171 Then the Lord spoke to Moses , saying , 2 "Speak to the sons of Israel , and get from them a rod for each father's household : twelve e rods , from all their leaders according to their fathers' households . You shall write each name on his rod , 3 and write Aaron's name on the rod of Levi ; for there is one rod for the head of each of their fathers' households . 4 "You shall then deposit them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony , where e I meet with you. 5 "It will come about that the rod of the man whom I choose will sprout . Thus I will lessen from upon Myself the grumblings of the sons of Israel , who are grumbling against you." 6 Moses therefore spoke to the sons of Israel , and all their leaders gave him a rod apiece , for each leader according to their fathers' households , twelve e rods , with the rod of Aaron among their rods . 7 So Moses deposited the rods before the Lord in the tent of the testimony .
8 Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony ; and behold , the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms , and it bore ripe almonds . 9 Moses then brought out all the rods from the presence of the Lord to all the sons of Israel ; and they looked , and each man took his rod . 10 But the Lord said to Moses , "Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony to be kept as a sign against the rebels , that you may put an end to their grumblings against e Me, so that they will not die ." 11 Thus Moses did ; just as the Lord had commanded him, so he did . 12 Then the sons of Israel spoke to Moses , saying , " Behold , we perish , we are dying , we are all dying ! 13 " Everyone who comes near , who comes near to the tabernacle of the Lord , must die . Are we to perish completely ?"
