Numbers 17

Revised Geneva Translation

17 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

² “Speak to the children of Israel and take a branch from every one of them, after the House of their fathers, from all their princes, according to the family of their fathers (twelve branches). You shall write every man’s name upon his branch.

³ “And write Aaron’s name upon the branch of Levi. For every branch shall be for the head of the House of their fathers.

⁴ “And you shall put them in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, before the Ark of the Testimony, where I will declare Myself to you.

⁵ “And the man’s branch whom I choose shall blossom. And I will make the complaints of the children of Israel cease from Me, which they bring against you.”

⁶ Then Moses spoke to the children of Israel. And all their Princes gave him a branch, one branch for every Prince, according to the Houses of their fathers, twelve branches. And the branch of Aaron was among their branches.

⁷ And Moses laid the branches before the LORD in the Tabernacle of the Testimony.

⁸ And when Moses went into the Tabernacle of the Testimony the next day, behold, the branch of Aaron (for the House of Levi) had budded and brought forth buds, and brought forth blossoms and bare ripe almonds.

⁹ Then Moses brought out all the branches from before the LORD to all the children of Israel. And they looked at them. And every man took his branch.

¹⁰ Afterward, the LORD said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s branch before the Testimony again, to be kept as a token to the rebellious children. And you shall cause their murmurings to cease from Me, so that they do not die.”

¹¹ So Moses did as the LORD had commanded him. So did he.

¹² And the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, we are dead. We perish. We are all lost!

¹³ “Whoever comes near or approaches the Tabernacle of the LORD, shall die. Shall we be consumed with death?”