(5) 1 *Adonai spoke to Moses [Drawn out], saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel [God prevails], 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 [Light-bringer]’s name on the rod of Levi [United with]; for 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 testimony, 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 [God prevails], which they murmur against you, cease from me.”

6 Moses [Drawn out] spoke to the children of Israel [God prevails]; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods. Aaron [Light-bringer]’s rod was among their rods. 7 Moses [Drawn out] laid up the rods before Adonai in the Tent of the Testimony.

8 On the next day, Moses [Drawn out] went into the Tent of the Testimony; and behold, Aaron [Light-bringer]’s rod for the house of Levi [United with] had sprouted, † budded, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds. 9 Moses [Drawn out] brought out all the rods from before Adonai to all the children of Israel [God prevails]. They looked, and each man took his rod.

(6) 10 ‡Adonai said to Moses [Drawn out], “Put back the rod of Aaron [Light-bringer] § before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die.” 11 Moses [Drawn out] did so. As Adonai enjoined him, so he did.

12 The children of Israel [God prevails] spoke to Moses [Drawn out], saying, “Behold, we perish! We are undone! We are all undone! 13 Everyone who keeps approaching Adonai’s tabernacle, dies! Will we all perish?”