Numbers 17

1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

The Lord told Moses,

2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and take rods from them, one for each fathers’ house, of all their princes according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods. Write each man’s name on his rod.

“Tell the Israelites to bring twelve walking sticks, one from the leader of each tribe. Write the name of each man on the walking stick,

3 You shall write Aaron’s name on Levi’s rod. There shall be one rod for each head of their fathers’ houses.

and write Aaron's name on the walking stick of the tribe of Levi, because there has to be a walking stick for the head of each tribe.

4 You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the covenant, where I meet with you.

Place the walking sticks in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony where I meet with you.

5 It shall happen that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud. I will make the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you, cease from me.”

The walking stick that belongs to the man I choose will sprout buds, and I will put a stop to the Israelites' constant complaints against you.”

6 Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, a total of twelve rods. Aaron’s rod was among their rods.

Moses explained this to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a walking stick, one for each of the leaders of their tribes. So there were twelve walking sticks including the one belonging to Aaron.

7 Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the Tent of the Testimony.

Moses placed the walking sticks before the Lord in the Tent of the Testimony.

8 On the next day, Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony; and behold, Aaron’s rod for the house of Levi had sprouted, budded, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.

The next day Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron's walking stick that represented the tribe of Levi, had sprouted and developed buds, flowered and produced almonds.

9 Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the children of Israel. They looked, and each man took his rod.

Moses took all the walking sticks from the presence of the Lord and showed them to all the Israelites. They saw them, and each man collected his own walking stick.

10 The LORD said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the covenant, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their complaining against me, that they not die.”

The Lord told Moses, “Put Aaron's walking stick back in front of the Testimony, to be kept there as a reminder to warn anyone who wants to rebel, so that you may stop their complaining against me. Otherwise they'll die.”

11 Moses did so. As the LORD commanded him, so he did.

Moses did what the Lord ordered him to do.

12 The children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, we perish! We are undone! We are all undone!

Then the Israelites came and told Moses, “Can't you see we're all going to die? We'll be destroyed! We're all going to be killed!

13 Everyone who keeps approaching the LORD’s tabernacle, dies! Will we all perish?”

Anyone who dares to approach the Tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all going to be completely wiped out?”