民數記 17
1 上主訓示梅瑟說：
And YHWH spake unto 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 unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon 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。
And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.
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 thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with 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」。
And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby 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 spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
7 梅瑟就將棍杖放在約幕內，放在上主面前。
And Moses laid up the rods before YHWH in the tabernacle of witness.
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。
And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
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。
And Moses brought out all the rods from before YHWH unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
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 YHWH said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
11 梅瑟就這樣做了。
And Moses did so: as YHWH commanded him, so did he.
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!
And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
13 凡接近上主會幕的都該死；我們豈不都該死﹖」
Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of YHWH shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?
