Numbers 17:8-13 ▼

8 Now on the next day Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony, and the rod of Aaron of the tribe of Levi had sprouted and put out buds and produced blossoms and yielded [ripe] almonds.

9 Moses brought out all the rods from the presence of LORD to all the Israelites; and they looked, and each man took his rod.

10 But the LORD said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony [in the ark], to be kept as a [warning] sign for the rebellious and contentious, so that you may put an end to their murmurings [of discontent] against Me, so that they do not die.”

11 And Moses did so; just as the LORD had commanded him, so he did.

12 The sons of Israel said to Moses, “Look, we perish, we are doomed, all doomed!

13 Everyone who approaches, who approaches the tabernacle of the LORD, must die. Are we to perish completely?”