1The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2"Speak to the children of Israel, and take of them rods, one for each fathers' house, of all their princes according to their fathers' houses, twelve rods: write every man's name on his rod. 3You shall write Aaron's name on the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers' houses. 4You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. 5It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you." 6Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and all their leaders gave him rods, one for each leader, according to their ancestral houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 7Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tent of the testimony.

8It happened on the next day, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and look, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds. 9Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. 10The LORD said to Moses, "Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die." 11Moses did so. As the LORD commanded him, so he did.

12The children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, "Look, we perish. We are undone. We are all undone. 13Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, dies. Will we all perish?"