Liber Numeri 17

1 et locutus est Dominus ad Mosen dicens

And the LORD said to Moses,

2 loquere ad filios Israhel et accipe ab eis virgas singulas per cognationes suas a cunctis principibus tribuum virgas duodecim et uniuscuiusque nomen superscribes virgae suae

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

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

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

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

5 quem ex his elegero germinabit virga eius et cohibebo a me querimonias filiorum Israhel quibus contra vos murmurant

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 locutusque est Moses ad filios Israhel et dederunt ei omnes principes virgas per singulas tribus fueruntque virgae duodecim absque virga Aaron

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 quas cum posuisset Moses coram Domino in tabernaculo testimonii

Then Moses placed the staffs before the LORD 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 amigdalas deformati sunt

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 protulit ergo Moses omnes virgas de conspectu Domini ad cunctos filios Israhel videruntque et receperunt singuli virgas suas

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 dixitque Dominus ad Mosen refer virgam Aaron in tabernaculum testimonii ut servetur ibi in signum rebellium filiorum et quiescant querellae eorum a me ne moriantur

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 fecitque Moses sicut praeceperat Dominus

So Moses did as the LORD had commanded him.

12 dixerunt autem filii Israhel ad Mosen ecce consumpti sumus omnes perivimus

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

13 quicumque accedit ad tabernaculum Domini moritur num usque ad internicionem cuncti delendi sumus

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