Numbers 17
The Lord instructed Moses to gather a rod from each of the twelve tribes, with Aaron representing the tribe of Levi, and place them in the tabernacle to determine God's chosen leader. The next day, Aaron's rod had germinated, producing flowers and almonds, signifying God's choice. Moses then returned the rods to their owners, but was instructed to keep Aaron's rod in the tabernacle as a reminder of the rebellion and to quiet the complaints of the Israelites. The Israelites, realizing the gravity of their situation, feared approaching the tabernacle, believing it would lead to their destruction.
1
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying
2"Speak to the sons of Israel, and receive from each of them a rod by their kinships, from all the leaders of the tribes, twelve rods, and write the name of each one on his rod
3But the name of Aaron shall be for the tribe of Levi, and one rod separately shall contain all their families
4And you shall place these in the tabernacle of the covenant before the testimony, where I will speak to you
5Whomever of these I will choose, his rod will germinate, and so shall I restrain the complaints of the sons of Israel before me, by which they murmur against you.
6And Moses spoke to the sons of Israel. And all the leaders gave him rods, one for each tribe. And there were twelve rods, aside from the rod of Aaron
7And when Moses had placed these before the Lord, in the tabernacle of the testimony
8returning on the following day, he found that the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi, had germinated, and that the swelling buds had opened into flowers, which, spreading their petals, were formed into those of an almond tree
9Therefore, Moses brought out all the rods, from the sight of the Lord, to all the sons of Israel. And they saw, and each one received their rods
10And the Lord said to Moses: "Carry back the rod of Aaron into the tabernacle of the testimony, so that it may be kept there as a sign of the rebellion of the sons of Israel, and so that their complaints may be quieted before me, lest they die.
11And Moses did just as the Lord had instructed
12Then the sons of Israel said to Moses: "Behold, we have been consumed; we have been ruined
13Whoever approaches to the tabernacle of the Lord dies. Will we all be wiped away, even to total annihilation?
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