Numbers 16:40
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. This was to be a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his followers.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
as a reminder to the sons of Israel so that no layman, anyone who was not of the descendants of Aaron, would approach to burn incense before the LORD; then he would not become like Korah and his group—just as the LORD had spoken to him through Moses.

NASB 1995
as a reminder to the sons of Israel that no layman who is not of the descendants of Aaron should come near to burn incense before the LORD; so that he will not become like Korah and his company— just as the LORD had spoken to him through Moses.

NASB 1977
as a reminder to the sons of Israel that no layman who is not of the descendants of Aaron should come near to burn incense before the LORD; that he might not become like Korah and his company—just as the LORD had spoken to him through Moses.

Legacy Standard Bible
as a memorial to the sons of Israel that no outsider who is not of the seed of Aaron should come near to burn incense before Yahweh; so that he will not become like Korah and his congregation—just as Yahweh had spoken to him by the hand of Moses.

Amplified Bible
as a reminder to the sons of Israel so that no layman—that is, one who is not of the descendants of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD; so that he will not become like Korah and as his company—just as the LORD had said to him through Moses.

Christian Standard Bible
just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. It was to be a reminder for the Israelites that no unauthorized person outside the lineage of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD and become like Korah and his followers.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. It was to be a reminder for the Israelites that no unauthorized person outside the lineage of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD and become like Korah and his followers.

American Standard Version
to be a memorial unto the children of Israel, to the end that no stranger, that is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to burn incense before Jehovah; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as Jehovah spake unto him by Moses.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
A reminder to the children of Israel that a foreign man, whoever was not from the seed of Ahron, shall not be bringing to set incense of sweet spices before LORD JEHOVAH, and he shall not be as Qorakh or like all the assembly, as LORD JEHOVAH said by the agency of Moshe.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
a memorial to the children of Israel that no stranger might draw nigh, who is not of the seed of Aaron, to offer incense before the Lord; so he shall not be as Core and as they that conspired with him, as the Lord spoke to him by the hand of Moses.

Contemporary English Version
just as the LORD had told Moses. The pans were a warning to the Israelites that only Aaron's descendants would be allowed to offer incense to the LORD. Anyone else who tried to would be punished like Korah and his followers.

Douay-Rheims Bible
That the children of Israel might have for the time to come wherewith they should be admonished, that no stranger or any one that is not of seed of Aaron should come near to offer incense to the Lord, lest he should suffer as Core suffered, and all his congregation, according as the Lord spoke to Moses.

English Revised Version
to be a memorial unto the children of Israel, to the end that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to burn incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD spake unto him by the hand of Moses.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
following the command that the LORD had given through Moses. The bronze-covered altar will remind Israel that no one but a descendant of Aaron can come near to burn incense to the LORD. Everyone else will die like Korah and his followers.

Good News Translation
This was a warning to the Israelites that no one who was not a descendant of Aaron should come to the altar to burn incense for the LORD. Otherwise he would be destroyed like Korah and his men. All this was done as the LORD had commanded Eleazar through Moses.

International Standard Version
to serve as a memorial to the Israelis, a reminder that no unauthorized person, who isn't a descendant of Aaron, is to attempt to burn incense in the LORD'S presence, so that he may not become like Korah and his group, just as the LORD had spoken by the authority of Moses.

JPS Tanakh 1917
to be a memorial unto the children of Israel, to the end that no common man, that is not of the seed of Aaron, draw near to burn incense before the LORD; that he fare not as Korah, and as his company; as the LORD spoke unto him by the hand of Moses.

Literal Standard Version
a memorial to the sons of Israel, so that a stranger who is not of the seed of Aaron does not draw near to make incense before YHWH, and is not as Korah and as his congregation, as YHWH has spoken by the hand of Moses to him.

Majority Standard Bible
just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. This was to be a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his followers.

New American Bible
just as the LORD had directed him through Moses. This was to be a reminder to the Israelites that no unauthorized person, no one who was not a descendant of Aaron, should draw near to offer incense before the LORD, lest he meet the fate of Korah and his faction.

NET Bible
It was a memorial for the Israelites, that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to burn incense before the LORD, that he might not become like Korah and his company--just as the LORD had spoken by the authority of Moses.

New Revised Standard Version
a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, shall approach to offer incense before the LORD, so as not to become like Korah and his company—just as the LORD had said to him through Moses.

New Heart English Bible
to be a memorial to the children of Israel, to the end that no stranger, who isn't of the descendants of Aaron, comes near to burn incense before the LORD; that he not be as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD spoke to him by Moses.

Webster's Bible Translation
To be a memorial to the children of Israel, that no stranger, who is not of the seed of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he may not be as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.

World English Bible
to be a memorial to the children of Israel, to the end that no stranger who isn’t of the offspring of Aaron, would come near to burn incense before Yahweh, that he not be as Korah and as his company; as Yahweh spoke to him by Moses.

Young's Literal Translation
a memorial to the sons of Israel, so that a stranger who is not of the seed of Aaron doth not draw near to make a perfume before Jehovah, and is not as Korah, and as his company, -- as Jehovah hath spoken by the hand of Moses to him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Censers Reserved for Holy Use
39So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned up, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, 40just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. This was to be a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his followers.

Cross References
Hebrews 5:4
No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.

Exodus 30:7
And Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps.

Numbers 1:51
Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to be pitched, the Levites are to set it up. Any outsider who goes near it must be put to death.

Numbers 16:39
So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned up, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar,

Joshua 4:7
you are to tell them, 'The waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters were cut off.' Therefore these stones will be a memorial to the Israelites forever."

2 Chronicles 26:18
They took their stand against King Uzziah and said, "Uzziah, you have no right to offer incense to the LORD. Only the priests, the descendants of Aaron, are consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have acted unfaithfully; you will not receive honor from the LORD God."

Ezra 2:62
These men searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.


Treasury of Scripture

To be a memorial to 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.

that no

Numbers 3:10,38
And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death…

Numbers 18:4-7
And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you…

Leviticus 22:10
There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

come near

1 Kings 13:1-3
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense…

2 Chronicles 26:16-21
But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense…

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Aaron Burn Children Common Company Descendants Directed Draw Elea'zar End Hand Incense Israel Israelites Korah Layman Moses Offer Priest Remind Reminder Seed Stranger
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Aaron Burn Children Common Company Descendants Directed Draw Elea'zar End Hand Incense Israel Israelites Korah Layman Moses Offer Priest Remind Reminder Seed Stranger
Numbers 16
1. The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram
23. Moses separates the people from the rebels' tents
31. The earth swallows up Korah, and a fire consumes others
36. The censers are reserved to holy use
41. 14,700 are slain by a plague, for murmuring against Moses and Aaron
46. Aaron by incense stays the plague














(40) To be a memorial unto the children of Israel.--The Apostle Jude warns Christians by the same example against the profanation of Divine ordinances (Numbers 16:11).

Verse 40. - That he be not as Korah. וְלֹא־יִחְיֶח. That he do not meet with the same fate as Korah.

CHAPTER 16:41-50 THE PLAGUE BEGUN AND AVERTED (verses 41-50).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
just as
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

the LORD
יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

commanded
דִּבֶּ֧ר (dib·ber)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

him through
בְּיַד־ (bə·yaḏ-)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

Moses.
מֹשֶׁ֖ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

This was to be a reminder
זִכָּר֞וֹן (zik·kā·rō·wn)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2146: Memorial, remembrance

for the Israelites
לִבְנֵ֣י (liḇ·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

that
לְ֠מַעַן (lə·ma·‘an)
Conjunction
Strong's 4616: Purpose -- intent

no
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

outsider
זָ֗ר (zār)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2114: To turn aside, to be a, foreigner, strange, profane, to commit adultery

who is not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

a descendant
מִזֶּ֤רַע (miz·ze·ra‘)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

of Aaron
אַהֲרֹן֙ (’a·hă·rōn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses

should approach
יִקְרַ֜ב (yiq·raḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

to offer
לְהַקְטִ֥יר (lə·haq·ṭîr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6999: To smoke, turn into fragrance by fire

incense
קְטֹ֖רֶת (qə·ṭō·reṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7004: Smoke, odor of (burning) sacrifice, incense

before
לִפְנֵ֣י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the LORD,
יְהוָ֛ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

lest he become
יִהְיֶ֤ה (yih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

like Korah
כְקֹ֙רַח֙ (ḵə·qō·raḥ)
Preposition-k | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7141: Korah -- an Edomite name, also an Israelite name

and his followers.
וְכַ֣עֲדָת֔וֹ (wə·ḵa·‘ă·ḏā·ṯōw)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5712: A stated assemblage


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OT Law: Numbers 16:40 To be a memorial to the children (Nu Num.)
Numbers 16:39
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