[1] The LORD spoke to Moses: [2] "Speak to the Israelites, and receive from them a staff from each tribe, one from every tribal leader, twelve staffs; you must write each man's name on his staff. [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] (17:28) Anyone who even comes close to the tabernacle of the LORD will die! Are we all to die?"
