Numbers
Numbers 16:38–40
38As for the censers of those who sinned at the cost of their own lives, hammer them into sheets to overlay the altar, for these were presented before the LORD, and so have become holy. They will serve as a sign to the Israelites.”
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.
Word by word
Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.
Numbers 16:38
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As for the censers | מַחְתּוֹת֩ | maḥ·tō·wṯ | Noun - feminine plural construct | H4289 fire-holder, censer, snuff-dish |
| of those | הָאֵ֜לֶּה | hā·’êl·leh | Article; Pronoun - common plural | H428 these |
| who sinned | הַֽחַטָּאִ֨ים | ha·ḥaṭ·ṭā·’îm | Article; Adjective - masculine plural | H2400 sinful |
| at the cost of their own lives | בְּנַפְשֹׁתָ֗ם | bə·nap̄·šō·ṯām | Preposition-b; Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine plural | H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion |
| hammer them into | רִקֻּעֵ֤י | riq·qu·‘ê | Noun - masculine plural construct | H7555 expansion |
| sheets | פַחִים֙ | p̄a·ḥîm | Noun - masculine plural | H6341 bird-trap |
| to overlay | צִפּ֣וּי | ṣip·pui | Noun - masculine singular | H6826 plating |
| the altar | לַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ | lam·miz·bê·aḥ | Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular | H4196 altar |
| for | כִּֽי־ | kî- | Conjunction | H3588 burning, branding |
| these were presented | הִקְרִיבֻ֥ם | hiq·rî·ḇum | Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural; third person masculine plural | H7126 come near, approach |
| before | לִפְנֵֽי־ | lip̄·nê- | Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct | H6440 face, before |
| the LORD | יְהוָ֖ה | Yah·weh | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H3068 Yahweh |
| and so have become holy | וַיִּקְדָּ֑שׁוּ | way·yiq·dā·šū | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | H6942 be set apart, consecrated |
| They will serve as | וְיִֽהְי֥וּ | wə·yih·yū | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural | H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be |
| a sign | לְא֖וֹת | lə·’ō·wṯ | Preposition; Noun - common singular | H226 sign |
| to the Israelites | לִבְנֵ֥י | liḇ·nê | Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct | H1121 son |
Numbers 16:39
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| So Eleazar | אֶלְעָזָ֣ר | ’el·‘ā·zār | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H499 Elazar |
| the priest | הַכֹּהֵ֗ן | hak·kō·hên | Article; Noun - masculine singular | H3548 priest |
| took | וַיִּקַּ֞ח | way·yiq·qaḥ | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | H3947 take |
| the bronze | הַנְּחֹ֔שֶׁת | han·nə·ḥō·šeṯ | Article; Noun - feminine singular | H5178 copper, bronze |
| censers | מַחְתּ֣וֹת | maḥ·tō·wṯ | Noun - feminine plural construct | H4289 fire-holder, censer, snuff-dish |
| brought | הִקְרִ֖יבוּ | hiq·rî·ḇū | Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural | H7126 come near, approach |
| by those who had been burned up | הַשְּׂרֻפִ֑ים | haś·śə·ru·p̄îm | Article; Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural | H8313 burn |
| and he had them hammered out | וַֽיְרַקְּע֖וּם | way·raq·qə·‘ūm | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine plural | H7554 beat, stamp, beat out, spread out |
| to overlay | צִפּ֥וּי | ṣip·pui | Noun - masculine singular | H6826 plating |
| the altar | לַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ | lam·miz·bê·aḥ | Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular | H4196 altar |
Numbers 16:40
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| just as | אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ’ă·šer | Pronoun - relative | H834 particle of relation |
| the LORD | יְהוָ֑ה | Yah·weh | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H3068 Yahweh |
| commanded him | דִּבֶּ֧ר | dib·ber | Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | H1696 speak |
| through | בְּיַד־ | bə·yaḏ- | Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct | H3027 hand |
| Moses | מֹשֶׁ֖ה | mō·šeh | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H4872 Moses |
| This was to be a reminder | זִכָּר֞וֹן | zik·kā·rō·wn | Noun - masculine singular | H2146 memorial, remembrance |
| to the Israelites | לִבְנֵ֣י | liḇ·nê | Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct | H1121 son |
| that | לְ֠מַעַן | lə·ma·‘an | Conjunction | H4616 purpose, intent |
| no | לֹֽא־ | lō- | Adverb - Negative particle | H3808 not |
| outsider | זָ֗ר | zār | Adjective - masculine singular | H2114 be a stranger |
| who | אֲ֠שֶׁר | ’ă·šer | Pronoun - relative | H834 particle of relation |
| is | ה֔וּא | hū | Pronoun - third person masculine singular | H1931 he, she |
| not | לֹ֣א | lō | Adverb - Negative particle | H3808 not |
| a descendant | מִזֶּ֤רַע | miz·ze·ra‘ | Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct | H2233 sowing, seed, offspring |
| of Aaron | אַהֲרֹן֙ | ’a·hă·rōn | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H175 Aaron |
| should approach | יִקְרַ֜ב | yiq·raḇ | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | H7126 come near, approach |
| to offer | לְהַקְטִ֥יר | lə·haq·ṭîr | Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | H6999 make sacrifices smoke, send them up in smoke |
| incense | קְטֹ֖רֶת | qə·ṭō·reṯ | Noun - feminine singular | H7004 smoke, odour of (burning) sacrifice, incense |
| before | לִפְנֵ֣י | lip̄·nê | Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct | H6440 face, before |
| the LORD | יְהוָ֛ה | Yah·weh | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H3068 Yahweh |
| lest he become | יִהְיֶ֤ה | yih·yeh | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be |
| like Korah | כְקֹ֙רַח֙ | ḵə·qō·raḥ | Preposition-k; Noun - proper - masculine singular | H7141 Korach |
| and his followers | וְכַ֣עֲדָת֔וֹ | wə·ḵa·‘ă·ḏā·ṯōw | Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular | H5712 congregation |
Cross-references
Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.
Numbers 16:38 2 Peter 2:6 · Numbers 26:10 · Proverbs 20:2 · Ezekiel 14:8 · Numbers 17:10 · Habakkuk 2:10 · 1 Kings 2:23
Numbers 16:40 Numbers 3:10 · Numbers 18:4–7 · 2 Chronicles 26:16–21
Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.
Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.