Numbers 17

Adonai spoke to Moses [Drawn out], saying,

“Speak to the children of Israel [God prevails], and take rods from them, one for each fathers’ house, of all their princes according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods. Write each man’s name on his rod.

You shall write Aaron [Light-bringer]’s name on the rod of Levi [United with]; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers’ houses.

You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you.

It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud. I will make the murmurings of the children of Israel [God prevails], which they murmur against you, cease from me.”

Moses [Drawn out] spoke to the children of Israel [God prevails]; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods. Aaron [Light-bringer]’s rod was among their rods.

Moses [Drawn out] laid up the rods before Adonai in the Tent of the Testimony.

On the next day, Moses [Drawn out] went into the Tent of the Testimony; and behold, Aaron [Light-bringer]’s rod for the house of Levi [United with] had sprouted, budded, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.

Moses [Drawn out] brought out all the rods from before Adonai to all the children of Israel [God prevails]. They looked, and each man took his rod. (6)

Adonai said to Moses [Drawn out], “Put back the rod of Aaron [Light-bringer] before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die.”

Moses [Drawn out] did so. As Adonai enjoined him, so he did.

The children of Israel [God prevails] spoke to Moses [Drawn out], saying, “Behold, we perish! We are undone! We are all undone!

Everyone who keeps approaching Adonai’s tabernacle, dies! Will we all perish?”