Thomson(i)
1 the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 Speak to the children of Israel, and take of them a staff; a staff for every house of patriarchal families; from all the chiefs of the respective houses of patriarchal families twelve staves; and write every one's name on his staff;
3 and on the staff of Levi write Aaron's name; for he is one staff. The chief of the house of the head family in every tribe shall give;
4 and thou shalt lay them in the tabernacle of the testimony, over against the testimony. By these I will there make myself known to thee;
5 and it shall come to pass, that the staff of the man whom I will chuse, shall bloom: and I will remove from me this murmuring of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you.
6 So Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and all the chiefs gave him, every one a staff; for every chief a staff, according to the houses of their patriarchal families, twelve staves, with Aaron's staff among theirs.
7 And Moses laid the staves before the Lord in the tabernacle of the testimony.
8 And on the next day when Moses went in, with Aaron, into the tabernacle of the testimony, behold Aaron's staff, for the house of Levi, had bloomed, and brought forth a bud, and had shot forth blossoms, and produced almonds.
9 And Moses brought out all the staves from the presence of the Lord, before all the children of Israel. And when they saw and had taken, every one his staff,
10 the Lord said to Moses, Lay up Aaron's staff again before the testimonies, to be kept as a sign for the children of these rebellious men; and let their murmuring cease from me that they may not die.
11 So Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded Moses.
12 And when they had done so, the sons of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, Behold, we have been wasted, we have been destroyed, we have been cut off suddenly;
13 every one who toucheth the tabernacle of the Lord dieth. Must we all die?