Mosessaidto Aaron,"Takeyour censerand putin it firefrom the altar,and layincense[on it]; then bringit quicklyto the congregationand makeatonementfor them, for wrathhas goneforthfrom the LORD,the plaguehas begun!"
Joabthe sonof Zeruiahhad begunto count[them], but did not finish;and because of this,wrathcameupon Israel,and the numberwas not includedin the accountof the chroniclesof KingDavid.
Thus they provoked[Him] to angerwith their deeds,And the plaguebrokeout among them.
May my prayerbe countedas incensebeforeYou; The liftingup of my handsas the eveningoffering.
Then Mosessaidto Aaronand to his sonsEleazarand Ithamar,"Do not uncoveryour headsnortearyour clothes,so that you will not dieand that He will not becomewrathfulagainstallthe congregation.But your kinsmen,the wholehouseof Israel,shall bewailthe burningwhichthe LORDhas broughtabout.
Then firecameout from beforethe LORDand consumedthe burntofferingand the portionsof faton the altar;and when allthe peoplesaw[it], they shoutedand fellon their faces.
BeforeHim goespestilence,And plaguecomesafterHim.
"For from the risingof the sunevento its setting,My name[will be] greatamong the nations,and in everyplaceincenseis going to be offeredto My name,and a grain offering[that is] pure;for My name[will be] greatamong the nations,"saysthe LORDof hosts.
"But the Levitesshall camparoundthe tabernacleof the testimony,so that there will be nowrathon the congregationof the sonsof Israel.So the Levitesshall keepchargeof the tabernacleof the testimony."
While the meatwas stillbetweentheir teeth,beforeit was chewed,the angerof the LORDwas kindledagainst the people,and the LORDstruckthe peoplewith a verysevereplague.
"So you shall attendto the obligationsof the sanctuaryand the obligationsof the altar,so that there will nolongerbe wrathon the sonsof Israel.
and it shall be for him and his descendantsafterhim, a covenantof a perpetualpriesthood,becausehe was jealousfor his Godand madeatonementfor the sonsof Israel.'"
and he wentafterthe manof Israelinto the tentand piercedbothof them through,the manof Israeland the woman,throughthe body.So the plagueon the sonsof Israelwas checked.
"I have giventhe Levitesas a giftto Aaronand to his sonsfrom amongthe sonsof Israel,to performthe serviceof the sonsof Israelat the tentof meetingand to makeatonementon behalfof the sonsof Israel,so that there will be noplagueamong the sonsof Israelby their comingnearto the sanctuary."
"Again at Taberahand at Massahand at Kibroth-hattaavahyou provokedthe LORDto wrath.
