Numbers 16:40
Numbers 16:40 in Multiple Translations
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.
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.
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.
To be a sign, kept in memory for ever by the children of Israel, that no man who is not of the seed of Aaron has the right of burning spices before the Lord, so that he may not be like Korah and his band: as the Lord said to him by the mouth of Moses.
following the instructions given to him from the Lord through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one who is not a descendant of Aaron should come and offer incense before the Lord, otherwise they could end up like Korah and those with him.
It is a remembrance vnto the children of Israel, that no stranger which is not of the seede of Aaron, come neere to offer incense before the Lord, that he be not like Korah and his company, as the Lord said to him by the hand of Moses.
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.
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 the LORD, that he not be as Korah and as his company; as the LORD spoke to him by Moses.
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.
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.
That warned the Israeli people that only those who were descendants of Aaron were permitted to burn incense for an offering to Yahweh. If anyone else did that, the same thing that happened to Korah and those who were with him would happen to them.
Berean Amplified Bible — Numbers 16:40
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Study Notes — Numbers 16:40
- Context
- Cross References
- Numbers 16:40 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Numbers 16:40
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 16:40
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Numbers 16:40
- Trapp's Commentary on Numbers 16:40
- Ellicott's Commentary on Numbers 16:40
- Cambridge Bible on Numbers 16:40
- Whedon's Commentary on Numbers 16:40
- Sermons on Numbers 16:40
Context — The Censers Reserved for Holy Use
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.
41The next day the whole congregation of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the LORD’s people!” 42But when the congregation gathered against them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the Tent of Meeting, and suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 3:10 | So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.” |
| 2 | Numbers 18:4–7 | They are to join you and attend to the duties of the Tent of Meeting, doing all the work at the Tent; but no outsider may come near you. And you shall attend to the duties of the sanctuary and of the altar, so that wrath may not fall on the Israelites again. Behold, I Myself have selected your fellow Levites from the Israelites as a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD to perform the service for the Tent of Meeting. But only you and your sons shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and what is inside the veil, and you are to perform that service. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but any outsider who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.” |
| 3 | 2 Chronicles 26:16–21 | But when Uzziah grew powerful, his arrogance led to his own destruction. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. Then Azariah the priest, along with eighty brave priests of the LORD, went in after him. 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.” Uzziah, with a censer in his hand to offer incense, was enraged. But while he raged against the priests in their presence in the house of the LORD before the altar of incense, leprosy broke out on his forehead. When Azariah the chief priest and all the priests turned to him and saw his leprous forehead, they rushed him out. Indeed, he himself hurried to get out, because the LORD had afflicted him. So King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He lived in isolation, leprous and cut off from the house of the LORD, while his son Jotham had charge of the royal palace to govern the people of the land. |
| 4 | 1 Kings 13:1–3 | Suddenly, as Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD. And he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, “O altar, O altar, this is what the LORD says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David, and upon you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and human bones will be burned upon you.’” That day the man of God gave a sign, saying, “The LORD has spoken this sign: ‘Surely the altar will be split apart, and the ashes upon it will be poured out.’” |
| 5 | Leviticus 22:10 | No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired hand eat it. |
| 6 | 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. |
| 7 | Exodus 30:7–10 | And Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps. When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn the incense perpetually before the LORD for the generations to come. On this altar you must not offer unauthorized incense or a burnt offering or grain offering; nor are you to pour a drink offering on it. Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he shall make atonement on it annually with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. The altar is most holy to the LORD.” |
| 8 | Numbers 3:38 | Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death. |
| 9 | Jude 1:11 | Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion. |
Numbers 16:40 Summary
[This verse is reminding us that only certain people, the descendants of Aaron, were allowed to offer incense to God, as seen in Exodus 30:7-8. This was to show that God is holy and that we need to approach Him in the right way, with the right heart and the right actions, as noted in Hebrews 10:19-22. If we try to approach God in our own way, without following His commands, we can suffer serious consequences, as seen in the story of Korah and his followers in Numbers 16:1-35.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of the altar being overlaid with the bronze censers in Numbers 16:40?
The overlaying of the altar with the bronze censers serves as a reminder to the Israelites of the importance of following God's commands, as seen in Numbers 16:40, and the consequences of disobeying them, as warned in Leviticus 10:1-3.
Who are the descendants of Aaron mentioned in Numbers 16:40?
The descendants of Aaron refer to the priestly lineage, as established in Exodus 4:14 and Exodus 28:1, who were set apart by God to serve as priests and offer sacrifices on behalf of the people.
What is the warning in Numbers 16:40 about approaching to offer incense before the Lord?
The warning is that anyone who is not a descendant of Aaron and attempts to offer incense before the Lord will suffer the same fate as Korah and his followers, who rebelled against God's authority, as seen in Numbers 16:1-35, and were punished accordingly, as noted in Numbers 26:10.
Reflection Questions
- How can I ensure that I am approaching God in a way that is pleasing to Him, and what are the consequences of not doing so?
- What are some ways that I can show reverence and respect for God's authority in my life, as seen in Numbers 16:40?
- How can I apply the lesson of Korah and his followers to my own life, and what are some potential pitfalls that I need to avoid in my relationship with God?
- What does it mean to be a 'reminder' to others, as mentioned in Numbers 16:40, and how can I use my life to point others to God?
Gill's Exposition on Numbers 16:40
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 16:40
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Numbers 16:40
Trapp's Commentary on Numbers 16:40
Ellicott's Commentary on Numbers 16:40
Cambridge Bible on Numbers 16:40
Whedon's Commentary on Numbers 16:40
Sermons on Numbers 16:40
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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If My People Humble Themselves - Part 2 by Shane Idleman | This sermon delves into the destructive nature of pride, highlighting personal struggles with pride and the impact it has on relationships, families, and spiritual life. It emphasi |
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The Deception of Pride by Shane Idleman | Shane Idleman emphasizes the dangers of pride in his sermon 'The Deception of Pride,' explaining how it can lead to a lack of love, critical attitudes, and a false sense of securit |
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Objections Answered by George Cutting | George Cutting preaches about the importance of aligning our lives with God's Word, emphasizing the need for personal responsibility in correcting our ways according to Scripture. |
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Honour Your Youthful Bishop by Ignatius of Antioch | Ignatius of Antioch emphasizes the importance of showing reverence and obedience to spiritual leaders, regardless of their age, highlighting examples from the lives of Daniel, Samu |
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Seeing the Lord and Seeing Ourselves by T. Austin-Sparks | T. Austin-Sparks delves into the story of King Uzziah, highlighting his rise to power at a young age, his initial righteousness, and his downfall due to pride and self-sufficiency. |
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Don't Miss Your Miracle by Vance Havner | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of surrendering one's life to God and being open to His calling. He shares personal anecdotes of individuals who were impacte |
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Tragedy of Deflected Aims by William Fitch | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the tragedy of deflected aims and the importance of staying focused on the will of God. He emphasizes that the Bible is full of human stories |