民數記 17
1 上主訓示梅瑟說：
And the Lord spoke 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 from them one staff each for a family division, from all their princes, according to their family divisions, twelve staves: the name of each man shalt thou write upon his staff.
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 the name of Aaron shalt thou write upon the staff of Levi; for there shall be but one staff for the head of their family division.
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 down in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I usually 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 staff of the man whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will allay from around me the murmurings of the children of Israel, 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 unto the children of Israel, and all their princes gave him each a staff, one for every prince, according to their family divisions, twelve staves: and the staff of Aaron was among their staves.
7 梅瑟就將棍杖放在約幕內，放在上主面前。
And Moses laid down the staves 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。
And it came to pass on the morrow, that as Moses went into the tabernacle of the testimony, behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had budded; and it brought forth buds, and produced blossoms, and yielded ripe 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 staves from before the Lord unto all the children of Israel; and they looked [at them], and took away every one his staff.
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 unto Moses, Carry back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a token against the children of rebellion, that there may be an end of their murmurings from around me, and they die not.
11 梅瑟就這樣做了。
And Moses did so; as the Lord had 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 said unto Moses, thus, Behold, we perish, we are lost, we are all lost.
13 凡接近上主會幕的都該死；我們豈不都該死﹖」
Every one that cometh near at all unto the tabernacle of the Lord must die: shall we totally perish?
