1 A nd the Lord said to Moses,

¶ And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

2 S peak to the Israelites and get from them rods or staves, one for each father’s house, from all their leaders according to their father’s houses, twelve rods. Write every man’s name on his rod.

Speak unto the sons of Israel and take of each of them a rod according to the houses of their fathers, of all their princes, twelve rods according to the houses of their fathers, and write thou each man’s name upon his rod.

3 A nd you shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi. For there shall be one rod for the head of each father’s house.

And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi, for each head of family of their fathers shall have one rod.

4 Y ou shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the Testimony, where I meet with you.

And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the testimony, before the testimony, where I will testify of myself unto you.

5 A nd the rod of the man whom I choose shall bud, and I will make to cease from Me the murmurings of the Israelites, which they murmur against you.

And it shall come to pass regarding the man whom I shall choose that his rod shall blossom; and I will resolve the complaints of the sons of Israel, with which they murmur against you.

6 A nd Moses spoke to the Israelites, and every one of their leaders gave him a rod or staff, one for each leader according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods, and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

And Moses spoke unto the sons of Israel, and all their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods; and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

7 A nd Moses deposited the rods before the Lord in the Tent of the Testimony.

And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of the testimony.

8 A nd the next day Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony, and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and brought forth buds and produced blossoms and yielded almonds.

¶ And it came to pass that on the next day Moses went into the tabernacle of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron of the house of Levi had budded and blossomed and brought forth open flowers and yielded almonds.

9 M oses brought out all the rods from before the Lord to all the Israelites; and they looked, and each man took his rod.

Then Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each one took his rod.

10 A nd the Lord told Moses, Put Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels; and you shall make an end of their murmurings against Me, lest they die.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Return Aaron’s rod before the testimony to be kept for a sign unto the rebellious sons; and thou shalt cause their complaints to cease from upon me, that they not die.

11 A nd Moses did so; as the Lord commanded him, so he did.

And Moses did as the LORD commanded him, so did he.

12 T he Israelites said to Moses, Behold, we perish, we are undone, all undone!

Then the sons of Israel spoke unto Moses, saying, Behold, we are dead, we are lost, we are all lost.

13 E veryone who comes near, who comes near the tabernacle of the Lord, dies or shall die! Are we all to perish?

Anyone who comes near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die; shall we all perish?