Numbers 16 · Verse 38

Numbers 16:38

The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
Numbers 16:38, King James Version

Numbers 16:38 in other translations

BSBAs 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.”
WEBeven the censers of those who sinned against their own lives. Let them be beaten into plates for a covering of the altar, for they offered them before the LORD. Therefore they are holy. They shall be a sign to the children of Israel.”
ASVeven the censers of these sinners against their own lives; and let them be made beaten plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before Jehovah; therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
YLTeven the censers of these sinners against their own souls; and they have made them spread-out plates, a covering for the altar, for they have brought them near before Jehovah, and they are hallowed; and they are become a sign to the sons of Israel.'
DARBYthe censers of these sinners who have forfeited their life; and they shall make them into broad plates for the covering of the altar; for they presented them before Jehovah, therefore they are hallowed; and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
BBEAnd let the vessels of those men, who with their lives have made payment for their sin, be hammered out into plates as a cover for the altar; for they have been offered before the Lord and are holy; so that they may be a sign to the children of Israel.
WebsterThe censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.

What does Numbers 16:38 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 16:37-40

37-40. Speak unto Eleazar--He was selected lest the high priest might contract defilement from going among the dead carcasses.

Read the full comment on Numbers 16:37-40 →

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 16:35-40

A fire went out from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense, while Aaron, who stood with them, was preserved alive. God is jealous of the honour of his own institutions, and will not have them invaded. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. The censers are devoted, and, as all devoted things, must be made serviceable to the glory of God. This covering of the…

Read the full comment on Numbers 16:35-40 →

Numbers 16:38 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אֵ֡ת'et<obj.>H853
מַחְתּוֹת֩mach.tOt[the] censers ofH4289
הַֽחַטָּאִ֨יםha.cha.ta.'Imthe sinnersH2400
הָאֵ֜לֶּהha.'E.leh<the> theseH428
בְּנַפְשֹׁתָ֗םbe.naf.sho.Tamby lives theirH5315
וְעָשׂ֨וּve.'a.Suand people will makeH6213
אֹתָ֜ם'o.Tam<obj.> themH853
רִקֻּעֵ֤יri.ku.'Eibeaten out ofH7555
פַחִים֙fa.Chimthin platesH6341
צִפּ֣וּיtzi.PuioverlayH6826
לַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַla.miz.Be.achfor the altarH4196
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
הִקְרִיבֻ֥םhik.ri.Vumthey brought near themH7126
לִפְנֵֽי\־lif.nei-<to> beforeH6440
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
וַיִּקְדָּ֑שׁוּvai.yik.Da.shuand they became holyH6942
וְיִֽהְי֥וּve.yih.Yuand they may becomeH1961
לְא֖וֹתle.'ot<into> a signH226
לִבְנֵ֥יliv.Neifor [the] people ofH1121
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל\׃Yis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Numbers 16:38

  • Ezekiel 14:8

    And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

  • Proverbs 20:2

    The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.

  • 2 Peter 2:6

    And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

  • Numbers 26:10

    And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign.

  • 1 Kings 2:23

    Then king Solomon sware by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

  • Numbers 17:10

    And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

  • Habakkuk 2:10

    Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.

  • Proverbs 8:36

    But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:11

    Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

  • Numbers 16:40

    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.

  • Proverbs 1:18

    And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
sinners.
1Ki 2:23; Pr 1:18; 8:36; 20:2; Hab 2:10
a sign.
40; 17:10; 26:10; Eze 14:8; 1Co 10:11; 2Pe 2:6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Numbers 16:37

    Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.

  • Numbers 16:38

    The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.

  • Numbers 16:39

    And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:

Read all of Numbers 16

Numbers 16:38 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Los incensarios de estos pecadores contra sus almas: y harán de ellos planchas extendidas para cubrir el altar: por cuanto ofrecieron con ellos delante de Jehová, son santificados; y serán por señal á los hijos de Israel.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Die Räucherpfannen dieser Männer, welche wider ihre Seele gesündigt haben, -man mache daraus breitgeschlagene Bleche zum Überzug für den Altar; denn sie haben sie vor Jehova dargebracht, und so sind sie heilig; und sie sollen den Kindern Israel zum Zeichen sein.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
in mortibus peccatorum: producatque ea in laminas, et affigat altari, eo quod oblatum sit in eis incensum Domino, et sanctificata sint, ut cernant ea pro signo et monimento filii Israël.