Nomery 17
1 Ary Jehovah niteny tamin’ i Mosesy ka nanao hoe:
Then Yahweh said to Moses/me,
2 Mitenena amin’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely, ka analao tehina iray avy araka ny fianakaviany izy, ka ny lohan’ ny fireneny rehetra araka ny fianakaviany avy no hanalana azy, dia tehina roa ambin’ ny folo; ary samy soraty eo amin’ ny tehiny avy ny anaran’ izy rehetra.
“Tell the Israeli people to bring to you twelve walking sticks. They should bring one from each of the leaders of the twelve tribes. You should carve each leader’s name on his stick.
3 Fa ny anaran’ i Arona no hosoratanao amin’ ny tehin’ i Levy; fa tehina iray avy no ho an’ ny lohan’ ny fianakaviany.
There must be one stick for the leader of each tribe, so you must carve Aaron’s name on the stick for the tribe of Levi.
4 Dia hataonao ao amin’ ny trano-lay fihaonana ireo, dia eo anoloan’ ny Vavolombelona, izay ihaonako aminareo.
Put those sticks inside the Sacred Tent, in front of the sacred chest that has in it the tablets on which the Ten Commandments are written. That is the place where I always talk with you.
5 Ary ny tehin’ ny lehilahy izay hofidiko dia hitsimoka; ka dia hampanginiko ny fimonomononan’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely amiko, izay imonomononany aminareo.
Buds will sprout on the stick of the man whom I have chosen [to be the priest]. [When the people see that], they will stop their constantly complaining about you [because they will realize that you are the one whom I have chosen].”
6 Ary Mosesy dia niteny tamin’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely, ka ny lohan’ ny firenena dia samy nanatitra tehina iray avy teo aminy araka ny fianakaviany, dia tehina roa ambin’ ny folo; ary ny tehin’ i Arona dia teo afovoan’ ireo tehiny ireo.
So Moses/I told the people what Yahweh had said. Then each of the twelve Israeli leaders, including Aaron, brought his walking stick to Moses/me.
7 Dia napetrak’ i Mosesy teo anatrehan’ i Jehovah, dia tao amin’ ny trano lain’ ny Vavolombelona ireo tehina ireo.
Moses/I placed the sticks inside the Sacred Tent in front of the sacred chest.
8 Ary nony ampitso dia niditra tao amin’ ny trano-lain’ ny Vavolombelona Mosesy, ary indro fa nitsimoka ny tehin’ i Arona, izay ho an’ ny taranak’ i Levy, dia nanaroka sy namony ka namoa amygdala.
The following morning, when he/I went into the tent, he/I saw that Aaron’s stick, which represented the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, it had produced leaves and blossoms, and it had also produced almonds that were ripe!
9 Dia nentin’ i Mosesy nivoaka hiala eo anatrehan’ i Jehovah ny tehina rehetra, ho eo amin’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely rehetra; dia nijery izy, ka samy nandray ny tehiny avy.
Moses/I brought all the sticks out of the Sacred Tent and showed them to the people. Each of the twelve leaders took back his own stick.
10 Dia hoy Jehovah tamin’ i Mosesy: Avereno ny tehin’ i Arona ho eo anoloan’ ny Vavolombelona, hotehirizina ho famantarana ho an’ ny mpiodina, ka dia hatsahatrao hiala amiko ny fimonomononany, mba tsy ho faty izy.
Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Put Aaron’s stick in front of the sacred chest, and let it stay there permanently. That will be a warning to people who want to rebel [against me]. Then no more people will die [because of complaining against me].”
11 Dia nataon’ i Mosesy izany; araka izay efa nandidian’ i Jehovah azy no nataony.
So Moses/I did what Yahweh had commanded.
12 Dia niteny tamin’ i Mosesy ny Zanak’ Isiraely ka nanao hoe: Indro, maty izahay, ringana izahay, eny, ringana avokoa izahay rehetra.
Then the Israeli people said to Moses/me, “We are going to die! All of us are surely going to die!
13 Ho faty izay rehetra manakaiky, dia izay manakaiky ny tabernakelin’ i Jehovah; ho lany maty va izahay?
Everyone who comes close to Yahweh’s Sacred Tent dies. Are the rest of us going to die, also?” [RHQ]
