Numbers 17:3-13 ▼

3 You must write Aaron's name on the staff of Levi; for one staff is for the head of every tribe.

4 You must place them in the tent of meeting before the ark of the covenant where I meet with you.

5 And the staff of the man whom I choose will blossom; so I will rid myself of the complaints of the Israelites, which they murmur against you.|

6 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff, one for each leader, according to their tribes--twelve staffs; the staff of Aaron was among their staffs.

7 Then Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the tent of the testimony.

8 On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony--and the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted, and brought forth buds, and produced blossoms, and yielded almonds!

9 So Moses brought out all the staffs from before the LORD to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each man took his staff.

10 The LORD said to Moses, |Bring Aaron's staff back before the testimony to be preserved for a sign to the rebels, so that you may bring their murmurings to an end before me, that they will not die.|

11 So Moses did as the LORD commanded him--this is what he did.

12 The Israelites said to Moses, |We are bound to die! We perish, we all perish!

13 Anyone who even comes close to the tabernacle of the LORD will die! Are we all to die?|