Numbers 17

1 Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

And the LORD said to Moses,

2 “Speak to the people of Israel and get staffs from them, one for each ancestral tribe, twelve staffs. Write each man's name on his staff.

“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,

3 You must write Aaron's name on Levi's staff. There must be one staff for each leader from his ancestors' tribe.

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

4 You must place the staffs in the tent of meeting in front of the covenant decrees, where I meet with you.

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

5 It will happen that the staff of the man whom I choose will bud. I will cause the complaints from the people of Israel to stop, which they are speaking against you.”

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

6 So Moses spoke to the people of Israel. All the tribal leaders gave him staffs, one staff from each leader, selected from each of the ancestral tribes, twelve staffs in all. Aaron's staff was among them.

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.

7 Then Moses deposited the staffs before Yahweh in the tent of the covenant decrees.

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

8 The next day Moses went into the tent of the covenant decrees and, behold, Aaron's staff for the tribe of Levi had budded. It grew buds and produced blossoms and ripe almonds!

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.

9 Moses brought out all the staffs from before Yahweh to all the people of Israel, and each man took his staff.

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.

10 Yahweh said to Moses, “Put Aaron's staff in front of the covenant decrees. Keep it as a sign of guilt against the people who rebelled so that you may end complaints against me, or they will die.”

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.”

11 Moses did just as Yahweh had commanded him.

So Moses did as the LORD had commanded him.

12 The people of Israel spoke to Moses and said, “We will die here. We will all perish!

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

13 Everyone who comes up, who approaches Yahweh's tabernacle, will die. Must we all perish?”

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