¹ And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

² Speak to the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod.

³ And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.

⁴ And thou shalt lay them in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.

⁵ And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, by which they murmur against you.

⁶ And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.¹

1. a rod...: Heb. a rod for one prince, a rod for one prince

⁷ And Moses laid the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.

⁸ And it came to pass, that on the next day Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

⁹ And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.

¹⁰ And the LORD said to Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a sign against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.¹

1. rebels: Heb. children of rebellion

¹¹ And Moses did so : as the LORD commanded him, so did he.

¹² And the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.

¹³ Whoever approacheth the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?