Numbers 17

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

2Speak to the sons of Israel and take from them twelve rods, one for a father's house from all their chiefs according to their fathers' houses; write each man's name on his rod.

3You shall write Aaron's name on the staff of Levi, for one staff belongs to the head of their fathers' houses.

4You shall place them in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you there.

5It will happen that the rod of the man whom I choose will blossom, and I will make the children of Israel's murmurings—which they murmur against you—cease from me.

6Moses spoke to the sons of Israel, and all their chiefs gave him twelve rods—one per chief according to their fathers' houses—with Aaron's rod among their rods.

7Moses placed the rods before Yahweh in the tent of the testimony.

8The next day Moses entered the tent of testimony, and look, Aaron's rod for the house of Levi had blossomed, produced buds, bloomed flowers, and ripened almonds.

9Moses brought all the staffs out from before Yahweh to all the children of Israel, and they looked and each man took his staff.

10Yahweh said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s rod back before the testimony to preserve it for a sign to the sons of rebellion, and put an end to their murmurings against me, that they do not die.”

11Moses did as Yahweh commanded him; so he did.

12The sons of Israel said to Moses, saying, "Look, we die! We are destroyed! We all are destroyed!"

13All who draw near, who draw near to the tabernacle of Yahweh, die! Will we perish by dying?