Numbers 17:2-13 ▼

2 |Speak to the children of Israel, and take of them rods, one for each fathers' house, of all their princes according to their fathers' houses, twelve rods: write every man's name on his rod.

3 You shall write Aaron's name on the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers' houses.

4 You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you.

5 It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you.|

6 Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and all their leaders gave him rods, one for each leader, according to their ancestral houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

7 Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tent of the testimony.

8 It happened on the next day, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and look, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.

9 Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.

10 The LORD said to Moses, |Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die.|

11 Moses did so. As the LORD commanded him, so he did.

12 The children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, |Look, we perish. We are undone. We are all undone.

13 Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, dies. Will we all perish?|