1 T he Lord said to Moses,

And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,

2 “ Speak to the people of Israel. Get walking sticks from them, one for each father’s house. Get twelve walking sticks, from all their leaders by their fathers’ houses. Write each man’s name on his stick.

`Speak unto the sons of Israel, and take from them each a rod, for a father's house, from all their princes, for the house of their fathers, twelve rods; the name of each thou dost write on his rod,

3 W rite Aaron’s name on the walking stick of Levi. For there will be one walking stick for the head of each father’s house.

and Aaron's name thou dost write on the tribe of Levi; for one rod for the head of their fathers' house:

4 T hen put them in the meeting tent before the Law, where I meet with you.

and thou hast placed them in the tent of meeting, before the testimony, where I meet with you.

5 A nd the walking stick of the man I choose will begin to grow. In this way I will stop the complaining of the people of Israel, who are complaining against you.”

`And it hath come to pass, the man's rod on whom I fix doth flourish, and I have caused to cease from off me the murmurings of the sons of Israel, which they are murmuring against you.'

6 S o Moses spoke to the people of Israel. All their leaders each gave him a walking stick, one for each leader by their fathers’ houses, twelve walking sticks. And the walking stick of Aaron was among their walking sticks.

And Moses speaketh unto the sons of Israel, and all their princes give unto him one rod for a prince, one rod for a prince, for their fathers' house, twelve rods, and the rod of Aaron in the midst of their rods;

7 M oses put the walking sticks before the Lord in the meeting tent of the Law.

and Moses placeth the rods before Jehovah, in the tent of the testimony.

8 T he next day Moses went into the meeting tent of the Law. And he saw that the walking stick of Aaron for the house of Levi had begun to grow buds and flowers and almonds.

And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that Moses goeth in unto the tent of the testimony, and lo, the rod of Aaron hath flourished for the house of Levi, and is bringing out flourishing, and doth blossom blossoms, and doth produce almonds;

9 M oses brought out all the walking sticks from before the Lord to all the people of Israel. They looked, and each man took his stick.

and Moses bringeth out all the rods from before Jehovah, unto all the sons of Israel, and they look, and take each his rod.

10 B ut the Lord said to Moses, “Put the walking stick of Aaron in front of the Law again. It will be something special to see against those who go against My Word. Then you may put an end to their complaining against Me, so they will not die.”

And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Put back the rod of Aaron, before the testimony, for a charge, for a sign to the sons of rebellion, and thou dost remove their murmurings from off me, and they do not die;'

11 S o Moses did this. He did just as the Lord had told him.

and Moses doth as Jehovah hath commanded him; so he hath done.

12 T hen the people of Israel said to Moses, “See, we are being destroyed! We are dying! We are all dying!

And the sons of Israel speak unto Moses, saying, `Lo, we have expired; we have perished; we have all of us perished;

13 E veryone who comes near, who comes near the meeting tent of the Lord, must die. Are we all to be destroyed?”

any who is at all drawing near unto the tabernacle of Jehovah dieth; have we not been consumed -- to expire?'