民數記 17
1 上主訓示梅瑟說：
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
2 「你吩咐以色列子民，叫他們每一家族拿一根棍杖，就是每一個領袖為自己家族拿一根，共十二根棍杖，把各人的名字寫在自己的棍杖上；
“Speak to the sons of Israel, and receive from each of them a rod by their kinships, from all the leaders of the tribes, twelve rods, and write the name of each one on his rod.
3 但在肋未的棍杖上，要寫亞郎的名字，因為為肋未的族長亦應有一根棍杖。
But the name of Aaron shall be for the tribe of Levi, and one rod separately shall contain all their families.
4 你將這些棍放在會幕內，放在約證前，即在我與你常相會的地方。
And you shall place these in the tabernacle of the covenant before the testimony, where I will speak to you.
5 誰約證開花，誰就是我所選擇的人；這樣，我就平息了以色列子民在我面前抱怨你們的怨言」。
Whomever of these I will choose, his rod will germinate, and so shall I restrain the complaints of the sons of Israel before me, by which they murmur against you.”
6 梅瑟於是告訴了以色列子民；他們所有的領袖都交給了他一根棍杖，每一家族中，每個領袖一根，共十二根棍杖；在他們的棍杖中，也有亞郎的棍杖。
And Moses spoke to the sons of Israel. And all the leaders gave him rods, one for each tribe. And there were twelve rods, aside from the rod of Aaron.
7 梅瑟就將棍杖放在約幕內，放在上主面前。
And when Moses had placed these before the Lord, in the tabernacle of the testimony,
8 次日，梅瑟進入約幕內，看，肋未家族的亞郎的棍杖發了芽；不但發了芽，並且也開了花，結了成熟的杏。
returning on the following day, he found that the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi, had germinated, and that the swelling buds had opened into flowers, which, spreading their petals, were formed into those of an almond tree.
9 梅瑟就由上主面前取出所有的棍杖，給以色列子民觀看；以後各人取回了自己的棍杖。
Therefore, Moses brought out all the rods, from the sight of the Lord, to all the sons of Israel. And they saw, and each one received their rods.
10 上主對梅瑟說：「收回亞郎的棍杖來，放在約證前；給叛逆之徒當作鑑戒，為平息他們對我發的怨言，免得他們死亡」。
And the Lord said to Moses: “Carry back the rod of Aaron into the tabernacle of the testimony, so that it may be kept there as a sign of the rebellion of the sons of Israel, and so that their complaints may be quieted before me, lest they die.”
11 梅瑟就這樣做了。
And Moses did just as the Lord had instructed.
12 以色列子民對梅瑟申訴說：「看，我們要死了，我們完了! 我們全完了!
Then the sons of Israel said to Moses: “Behold, we have been consumed; we have been ruined.
13 凡接近上主會幕的都該死；我們豈不都該死﹖」
Whoever approaches to the tabernacle of the Lord dies. Will we all be wiped away, even to total annihilation?”
