Numbers 17
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
耶和華對摩西說：
2 Speak to the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod.
「你曉諭以色列人，從他們手下取杖，每支派一根；從他們所有的首領，按着支派，共取十二根。你要將各人的名字寫在各人的杖上，
3 And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.
並要將亞倫的名字寫在利未的杖上，因為各族長必有一根杖。
4 And thou shalt lay them in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
你要把這些杖存在會幕內法櫃前，就是我與你們相會之處。
5 And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, by which they murmur against you.
後來我所揀選的那人，他的杖必發芽。這樣，我必使以色列人向你們所發的怨言止息，不再達到我耳中。」
6 And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
於是摩西曉諭以色列人，他們的首領就把杖交給他，按着支派，每首領一根，共有十二根；亞倫的杖也在其中。
7 And Moses laid the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.
摩西就把杖存在法櫃的帳幕內，在耶和華面前。
8 And it came to pass, that on the next day Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
第二天，摩西進法櫃的帳幕去。誰知利未族亞倫的杖已經發了芽，生了花苞，開了花，結了熟杏。
9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
摩西就把所有的杖從耶和華面前拿出來，給以色列眾人看；他們看見了，各首領就把自己的杖拿去。
10 And the LORD said to Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a sign against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
耶和華吩咐摩西說：「把亞倫的杖還放在法櫃前，給這些背叛之子留作記號。這樣，你就使他們向我發的怨言止息，免得他們死亡。」
11 And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
摩西就這樣行。耶和華怎樣吩咐他，他就怎樣行了。
12 And the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
以色列人對摩西說：「我們死啦！我們滅亡啦！都滅亡啦！
13 Whoever approacheth the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?
凡挨近耶和華帳幕的是必死的。我們都要死亡嗎？」
