Numbers 17

1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,● 2Speak 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.● 3And 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.● 4And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.● 5And 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.● 6And 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. {a rod...: Heb. a rod for one prince, a rod for one prince}● 7And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.● 8And 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.● 9And 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.● 10And 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. {rebels: Heb. children of rebellion}● 11And Moses did {so}: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.● 12And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.● 13Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?●