1 The Budding of Aaron’s Rod And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and get from them a rod from each father’s house, all their leaders according to their fathers’ houses—twelve rods. Write each man’s name on his rod.
3 And you shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi. For there shall be one rod for the head of each father’s house.
4 Then you shall place them in the tabernacle of meeting before Ex. 25:16 the Testimony, Ex. 25:22; 29:42, 43; 30:36; Num. 17:7 where I meet with you.
5 And it shall be that the rod of the man Num. 16:5 whom I choose will blossom; thus I will rid Myself of the complaints of the children of Israel, Num. 16:11 which they make against you.”
6 So Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and each of their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods; and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
7 And Moses placed the rods before the Lord in Ex. 38:21; Num. 1:50, 51; 9:15; 18:2; Acts 7:44 the tabernacle of witness.
8 Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the (Ezek. 17:24); Heb. 9:4 rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds.
9 Then Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord to all the children of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod.
10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Bring Heb. 9:4 Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony, to be kept Num. 16:38; Deut. 9:7, 24 as a sign against the rebels, Num. 17:5 that you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die.”
11 Thus did Moses; just as the Lord had commanded him, so he did.
12 So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Surely we die, we perish, we all perish!
13 Num. 1:51, 53; 18:4, 7 Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord must die. Shall we all utterly die?”