The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Numbers 17
1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and
take rods from them, one for each fathers’
house, of all their princes according to
their fathers’ houses, twelve rods. Write
each man’s name on his rod.
3 You shall write Aaron’s name on Levi’s
rod. There shall be one rod for each head
of their fathers’ houses.
4 You shall lay them up in the Tent of
Meeting before the covenant, where I meet
with you.
5 It shall happen that the rod of the man
whom I shall choose shall bud. I will make the murmurings of the children of Israel,
which they murmur against you, cease
from me.”
6 Moses spoke to the children of Israel;
and all their princes gave him rods, for
each prince one, according to their fathers’
houses, a total of twelve rods. Aaron’s rod
was among their rods.
7 Moses laid up the rods before Yahweh
in the Tent of the Testimony.
8 On the next day, Moses went into the
Tent ofthe Testimony; and behold, Aaron’s
rod for the house of Levi had sprouted,
budded, produced blossoms, and bore ripe
almonds.
9 Moses brought out all the rods from
before Yahweh to all the children of Israel.
They looked, and each man took his rod.
10 Yahweh said to Moses, “Put back the
rod of Aaron before the covenant, to be
kept for a token against the children of
rebellion; that you may make an end of
their complaining against me, that they
not die.”
11 Moses did so. As Yahweh commanded
him, so he did.
12 The children of Israel spoke to Moses,
saying, “Behold, we perish! We are undone! We are all undone!
13 Everyone who keeps approaching
Yahweh’s tabernacle, dies! Will we all
perish?”