Numbers 17:13
Whosoeuer commeth any thing neere vnto the Tabernacle of the Lord, shall die: Shall wee be consumed with dying? Numbers 17:13 (KJV)
The wording of this verse does not appear verbatim in the King James Version of the Bible; no passage in Numbers—or elsewhere—contains those exact words. Numbers 17 follows the account of Korah’s rebellion recorded in Numbers 16 and shifts its focus to the miraculous sign involving Aaron’s rod. The narrative describes how Aaron’s rod budded, produced blossoms and ripe almonds, and thereby confirmed that the priesthood belonged to Aaron and his descendants. The preceding verses (Numbers 17:8‑9) detail this extraordinary growth as a divine affirmation of God’s chosen service in the tabernacle.
Numbers 17:13 itself does not warn of death for approaching the sanctuary. Rather, the verse records the LORD’s command to Moses: “Bring Aaron’s rod before the congregation, that it may be known whether it be the rod that flourisheth, or the one that will not flourish.” The emphasis here is on identifying the rod that signifies God’s selection, not on penalizing unauthorized proximity to the holy place.
Nevertheless, the Israelites were keenly aware of the holiness of God’s dwelling place. Their reverence for the tabernacle was rooted in an understanding of God’s sanctity and the severe consequences prescribed elsewhere for profaning holy things. While the specific question about being “consumed with dying” is not found in the biblical text, the broader context reflects a deep fear and awe of God’s presence. The people recognized that approaching the tabernacle without proper authority could invite divine judgment, a theme echoed in other passages that stress the need for reverence, purity, and obedience when entering God’s sacred space.
Thus, the passage serves to highlight the importance of God’s chosen priesthood through Aaron’s rod and to remind believers of the respect due to the holy sanctuary, even though the exact wording about death is not part of the original scriptural record.
