民數記 17
1 耶和華對摩西說：
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 「你曉諭以色列人，從他們手下取杖，每支派一根；從他們所有的首領，按着支派，共取十二根。你要將各人的名字寫在各人的杖上，
"Speak to the children of Israel, and take of them rods, one for each fathers' house, of all their princes according to their fathers' houses, twelve rods: write every man's name on his rod.
3 並要將亞倫的名字寫在利未的杖上，因為各族長必有一根杖。
You shall write Aaron's name on the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers' houses.
4 你要把這些杖存在會幕內法櫃前，就是我與你們相會之處。
You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you.
5 後來我所揀選的那人，他的杖必發芽。這樣，我必使以色列人向你們所發的怨言止息，不再達到我耳中。」
It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you."
6 於是摩西曉諭以色列人，他們的首領就把杖交給他，按着支派，每首領一根，共有十二根；亞倫的杖也在其中。
Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and all their leaders gave him rods, one for each leader, according to their ancestral houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
7 摩西就把杖存在法櫃的帳幕內，在耶和華面前。
Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tent of the testimony.
8 第二天，摩西進法櫃的帳幕去。誰知利未族亞倫的杖已經發了芽，生了花苞，開了花，結了熟杏。
It happened on the next day, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and look, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.
9 摩西就把所有的杖從耶和華面前拿出來，給以色列眾人看；他們看見了，各首領就把自己的杖拿去。
Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
10 耶和華吩咐摩西說：「把亞倫的杖還放在法櫃前，給這些背叛之子留作記號。這樣，你就使他們向我發的怨言止息，免得他們死亡。」
The LORD said to Moses, "Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die."
11 摩西就這樣行。耶和華怎樣吩咐他，他就怎樣行了。
Moses did so. As the LORD commanded him, so he did.
12 以色列人對摩西說：「我們死啦！我們滅亡啦！都滅亡啦！
The children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, "Look, we perish. We are undone. We are all undone.
13 凡挨近耶和華帳幕的是必死的。我們都要死亡嗎？」
Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, dies. Will we all perish?"
