Numbers 17

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto 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 thou every man’s name upon his rod.

“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.

3 And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers’ houses.

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

4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you.

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

5 And it shall come to pass, that the man whom I shall choose, his rod shall bud: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you.

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.”

6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

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 amongst their rods.

7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tent of the testimony.

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

8 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and bare ripe almonds.

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.

9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.

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

10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that thou mayest make an end of their murmurings against me, that they die not.

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.”

11 Thus did Moses: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.

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

12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone.

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

13 Every one that cometh near, that cometh near unto the tabernacle of the LORD, dieth: shall we perish all of us?

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