1 A nd the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Yahweh spoke to 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 to the children of Israel, and take rods from them, one for each fathers’ house, of all their princes according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods. Write each man’s name on 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.

You shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers’ houses.

4 T hen you shall place them in the tabernacle of meeting before the Testimony, where I meet with you.

You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the testimony, where I meet with 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.”

It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud. I will make the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you, cease from me.”

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.

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

7 A nd Moses placed the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness.

Moses laid up the rods before Yahweh in the tent 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.

On the next day, Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, Aaron’s rod for the house of Levi had sprouted, budded, produced blossoms, and bore ripe 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.

Moses brought out all the rods from before Yahweh to all the children of Israel. They looked, and each man 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.”

Yahweh said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die.”

11 T hus did Moses; just as the Lord had commanded him, so he did.

Moses did so. As Yahweh commanded him, so he did.

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

The children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, we perish! We are undone! We are all undone!

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

Everyone who keeps approaching Yahweh’s tabernacle, dies! Will we all perish?”