CHAPTER 17
“Speak
to
the Israelites
and take
from them
twelve
staffs,
one
from the leader
of each
tribe.
Write
each
man’s name
on
his staff,
and
write
Aaron’s
name
on
the staff
of Levi,
because
there must be one
staff
for the head
of each tribe.
The staff
belonging to the man
I choose
will sprout,
and I will rid
Myself
of the constant grumbling
of the Israelites
against you.”
So Moses
spoke
to
the Israelites,
and each
of their leaders
gave
him a
staff—
one
for each
of the leaders
of their tribes,
twelve
staffs in all.
And Aaron’s
staff
was among
them.
The next day
Moses
entered
the Tent
of the Testimony
and saw
that Aaron’s
staff,
representing the house
of Levi,
had sprouted,
put forth
buds,
blossomed,
and produced
almonds!
Then Moses
brought out
all
the staffs
from the LORD's
presence
to
all
the Israelites.
They saw them,
and each man
took
his own staff.
The LORD
said
to
Moses,
“Put Aaron’s
staff
back
in front
of the Testimony,
to be kept
as a sign
for the rebellious,
so that you may put an end
to their grumbling
against Me,
lest
they die.”