Contradictions and Paradoxes in Numbers 16:18

Check out Contradictions Catalog of Numbers 16:18 for the comprehensive list of verses that contradicts Numbers 16:18. Some key contradictions and paradoxes are described below.

According to Moses, everyone took a special bowl called a censer, put fire and sweet-smelling incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the special meeting tent. This showed they were trying to make an important offering to God.

Numbers 16:18: And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.

Contradiction with Numbers 16:46

Instead of each man bringing his own censer as in Numbers 16:18, here only Aaron is instructed to take a censer to make atonement.

Numbers 16:46: And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.

Contradiction with Exodus 30:9

Numbers 16:18 describes offering incense, whereas Exodus 30:9 prohibits offering strange incense.

Exodus 30:9: Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.

Contradiction with Leviticus 10:1

Nadab and Abihu offered incense and were punished, contrasting with the men in Numbers 16:18 being told to take censers.

Leviticus 10:1: And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

Contradiction with 2 Chronicles 26:19

King Uzziah was punished for burning incense, conflicting with the gathered men of Israel in Numbers 16:18 being instructed to do so.

2 Chronicles 26:19: Then Uzziah was wroth, and [had] a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.

Contradiction with Hebrews 9:4

Numbers 16:18 involves people carrying censers, while Hebrews 9:4 describes specifically ordained items in the tabernacle, demonstrating a conflict between common and sacred duties.

Hebrews 9:4: Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein [was] the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

Contradiction with Isaiah 1:13

Condemns offerings and incense, which contradicts the act of offering incense in Numbers 16:18.

Isaiah 1:13: Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; [it is] iniquity, even the solemn meeting. [iniquity: or, grief]
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