[1] The LORD instructed Moses, [2] "Speak to the Israelites and take one staff from them for each ancestral tribe, twelve staffs from all the leaders of their tribes. Write each man's name on his staff. [3] Write Aaron's name on Levi's staff, because there is to be one staff for the head of each tribe. [4] Then place them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony where I meet with you. [5] The staff of the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of the Israelites' complaints that they have been making about you." [6] So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff, one for each of the leaders of their tribes, twelve staffs in all. Aaron's staff was among them. [7] Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the tent of the testimony. [8] The next day Moses entered the tent of the testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, formed buds, blossomed, and produced almonds! [9] Moses then brought out all the staffs from the LORD's presence to all the Israelites. They saw them, and each man took his own staff. [10] The LORD told Moses, "Put Aaron's staff back in front of the testimony to be kept as a sign for the rebels, so that you may put an end to their complaints before me, or else they will die." [11] So Moses did as the LORD commanded him. [12] Then the Israelites declared to Moses, "Look, we're perishing! We're lost; we're all lost! [13] Anyone who comes near the LORD's tabernacle will die. Will we all perish?"
