1肋未的兒子刻哈特的後裔依茲哈爾的兒子科辣黑，和勒烏本的後裔厄里雅布的兩個兒子達堂和阿彼蘭，並培肋特的兒子翁， 1And behold Core the son of Isaar, the son of Caath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiron the sons of Eliab, and Hon the son of Pheleth of the children of Ruben,
2起來反抗梅瑟。此外，還有二百五十個以色列人，他們都是會眾的領袖，會議的要員，有名望的人。 2Rose up against Moses, and with them two hundred and fifty others of the children of Israel, leading men of the synagogue, and who in the time of assembly were called by name.
3他們團結起來反抗梅瑟和亞郎，對他們說：「你們太過份了！全體會眾都是聖潔的人，上主也在他們中；為什麼你們卻抬舉自己在上主的集會以上？」 3And when they had stood up against Moses and Aaron, they said: Let it be enough for you, that all the multitude consisteth of holy ones, and the Lord is among them: Why lift you up yourselves above the people of the Lord?
4梅瑟一聽這話，就俯伏在地。 4When Moses heard this, he fell flat on his face:
5然後對科辣黑和他同黨的人說：「明天早上，上主會使人知道，誰是他的人，誰是聖者；他使誰親近自己：他許誰親近自己，誰就是他所選的人。 5And speaking to Core and all the multitude, he said: In the morning the Lord will make known who belong to him, and the holy he will join to himself: and whom he shall choose, they shall approach to him.
6你們應這樣做：科辣黑和他同黨的人啊！你們要拿著火盤， 6Do this therefore: Take every man of you your censers, thou Core, and all thy company.
7明天在盤裡放上火，在上主面前，添上乳香；上主揀選誰，誰就是聖者。肋未的子孫，你們太過份了！」 7And putting fire in them tomorrow, put incense upon it before the Lord: and whomsoever he shall choose, the same shall be holy: you take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
8梅瑟又對科辣黑說：「肋未的子孫，請聽我說： 8And he said again to Core: Hear ye sons of Levi.
9以色列的天主將你們與以色列會眾分開，使你們親近他，在上主帳幕內服務，站在會眾前頭代他們行禮，這為你們還不夠麼？ 9Is it a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath spared you from all the people, and joined you to himself, that you should serve him in the service of the tabernacle, and should stand before the congregation of the people, and should minister to him?
10他已使你和你所有的兄弟──肋未的子孫，親近他，你們還要貪求司祭之職麼？ 10Did he therefore make thee and all thy brethren the sons of Levi to approach unto him, that you should challenge to yourselves the priesthood also,
11其實你和你的同黨所共謀反抗的是上主；至於亞郎，他算什麼，你們竟抱怨他？」 11And that all thy company should stand against the Lord? for what is Aaron that you murmur against him?
12梅瑟派人去叫厄里雅布的兒子達堂和阿彼蘭來；他們卻答說：「我們不去！ 12Then Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiron the sons of Eliab. But they answered: We will not come.
13你領我們由流奶流蜜的地方上來，叫我們死在曠野，這為你還不夠，你還想作王統治我們麼？ 13Is it a small matter to thee, that thou hast brought us out of a land that flowed with milk and honey, to kill us in the desert, except thou rule also like a lord over us?
14你並沒有領我們到了流奶流蜜的地方，也沒有給我們田地和葡萄園當產業啊！你想剜出這些人的眼睛麼？我們不去！」 14Thou hast brought us indeed into a land that floweth with rivers of milk and honey, and hast given us possessions of fields and vineyards; wilt thou also pull out our eyes? We will not come.
15梅瑟遂大怒，對上主說：「你不要垂顧他們的祭獻；我沒有奪過他們一匹驢，也沒有損害過他們任何人。」 15Moses therefore being very angry, said to the Lord: Respect not their sacrifices: thou knowest that I have not taken of them so much as a young ass at any time, nor have injured any of them.
16梅瑟對科辣黑說：「你和你一切同黨，明日要來到上主面前，就是你和他們，還有亞郎。 16And he said to Core: Do thou and thy congregation stand apart before the Lord tomorrow, and Aaron apart.
17你們各人要拿著自己的火盤，上面放上乳香；各人拿著自己的火盤到上主面前去，共二百五十個火盤；你和亞郎也各自拿著火盤。」 17Take every one of you censers, and put incense upon them, offering to the Lord two hundred and fifty censers: let Aaron also hold his censer.
18他們每人於是都拿了火盤，上面放上火，添上乳香，同梅瑟和亞郎來到會幕門口。 18When they had done this, Moses and Aaron standing,
19科辣黑召集了全會眾到會幕門口，來反抗梅瑟和亞郎。此時，上主的榮耀就顯現給全會眾。 19And had drawn up all the multitude against them to the door of the tabernacle, the glory of the Lord appeared to them all.
20上主對梅瑟和亞郎說： 20And the Lord speaking to Moses and Aaron, said:
21「你們快離開這會眾，我立刻要消滅他們。」 21Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may presently destroy them.
22梅瑟和亞郎就俯伏在地說：「天主，賜給一切血肉生氣的天主！一人犯罪，你就向全體的會眾發怒麼？」 22They fell flat on their face, and said: O most mighty, the God of the spirits of all flesh, for one man's sin shall thy wrath rage against all?
23上主回答梅瑟說： 23And the Lord said to Moses:
24「你訓示會眾說：你們離開科辣黑、達堂和阿彼蘭帳幕的四周。」 24Command the whole people to separate themselves from the tents of Core and Dathan and Abiron.
25梅瑟就起來往達堂和阿彼蘭那裡去，以色列的長老也都隨著他去了。 25And Moses arose, and went to Dathan and Abiron: and the ancients of Israel following him,
26他遂向會眾說：「你們要遠離這些惡人的帳幕！凡是他們的東西你們不要動，免得你們為了他們的一切罪惡而遭滅絕。」 26He said to the multitude: Depart from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be involved in their sins.
27他們遂離開了科辣黑、達堂、和阿彼蘭帳幕的四周；達堂和阿彼蘭同他們的妻子兒女和嬰孩出來，站在自己的帳幕門口。 27And when they were departed from their tents round about, Dathan and Abiron coming out stood in the entry of their pavilions with their wives and children, and all the people.
28梅瑟遂說：「因這件事，你們會知道，是上主派遣了我來做這一切，並不是出於我的本意： 28And Moses said: By this you shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all things that you see, and that I have not forged them of my own head:
29如果這些人如其他的人一樣死去，或者他們的遭遇如其他的人所遭遇的一樣，上主就沒有派遣了我； 29If these men die the common death of men, and if they be visited with a plague, wherewith others also are wont to be visited, the Lord did not send me.
30但是，如果上主作了從未聽見過的事，令地裂開口，將他們和他們的一切都吞下去，使他們活活的下到陰府，你們就知道，這些人拋棄了上主。」 30But if the Lord do a new thing, and the earth opening her mouth swallow them down, and all things that belong to them, and they go down alive into hell, you shall know that they have blasphemed the Lord.
31他一說完這些話，他們腳踏的地就裂開了； 31And immediately as he had made an end of speaking, the earth broke asunder under their feet:
32地開了口，將他們和他們的家屬，以及凡屬科辣黑的人和所有的財物，都吞了下去。 32And opening her mouth, devoured them with their tents and all their substance.
33他們和他們的一切，都活活的下了陰府；地在他們上面閉上口，他們遂由會眾中消滅了。 33And they went down alive into hell the ground closing upon them, and they perished from among the people.
34他們四周所有的以色列人，一聽見他們尖叫聲，就都逃跑說：「怕地也吞沒了我們！」 34But all Israel, that was standing round about, fled at the cry of them that were perishing: saying: Lest perhaps the earth swallow us up also.
35那時由上主那裡發出了烈火，吞噬了那二百五十個奉香的人。 35And a fire coming out from the Lord, destroyed the two hundred and fifty men that offered the incense.
36 36And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
37 37Command Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest to take up the censers that lie in the burning, and to scatter the fire of one side and the other: because they are sanctified
38 38In the deaths of the sinners: and let him beat them into plates, and fasten them to the altar, because incense hath been offered in them to the Lord, and they are sanctified, that the children of Israel may see them for a sign and a memorial.
39 39Then Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers, wherein they had offered, whom the burning fire had devoured, and beat them into plates, fastening them to the altar:
40 40That 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.
41 41The following day all the multitude of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying: You have killed the people of the Lord.
42 42And when there arose a sedition, and the tumult increased,
43 43Moses and Aaron fled to the tabernacle of the covenant. And when the were gone into it, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.
44 44And the Lord said to Moses:
45 45Get you out from the midst of this multitude, this moment will I destroy them. And as they were lying on the ground,
46 46Moses said to Aaron: Take the censer, and putting fire in it from the altar, put incense upon it, and go quickly to the people to pray for them: for already wrath is gone out from the Lord, and the plague rageth.
47 47When Aaron had done this, and had run to the midst of the multitude which the burning fire was now destroying, he offered the incense:
48 48And standing between the dead and the living, he prayed for the people, and the plague ceased.
49 49And the number of them that were slain was fourteen thousand and seven hundred men, besides them that had perished in the sedition of Core.
50 50And Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the tabernacle of the covenant after the destruction was over.
16:1-35
本章所述的似乎是两件事：一是属宗教性的：科辣黑与一部分圣职人员反对梅瑟和亚郎，尤其反对亚郎；二是属政治性的：达堂、阿彼兰和翁反对梅瑟的权威。作者把这两件事合在一起记述，是因为这两件事都是出於骄傲，都得罪了选拔梅瑟和亚郎的天主，所以都受了天主的显罚。
16:14
剜眼的比喻，是说梅瑟使民众盲目随从，再不知选择。
16:23
关於科辣黑、达堂和阿彼兰的叛逆，见咏106:16-18；德45:22-24；犹11。
16:24
关於科辣黑、达堂和阿彼兰的叛逆，见咏106:16-18；德45:22-24；犹11。