17:1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, |
17:2 "Speak to the sons of Israel, and get from them a rod for each father's household: twelve rods, from all their leaders according to their fathers' households. You shall write each name on his rod, |
17:3 and write Aaron's name on the rod of Levi; for there exists one rod for the head of each of their fathers' households. |
17:4 "You shall then deposit them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony, where I meet with you. |
17:5 "It will come about that the rod of the man whom I choose will sprout. Thus I will lessen from upon Myself the grumblings of the sons of Israel, who grumble against you." |
17:6 Moses therefore spoke to the sons of Israel, and all their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers' households, twelve rods, with the rod of Aaron among their rods. |
17:7 So Moses deposited the rods before the LORD in the tent of the testimony. |
17:8 8Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. |
17:9 Moses then brought out all the rods from the presence of the LORD to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod. |
17:10 But the LORD said to Moses, "Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony that we keep as a sign against the rebels, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, so that they will not die." |
17:11 Thus Moses did; just as the LORD had commanded him, so he did. |
17:12 Then the sons of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, " Behold, we perish, we will die, we all die! |
17:13 " Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, must die. Will we perish completely?" |