Numbers 16:6 kjv
This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
Numbers 16:6 nkjv
Do this: Take censers, Korah and all your company;
Numbers 16:6 niv
You, Korah, and all your followers are to do this: Take censers
Numbers 16:6 esv
Do this: take censers, Korah and all his company;
Numbers 16:6 nlt
Korah, you and all your followers must prepare your incense burners.
Numbers 16 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 28:1 | "Bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons...to serve Me as priests." | Divine election of Aaron for priesthood. |
| Lev 10:1-2 | Nadab and Abihu...offered unauthorized fire...and fire came out from the LORD and consumed them. | Judgment for unauthorized priestly acts. |
| Lev 16:1-2 | The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron...who drew near before the LORD. | Sacredness of approach to God. |
| Num 3:10 | "You shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall attend to their priesthood; but any outsider who comes near shall be put to death." | Strict boundaries for priesthood. |
| Num 17:5 | "The rod of the man whom I choose shall sprout..." | Divine method of confirming choice. |
| Deut 10:8 | At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark...and to minister to Him. | Levi's specific but limited role. |
| Josh 7:1-5 | Achan's sin affected the whole community... | Corporate judgment for individual rebellion. |
| 1 Sam 13:8-14 | Saul waited seven days...Then he offered the burnt offering...You have done foolishly... | Usurpation of priestly functions brings judgment. |
| 2 Sam 6:6-7 | Uzzah reached out to the ark...the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah... | Presumptuous approach to the holy. |
| 2 Chr 26:16-21 | When Uzziah became strong, his heart was lifted up...burned incense on the altar of incense...the leprosy broke out on his forehead... | Divine judgment for King Uzziah usurping priestly duties. |
| Ps 106:16-18 | They made Moses jealous...And Korah...the earth opened and swallowed them... | God's wrath against rebellion. |
| Isa 66:3 | "Whoever slaughters an ox...is like one who slaughters a man..." | God despises worship done without His decree. |
| Jer 7:10 | "...you stand before me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered!'" | False confidence in ritual without obedience. |
| Heb 5:4 | "And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was." | Divine call essential for priesthood. |
| Heb 7:11-14 | If perfection came through the Levitical priesthood...what further need was there for another priest to arise...? | Jesus' superior, non-Levitical priesthood. |
| Heb 10:19-22 | Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus...let us draw near with a true heart... | New covenant access through Christ. |
| Jude 1:11 | Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. | Condemnation of those who rebel like Korah. |
| 2 Pet 2:10-12 | Those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority... | Rebelling against authority (like Korah's spirit). |
| Rev 5:8 | The twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. | Incense as prayers, but mediated. |
| Rev 8:3-5 | 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... | Incense/censers used in heavenly context by appointed beings. |
Numbers 16 verses
Numbers 16 6 Meaning
Numbers 16:6 outlines Moses' instruction to Korah and his rebellious assembly. It details a divinely orchestrated test for the next morning, where each of them—Korah and his 250 followers—are to take their fire pans (censers), place fire in them, and put incense on the fire before the LORD. This challenge was intended to reveal who the LORD had truly chosen and set apart to serve Him, specifically concerning the priestly duties that Korah's group unlawfully coveted.
Numbers 16 6 Context
Numbers 16:6 is set during Israel's wilderness wanderings, immediately following laws on inadvertent sin, high-handed rebellion, and the importance of tassels on garments for remembrance of the LORD's commands. It plunges into one of the most severe challenges to Mosaic and Aaronic authority recorded in the Pentateuch. Korah, a Levite, along with Dathan and Abiram (Reubenites) and 250 leaders from the congregation, initiated a rebellion. They directly questioned Moses' unique leadership and Aaron's exclusive priesthood, claiming the whole congregation was holy and therefore, they all had equal access to God (Num 16:3). This verse, specifically addressing Korah and his assembly, is Moses' counter-proposal: a divine test involving an act that only the consecrated priests were permitted to perform—offering incense. This context highlights the absolute necessity of God's appointed order, challenging the popular notion of 'anyone can do it' and underscoring the dangers of presumptuous acts against divine mandates.
Numbers 16 6 Word analysis
Word by word analysis
- "Do this": (Heb. עֲשׂוּ־זֹאת, asu-zot). A direct, imperative command, indicating immediate action required for a decisive demonstration.
- "Tomorrow morning": (Heb. בֹּקֶר, bōqer). Signifies a divinely appointed timing, emphasizing the solemnity and forethought of the LORD's judgment, allowing time for preparation but also for reflection or repentance, though none was taken.
- "the LORD will show": (Heb. וְהוֹדִעַ, wəhōdia). From the root ידע (yada‘, to know, reveal). This isn't a human decision but a divine revelation. God Himself will visibly demonstrate His choice and authority, removing all doubt about His selection.
- "who is His": (Heb. אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ, et-’asher-lo). Lit. "him whom is His." This stresses divine ownership and exclusive election. God claims particular individuals for His unique service, distinct from all others. It challenges Korah's claim that "all the congregation are holy" in a general sense; God has specific ones set apart for specific roles.
- "and who is holy": (Heb. וְאֶת־הַקָּדֹשׁ, wə’et-haqqadoš). Refers to being set apart, consecrated, pure for divine service. In the context of the sanctuary, it implies those consecrated to handle holy things and approach God. This contrasts with Korah’s generic "holiness" claimed for all of Israel.
- "and will bring near to Him": (Heb. וְהִקְרִיב אֵלָיו, wəhiqrîv ’ēlāw). The verb qarab (to draw near) is a cultic term signifying privileged access to God's presence, often used for priests in their temple service. It explicitly addresses the issue of who is allowed to minister before God.
- "the one whom He chooses": (Heb. אֵת אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר־בּוֹ, ’ēt ’asher yivḥar-bō). This reiterates God's sovereign choice (בחור, baḥar - to choose) as the sole criterion for priesthood, not descent, popular vote, or self-assertion. It is God's prerogative, not human will or ambition.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "Take for yourselves censers": (Heb. קְחוּ־לָכֶם מַחְתּוֹת, qəḥû-lāḵem maḥtōt). Maḥtōt (censers or fire pans) were specifically used by priests for incense offerings in the Tabernacle. This instruction forces Korah and his assembly to perform a high priestly function, thus directly challenging God's ordained order. The challenge is set on terms defined by Moses, not by the rebels.
- "and put fire in them, and put incense on them before the LORD": This is a direct outline of the act of offering incense, an exclusive priestly function. Performing it before the LORD means in the immediate vicinity of the Tabernacle, directly engaging in a sacred ritual. The very act itself, performed by non-Aaronic priests, constitutes sacrilege, highlighting the rebels' profound error and hubris in daring to usurp roles reserved for Aaron's lineage.
Numbers 16 6 Bonus section
The Hebrew word maḥtāh (מַחְתָּה), translated as "censer" or "fire pan," also appears prominently in the aftermath of this rebellion. The censers used by Korah's assembly were hammered into a plating for the altar as a perpetual sign and warning (Num 16:38-39), making the instrument of their transgression a monument of God's judgment and a constant reminder of the sanctity of the priesthood. This reinforces the polemical stance against any future attempts to usurp the divine appointment, demonstrating that what human ambition considered a right was, in God's eyes, a dangerous sacrilege. The fate of Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10) for "unauthorized fire" (עֵשׁ זָרָה, ’eish zarah) also looms large over this test, forewarning the potential catastrophic consequences of disregarding divine protocol in worship.
Numbers 16 6 Commentary
Numbers 16:6 sets the stage for a dramatic divine vindication of authority. Moses, rather than engaging in a mere argument, defers the ultimate judgment to God. The prescribed test—the unauthorized offering of incense—is ingeniously designed. Incense offerings were a holy and exclusive privilege of the Aaronic priesthood, representing prayers and approach to God (Lev 10; Exod 30). For Korah, a Levite (but not an Aaronic priest), and his lay followers to offer incense was a direct usurpation of priestly functions and a violation of the sacred boundaries God had established. This instruction is not an invitation to rebellion but a profound challenge for God to manifest His true chosen one. It underscores that spiritual leadership and access to God are not based on human aspiration, personal popularity, or perceived inherent holiness, but solely on God's sovereign call and appointment. The seriousness of this challenge to divine order would be met with an equally serious divine response, demonstrating the critical importance of respecting God's revealed will concerning worship and ministry.