1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak
unto 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 up 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, whereby they murmur against you.
6 And
Moses spake unto 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.
7 And
Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.
8 And
it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness;
and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought
forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
9 And
Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of
Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
10 And
the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be
kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their
murmurings from me, that they die not.
11 And
Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
12 And
the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we
all perish.
13 Whosoever
cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be
consumed with dying?
