[1] Then the LORD said to Moses, [2] "Tell the people of Israel to bring you twelve wooden staffs, one from each leader of Israel's ancestral tribes, and inscribe each leader's name on his staff. [3] Inscribe Aaron's name on the staff of the tribe of Levi, for there must be one staff for the leader of each ancestral tribe. [4] Place these staffs in the Tabernacle in front of the Ark containing the tablets of the Covenant, where I meet with you. [5] Buds will sprout on the staff belonging to the man I choose. Then I will finally put an end to the people's murmuring and complaining against you." [6] So Moses gave the instructions to the people of Israel, and each of the twelve tribal leaders, including Aaron, brought Moses a staff. [7] Moses placed the staffs in the LORD's presence in the Tabernacle of the Covenant. [8] When he went into the Tabernacle of the Covenant the next day, he found that Aaron's staff, representing the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, budded, blossomed, and produced ripe almonds! [9] When Moses brought all the staffs out from the LORD's presence, he showed them to the people. Each man claimed his own staff. [10] And the LORD said to Moses: "Place Aaron's staff permanently before the Ark of the Covenant to serve as a warning to rebels. This should put an end to their complaints against me and prevent any further deaths." [11] So Moses did as the LORD commanded him. [12] Then the people of Israel said to Moses, "Look, we are doomed! We are dead! We are ruined! [13] Everyone who even comes close to the Tabernacle of the LORD dies. Are we all doomed to die?"
