Aaron’s Rod Buds
1 (a)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 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 (A)the testimony, where I meet with you.
5 It will come about that the rod of (B)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 rods, with the rod of Aaron among their rods.
7 So Moses deposited the rods before the Lord in (C)the tent of the testimony.
8 Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, (D)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 (E)before the testimony (b)to be kept as a sign against the (c)(F)rebels, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, so that they will not die.”
11 Thus Moses did; just as the Lord had commanded him, so he did.
Footnotes:
a.
Numbers 17:1: ['Ch 17:16 in Heb']
b.
Numbers 17:10: ['Lit ', for preserving]
c.
Numbers 17:10: ['Lit ', sons of rebellion]