民數記 17
1 耶和華對摩西說：
Then Yahweh said to Moses/me,
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，
“Tell the Israeli people to bring to you twelve walking sticks. They should bring one from each of the leaders of the twelve tribes. You should carve each leader’s name on his stick.
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。
There must be one stick for the leader of each tribe, so you must carve Aaron’s name on the stick for the tribe of Levi.
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。
Put those sticks inside the Sacred Tent, in front of the sacred chest that has in it the tablets on which the Ten Commandments are written. That is the place where I always talk 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。」
Buds will sprout on the stick of the man whom I have chosen [to be the priest]. [When the people see that], they will stop their constantly complaining about you [because they will realize that you are the one whom I have chosen].”
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。
So Moses/I told the people what Yahweh had said. Then each of the twelve Israeli leaders, including Aaron, brought his walking stick to Moses/me.
7 摩西就把杖存在法櫃的帳幕內，在耶和華面前。
Moses/I placed the sticks inside the Sacred Tent in front of the sacred chest.
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。
The following morning, when he/I went into the tent, he/I saw that Aaron’s stick, which represented the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, it had produced leaves and blossoms, and it had also produced almonds that were ripe!
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/I brought all the sticks out of the Sacred Tent and showed them to the people. Each of the twelve leaders took back his own stick.
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。」
Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Put Aaron’s stick in front of the sacred chest, and let it stay there permanently. That will be a warning to people who want to rebel [against me]. Then no more people will die [because of complaining against me].”
11 摩西就這樣行。耶和華怎樣吩咐他，他就怎樣行了。
So Moses/I did what Yahweh had commanded.
12 以色列人對摩西說：「我們死啦！我們滅亡啦！都滅亡啦！
Then the Israeli people said to Moses/me, “We are going to die! All of us are surely going to die!
13 凡挨近耶和華帳幕的是必死的。我們都要死亡嗎？」
Everyone who comes close to Yahweh’s Sacred Tent dies. Are the rest of us going to die, also?” [RHQ]
