1 A nd the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

¶ And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

2 “ Speak to the children of Israel, and get from them a rod from each father’s house, all their leaders according to their fathers’ houses—twelve rods. Write each 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 T hen you shall place them in the tabernacle 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 it shall be that the rod of the man whom I choose will blossom; thus I will rid Myself of the complaints of the children of Israel, which they make 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 S o Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and each of their leaders gave him a rod apiece, 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 placed the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness.

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

8 N ow it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe 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 T hen Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord to all the children of Israel; 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 said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put their complaints away from 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 T hus did Moses; just as the Lord had commanded him, so he did.

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

12 S o the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Surely we die, we perish, we all perish!

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

13 W hoever even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord must die. Shall we all utterly die?”

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