Numbers 17

1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,

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.

“Speak to the sons of Israel, and take a rod from each of them, for a father’s house, from all their princes, for the house of their fathers—twelve rods; you write the name of each on his rod,

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

and you write Aaron’s name on the tribe of Levi; for one rod [is] for the head of their fathers’ house.

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

And you have placed them in the Tent of Meeting before 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.”

And it has come to pass, the man’s rod on whom I fix flourishes, and I have caused the murmurings of the sons of Israel, which they are murmuring against you, to cease from off Me.”

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.

And Moses speaks to the sons of Israel, and all their princes give to him one rod for a prince, one rod for a prince, for their fathers’ house—twelve rods; and the rod of Aaron [is] in the midst of their rods;

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

and Moses places the rods before YHWH 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.

And it comes to pass, on the next day, that Moses goes into the Tent of the Testimony, and behold, the rod of Aaron has flourished for the house of Levi, and brings out a bud, and blossoms [with] a blossom, and produces 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.

and Moses brings out all the rods from before YHWH to all the sons of Israel, and they look, and each takes his rod.

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.”

And YHWH says to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the Testimony, for a charge, for a sign to the sons of rebellion, and you remove their murmurings from off Me, and they do not die”;

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

and Moses does as YHWH has commanded him; so he has done.

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

And the sons of Israel speak to Moses, saying, “Behold, we have expired, we have perished, all of us have perished!

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

Any who is at all drawing near to the Dwelling Place of YHWH dies; have we not been consumed—to expire?”