Numbers 17:8-13 ▼

8 Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, Aaron’s staff for the house of Levi had sprouted and produced buds and bloomed with blossoms, and it yielded ripe almonds.

9 Moses then brought out all the staffs from the presence of the LORD to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his staff.

10 But the LORD said to Moses, “Put the staff of Aaron back in front of the testimony to be kept as a sign against the rebels, so that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me and they do not die.”

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

12 Then the sons of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, we are passing away, we are perishing, we are all perishing!

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