Numbers 17

1 And the LORD said to Moses,

And the Lord said to Moses,

2 “Speak to the Israelites and take from them twelve staffs, one from the leader of each tribe. Write each man’s name on his staff,

Say to the children of Israel that they are to give you rods, one for every family, for every chief, the head of his father's house, making twelve rods; let every man's name be placed on his rod.

3 and write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi, because there must be one staff for the head of each tribe.

And let Aaron's name be placed on the rod of Levi: for there is to be one rod for the head of every family.

4 Place the staffs in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where I meet with you.

And let them be stored up in the Tent of meeting, in front of the ark of witness where I come to you.

5 The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid Myself of the constant grumbling of the Israelites against you.”

And the rod of that man who is marked out by me for myself will have buds on it; so I will put a stop to the outcries which the children of Israel make to me against you.

6 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff—one for each of the leaders of their tribes, twelve staffs in all. And Aaron’s staff was among them.

So Moses gave these orders to the children of Israel, and all their chiefs gave him rods, one for the head of every family, making twelve rods: and Aaron's rod was among them.

7 Then Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the Tent of the Testimony.

And Moses put the rods before the Lord in the Tent of witness.

8 The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, put forth buds, blossomed, and produced almonds.

Now on the day after, Moses went into the Tent of witness; and he saw that Aaron's rod, the rod of the house of Levi, had put out buds, and was covered with buds and flowers and fruit.

9 Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the LORD’s presence to all the Israelites. They saw them, and each man took his own staff.

Then Moses took out all the rods from before the Lord, and gave them back to the children of Israel: and they saw them, and every man took his rod.

10 The LORD said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebellious, so that you may put an end to their grumbling against Me, lest they die.”

And the Lord said to Moses, Put Aaron's rod back in front of the ark of witness, to be kept for a sign against this false-hearted people, so that you may put a stop to their outcries against me, and death may not overtake them.

11 So Moses did as the LORD had commanded him.

This Moses did: as the Lord gave orders, so he did.

12 Then the Israelites declared to Moses, “Look, we are perishing! We are lost; we are all lost!

And the children of Israel said to Moses, Truly, destruction has come on us; an evil fate has overtaken us all.

13 Anyone who comes near the tabernacle of the LORD will die. Are we all going to perish?”

Death will overtake everyone who comes near, who comes near the House of the Lord: are we all to come to destruction?