Chapter 17

  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,  

-

  Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of [their] fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.  

-

  And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod [shall be] for the head of the house of their fathers.  

-

  And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.  

-

  And it shall come to pass, [that] the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.  

-

  And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of 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.  

-

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

-

  And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.  

-

  And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.  

-

  And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.  

-

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

-

  And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.  

-

  Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?  

-