17:6 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff, one for each leader, 1 according to their tribes 2 – twelve staffs; the staff of Aaron was among their staffs. 17:7 Then Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the testimony. 3
17:8 On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony – and 4 the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted, and brought forth buds, and produced blossoms, and yielded almonds! 5 17:9 So Moses brought out all the staffs from before the Lord to all the Israelites. They looked at them, 6 and each man took his staff.
17:10 The Lord said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s staff back before the testimony to be preserved for a sign to the rebels, so that you may bring their murmurings to an end 7 before me, that they will not die.” 8 17:11 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him – this is what he did.
17:12 The Israelites said to Moses, “We are bound to die! 9 We perish, we all perish! 17:13 (17:28) 10 Anyone who even comes close to the tabernacle of the Lord will die! Are we all to die?” 11