Liber Numeri 17

1 Et locutus est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens:

And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,

2 Loquere ad filios Israel, et accipe ab eis virgas singulas per cognationes suas, a cunctis principibus tribuum, virgas duodecim, et uniuscuiusque nomen superscribes virgae suae.

“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 nomen autem Aaron erit in tribu Levi, et una virga cunctas eorum familias continebit:

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

4 ponesque eas in tabernaculo foederis coram testimonio, ubi loquar ad te.

And you have placed them in the Tent of Meeting before the Testimony, where I meet with you.

5 quem ex his elegero, germinabit virga eius: et cohibebo a me querimonias filiorum Israel, quibus contra vos murmurant.

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 Locutusque est Moyses ad filios Israel: et dederunt ei omnes principes virgas per singulas tribus: fueruntque virgae duodecim absque virga Aaron.

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 Quas cum posuisset Moyses coram Domino in tabernaculo testimonii:

and Moses places the rods before YHWH in the Tent of the Testimony.

8 sequenti die regressus invenit germinasse virgam Aaron in domo Levi: et turgentibus gemmis eruperant flores, qui, foliis dilatatis, in amygdalas deformati sunt.

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 Protulit ergo Moyses omnes virgas de conspectu Domini ad cunctos filios Israel: videruntque et receperunt singuli virgas suas.

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 Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen: Refer virgam Aaron in tabernaculum testimonii, ut servetur ibi in signum rebellium filiorum Israel, et quiescant querelae eorum a me, ne moriantur.

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 Fecitque Moyses sicut praeceperat Dominus.

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

12 Dixerunt autem filii Israel ad Moysen: Ecce consumpti sumus, omnes peribimus.

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

13 quicumque accedit ad tabernaculum Domini, moritur. num usque ad internecionem cuncti delendi sumus?

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