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Aaron's Rod Buds

^1 (F1)Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,² "Speak to the sons of Israel, and get from them a rod for each father's household: twelve rods, from all their leaders according to their fathers' households. You shall write each name on his rod,³ and write Aaron's name on the rod of Levi; for there is one rod for the head of each of their fathers' households.⁴ "You shall then deposit them in the tent of meeting in front of ^(C1)the testimony, where I meet with you.⁵ "It will come about that the rod of ^(C1)the man whom I choose will sprout. Thus I will lessen from upon Myself the grumblings of the sons of Israel, who are grumbling against you."⁶ Moses therefore spoke to the sons of Israel, and all their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers' households, twelve rods, with the rod of Aaron among their rods.⁷ So Moses deposited the rods before the LORD in ^(C1)the tent of the testimony.

⁸ Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, ^(C1)the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds.⁹ Moses then brought out all the rods from the presence of the LORD to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod.¹⁰ But the LORD said to Moses, "Put back the rod of Aaron ^(C1)before the testimony ^(F1)to be kept as a sign against the ^(F2)(C2)rebels, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, so that they will not die."¹¹ Thus Moses did; just as the LORD had commanded him, so he did.

¹² Then the sons of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, "^(C1)Behold, we perish, we are dying, we are all dying!¹³ "^(C1)Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, must die. Are we to perish completely?"