |
| Rom 12:1 | I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. | New Testament emphasis on spiritual, not ceremonial, sacrifice. |
| Rev 1:6 | ...and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. | Believers' identity as priests in Revelation. |
| Rev 8:3-4 | And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer...and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. | Incense symbolizes prayers in Revelation. |
| Prov 29:1 | He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing. | Warnings ignored lead to destruction. |
| Josh 4:6-7 | When your children ask in time to come...Then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off...These stones shall be to you a memorial. | Physical objects as memorials to divine acts. |
Numbers 16 verses
Numbers 16 40 Meaning
Numbers 16:40 serves as a powerful declaration establishing and upholding the divine ordinance of the Aaronic priesthood. It specifies that the bronze plates, fashioned from the censers of those who unlawfully sought priestly office, were to be a perpetual warning to the Israelites. This memorial ensured that no individual outside the consecrated lineage of Aaron would dare to approach the LORD's sanctuary to offer incense, thereby avoiding the swift and terrible judgment meted out to Korah and his rebellious company. The verse underlines God's unwavering demand for holiness, His precise methods of worship, and the dire consequences for violating His sacred boundaries.
Numbers 16 40 Context
Numbers chapter 16 recounts one of the most severe challenges to God's established order and the authority of Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. Korah, a Levite (of the Kohathites, but not a priest), along with Dathan and Abiram (Rubenites) and 250 prominent leaders from various tribes, rebelled against Moses' leadership and Aaron's exclusive priesthood. They accused Moses and Aaron of exalting themselves above the assembly, claiming that "all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them" (Num 16:3). This challenge was not merely political; it was a direct assault on the divine appointments. God swiftly and dramatically intervened. The earth opened up and swallowed Korah's household, Dathan, Abiram, and all their possessions. Simultaneously, a fire from the LORD consumed the 250 men who were offering incense with Korah, demonstrating God's fierce holiness and judgment against unauthorized priestly service. Verse 40 follows immediately after Moses is commanded to gather the bronze censers of the deceased, melt them down, and use the metal to plate the altar, transforming instruments of rebellion into a permanent memorial. The broader historical context is the period of Israel's wilderness wanderings, during which God progressively revealed His laws, established the Tabernacle and its intricate sacrificial and priestly system, and rigorously taught the nation about His holy character and the requirements for drawing near to Him. This incident serves as a crucial foundational lesson for the new nation about the severe boundaries of approaching a holy God.
Numbers 16 40 Word analysis
- to be a memorial: From the Hebrew zikkārôn (זִכָּרוֹן), meaning a remembrance, a memorial, or a token. It signifies something that actively calls to mind an event or truth, not merely a static object. Its purpose is didactic and admonitory, ensuring that the horrifying consequence of defying God's established order is never forgotten by future generations.
- to the people of Israel: The warning and the lesson were intended for the entire community, not just for the priests or Levites. It underscores the collective responsibility to respect God's appointed offices and maintain the sanctity of His worship.
- so that no outsider: The Hebrew word zar (זָר) specifically means "stranger," "alien," or "unauthorized person." In this context, it unequivocally refers to anyone who is not of the specified lineage, emphasizing that no one can self-appoint to sacred roles or rituals.
- who is not of the descendants of Aaron: This phrase provides the specific and non-negotiable criterion for legitimate priesthood. The priesthood was hereditary, passed down exclusively through Aaron's sons. This divine choice was not negotiable and established an immutable boundary.
- should come near: The verb qarab (קָרַב) means "to draw near," "to approach." In a cultic context, it refers to drawing near to God in His sanctuary, an act that demanded extreme reverence and adherence to divine protocol. Unauthorized proximity was perilous.
- to offer incense: This was a sacred and distinct priestly function, performed in the Holy Place, before the LORD's direct presence. Incense symbolized the prayers of the saints and intimate communion with God (Ps 141:2). Unauthorized offering of incense was an ultimate act of sacrilege, directly usurping a divinely ordained ritual.
- before the LORD: Refers to the immediate presence of God, specifically in the Tabernacle. This sacred space was not merely a building but the dwelling place of Yahweh, making any transgression there particularly grave.
- lest he become like Korah and his company: This is the dire warning, making the historical judgment a perpetual precedent. Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and the 250 incense-offerers met an immediate, horrifying, and decisive end. The bronze plates served as a tangible reminder of God's swift justice against those who despise His authority.
- as the LORD said to him through Moses: This final clause re-affirms the divine origin and authority behind the command. Moses was not acting on his own but faithfully conveying the LORD's precise instructions. It legitimizes both the warning and the established priestly order.
Numbers 16 40 Bonus section
- Polemics against Paganism: This event and the resulting memorial provided a stark contrast to the religious practices of surrounding Canaanite cultures. In pagan cults, roles were often less defined, and various individuals could offer sacrifices or assume religious functions based on wealth, social status, or even whim. The detailed, exclusive, and divinely enforced structure of Israel's priesthood was a powerful statement against such fluid and human-centered religious systems, emphasizing that the God of Israel is holy, orderly, and permits no unauthorized approach.
- Symbolism of the Censer Plates: The censers, instruments used in a sacred act of worship, were stained by the sin of the 250 men. Instead of being destroyed or discarded, they were purified through fire and hammered into a plating for the altar. This transformation highlights that even the implements used in sin, when met with divine judgment and transformed by God's decree, can bear witness to His holiness and justice, becoming a lasting testimony for future generations. The altar itself was where God's acceptable sacrifices were made, making the placement of the plates from the censers of illegitimate sacrifice a perpetual visual contrast.
- A Precursor to NT Priesthood (Typology): While this passage enforces the exclusive Aaronic priesthood, it indirectly foreshadows the New Covenant. The Old Testament system's rigid requirements underscore God's holiness and the necessity of mediation. The ultimate "outsider" who came "near to offer incense" (in a spiritual sense) without human authorization was Jesus Christ. He offered a "better sacrifice" and, not being from the Aaronic line but the line of Judah (Heb 7:14), His priesthood (after the order of Melchizedek) fundamentally changed the access. He enables all believers to become a "royal priesthood" (1 Pet 2:9), not by defying God's order, but by fulfilling and transforming it, providing direct access to God through His singular, perfect high priestly work. The seriousness of Num 16:40's warning still applies: approaching God requires adherence to His appointed mediator and method.
Numbers 16 40 Commentary
Numbers 16:40 encapsulates the core principle of God's holiness and His sovereign right to define worship. The bronzed altar served as a permanent visual sermon, an unmissable deterrent to presumption. It was not merely about maintaining human order, but preserving the very essence of true worship—approaching God on His terms. This event reinforced that God is not to be trifled with, and His appointments are sacred, stemming from His nature and not human ambition. The memorial was vital because human memory is short, and rebellion is a perennial temptation. This specific act of judgment and its subsequent memorial ensured that the entire nation understood the grave consequences of unauthorized spiritual activity and the exclusive nature of the Aaronic priesthood in that covenant age. It showcased God's demand for explicit obedience and distinction in His service.