Page:Legends of Old Testament Characters.djvu/311

XXXII.] But Korah laughed, and said, "What magic is this?"

Moses cried, "Earth, seize him!"

Then the earth seized him to his knees.

Korah said, "O Moses! ask the earth to release me, and I will do all thou desirest of me."

But Moses was very wroth, and he would not hearken, but cried, "Earth, seize him!"

Then the earth seized him to the waist.

Korah pleaded for his life. He said, "I will do all thou desirest of me, only release me!"

But Moses cried again, "Earth, seize him!"

And the earth gulped him down as far as his breast, and his hands were under the earth.

Once more he cried, "Moses! spare me and release me, because of our relationship!"

Moses was filled with bitterness, and he bade the earth swallow him; and he went down quick into the pit, and was seen no more.

Then, when Moses was returning thanks to God, the Lord turned His face away from him and said, "Thy servant asked of thee forgiveness so many times, and thou didst not forgive him."

Moses answered, "O Lord, I desired that he should ask pardon of Thee and not of me."

The Lord said, "If he had cried but once to Me, I would have forgiven him."

The earth swallowed Korah and seventy men, and they are retained in the earth along with all his treasures till the Resurrection Day.

Every Thursday, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram go before the Messiah, and they ask, "When wilt Thou come and release us from our prison? When will the end of these wonders be?"

But the Messiah answers them, "Go and ask the Patriarchs;" but this they are ashamed to do.

They sit in the third mansion of Sheol, not in any lowest one; nor are they there tormented, because Korah promised to hear and obey Moses, as he was being engulfed.

The Arabic name for Korah is Karoun, and under this name