Aaron’s Staff Buds

1  וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר (And spoke) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) אֶל־ (to) מֹשֶׁ֥ה (Moses), לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (saying), 2  דַּבֵּ֣ר׀ (Speak) אֶל־ (to) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (of Israel), וְקַ֣ח (and get) מֵֽאִתָּ֡ם (from them) מַטֶּ֣ה (a staff), מַטֶּה֩ (a rod) לְבֵ֨ית (from each house) אָ֜ב (of a father), מֵאֵ֤ת (-) כָּל־ (all) נְשִֽׂיאֵהֶם֙ (their leaders) לְבֵ֣ית (according to the house) אֲבֹתָ֔ם (of their father), שְׁנֵ֥ים (two) עָשָׂ֖ר (and ten) מַטּ֑וֹת (rods). אִ֣ישׁ (Of each man) אֶת־ (-) שְׁמ֔וֹ (the name) תִּכְתֹּ֖ב (you shall write) עַל־ (on) מַטֵּֽהוּ׃ (his rod). 3  וְאֵת֙ (And) שֵׁ֣ם (the name) אַהֲרֹ֔ן (of Aaron) תִּכְתֹּ֖ב (you shall write) עַל־ (on) מַטֵּ֣ה (the rod) לֵוִ֑י (of Levi), כִּ֚י (for there shall be) מַטֶּ֣ה (rod) אֶחָ֔ד (one) לְרֹ֖אשׁ (is for the head) בֵּ֥ית (the house of) אֲבוֹתָֽם׃ (of their fathers). 4  וְהִנַּחְתָּ֖ם (And you shall place them) בְּאֹ֣הֶל (in the Tent) מוֹעֵ֑ד (of Meeting) לִפְנֵי֙ (before the face of) הָֽעֵד֔וּת (the Testimony), אֲשֶׁ֛ר (where) אִוָּעֵ֥ד (I meet) לָכֶ֖ם (with you⁺) שָֽׁמָּה׃ (there). 5  וְהָיָ֗ה (And it shall come to pass), הָאִ֛ישׁ (the man) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (whom) אֶבְחַר־ (I choose), בּ֖וֹ (in) מַטֵּ֣הוּ (that the rod) יִפְרָ֑ח (of will blossom). וַהֲשִׁכֹּתִ֣י (And I will rid) מֵֽעָלַ֗י (Myself) אֶת־ (-) תְּלֻנּוֹת֙ (of the complaints) בְּנֵ֣י (of the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), אֲשֶׁ֛ר (which) הֵ֥ם (they) מַלִּינִ֖ם (make) עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ (against you⁺).

6  וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר (And spoke) מֹשֶׁ֜ה (Moses) אֶל־ (to) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (of Israel), וַיִּתְּנ֣וּ (and gave) אֵלָ֣יו׀ (to him) כָּֽל־ (each) נְשִֽׂיאֵיהֶ֡ם (of their leaders) מַטֶּה֩ (a rod) לְנָשִׂ֨יא (for a leader), אֶחָ֜ד (one) מַטֶּ֨ה (apiece) לְנָשִׂ֤יא (for leader) אֶחָד֙ (one), לְבֵ֣ית (according to the houses) אֲבֹתָ֔ם (of their fathers) שְׁנֵ֥ים (two) עָשָׂ֖ר (and ten) מַטּ֑וֹת (rods). וּמַטֵּ֥ה (And the rod) אַהֲרֹ֖ן (of Aaron) בְּת֥וֹךְ (was in the midst) מַטּוֹתָֽם׃ (of their rods). 7  וַיַּנַּ֥ח (And placed) מֹשֶׁ֛ה (Moses) אֶת־ (-) הַמַּטֹּ֖ת (the rods) לִפְנֵ֣י (before the face of) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH) בְּאֹ֖הֶל (in the Tent) הָעֵדֻֽת׃ (of the Testimony).

8  וַיְהִ֣י (And it came to pass) מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗ת (on the next day) וַיָּבֹ֤א (that went) מֹשֶׁה֙ (Moses) אֶל־ (into) אֹ֣הֶל (the tabernacle) הָעֵד֔וּת (of witness), וְהִנֵּ֛ה (and behold), פָּרַ֥ח (had sprouted) מַטֵּֽה־ (the rod) אַהֲרֹ֖ן (of Aaron) לְבֵ֣ית (for the house) לֵוִ֑י (of Levi) וַיֹּ֤צֵֽא (and put forth) פֶ֙רַח֙ (buds), וַיָּ֣צֵֽץ (and produced) צִ֔יץ (blossoms) וַיִּגְמֹ֖ל (and yielded) שְׁקֵדִֽים׃ (almonds). 9  וַיֹּצֵ֨א (And brought out) מֹשֶׁ֤ה (Moses) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) הַמַּטֹּת֙ (the rods) מִלִּפְנֵ֣י (from before) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) אֶֽל־ (to) כָּל־ (all) בְּנֵ֖י (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel), וַיִּרְא֥וּ (and they looked), וַיִּקְח֖וּ (and took) אִ֥ישׁ (each man) מַטֵּֽהוּ׃ס (his rod).

10  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And said) יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) אֶל־ (to) מֹשֶׁ֗ה (Moses), הָשֵׁ֞ב (Bring back) אֶת־ (-) מַטֵּ֤ה (the rod) אַהֲרֹן֙ (of Aaron) לִפְנֵ֣י (before the face of) הָעֵד֔וּת (the Testimony), לְמִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת (to be kept) לְא֖וֹת (as a sign) לִבְנֵי־ (against) מֶ֑רִי (the rebels), וּתְכַ֧ל (that you may put away) תְּלוּנֹּתָ֛ם (their complaints) מֵעָלַ֖י (against Me), וְלֹ֥א (lest) יָמֻֽתוּ׃ (they die). 11  וַיַּ֖עַשׂ (And did) מֹשֶׁ֑ה (Moses) כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר (as) צִוָּ֧ה (had commanded) יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) אֹת֖וֹ (him)— כֵּ֥ן (so) עָשָֽׂה׃ס (he did).

12  וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ (And spoke) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel) אֶל־ (to) מֹשֶׁ֖ה (Moses), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), הֵ֥ן (Behold), גָּוַ֛עְנוּ (we have expired), אָבַ֖דְנוּ (we have perished), כֻּלָּ֥נוּ (all of us) אָבָֽדְנוּ׃ (have perished). 13  כֹּ֣ל (Whoever) הַקָּרֵ֧ב׀ (approaching) הַקָּרֵ֛ב (is drawing near) אֶל־ (unto) מִשְׁכַּ֥ן (the tabernacle) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH) יָמ֑וּת (must die). הַאִ֥ם (Shall) תַּ֖מְנוּ (we all) לִגְוֺֽעַ׃ס (utterly die)?