17:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 17:2 “Speak to the Israelites, and receive from them a rod from each tribe, one from every tribal leader, twelve rods; you must write each man’s name on his rod. 17:3 You must write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi; for one rod is for the head of every tribe. 17:4 You must lay them in the tent of meeting before the ark of the covenant where I meet with you. 17:5 And the rod of the man whom I choose will blossom; so I will rid myself of the murmurings of the Israelites, which they murmur against you.”
17:6 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a rod, one for each leader, according to their tribes — twelve rods; the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 17:7 Then Moses placed the rods before The Lord in the tent of the testimony.
17:8 On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony — and the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds! 17:9 So Moses brought out all the rods from before The Lord to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each man took his rod.
17:10 The Lord said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s rod back before the testimony to be preserved for a sign to the rebels so that you may bring their murmurings to an end before me, that they may not die.” 17:11 So Moses did as The Lord commanded him — this is what he did.
17:12 The Israelites said to Moses, “We are bound to die! We perish, we all perish! 17:13 Anyone who even comes close to the tabernacle of The Lord will die. Are we all to die?”