NUMBERS 17

Then Yehowah spoke to Moses, and said, 2 Speak to the sons of I Israel, and take from them one rod for each of their fathers' houses, from all their princes according to their fathers' houses, twelve rods; write each man's name on his rod, 3 and write Aaron's name on the rod for Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers' houses. 4 Then place them in the tent of meeting before the Testimony where I meet with you. 5 And the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall sprout; in this way I will put an end to the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they keep making against you.

6 So Moses spoke to the sons of Israel, and each of their princes gave him a rod, each prince one rod according to their fathers' houses, twelve rods; and Aaron's rod was one of those rods. 7 And Moses placed the rods before Yehowah in the tent of the Testimony. 8 And on the next day Moses went into the tent of the Testimony, and saw that Aaron's rod for the house of Levi had sprouted, and had produced buds, and had blossomed, and was bearing ripe almonds. 9 Then Moses brought out all the rods that were before Yehowah to all the sons of Israel, and they looked, and each man took his rod. 10 And Yehowah said to Moses, Put Aaron's rod back in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a warning against the rebels, so that you may put an end to their complaints against me, or else they will die. 11 And Moses did so; he did just as Yehowah commanded him. 12 And the sons of Israel spoke to Moses, and said, Look, we shall expire, we shall perish, we shall all perish! 13 Everyone who draws near, who comes near the tabernacle of Yehowah, will die! Are we doomed?