| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The LORD said to Moses, | 1The LORD instructed Moses: " |
| 2"Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. | 2Speak to the Israelites and take one staff from them for each ancestral house, 12 staffs from all the leaders of their ancestral houses. Write each man's name on his staff. |
| 3On the staff of Levi write Aaron's name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. | 3Write Aaron's name on Levi's staff, because there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral house. |
| 4Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the covenant law, where I meet with you. | 4Then place them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony where I meet with you. |
| 5The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites." | 5The staff of the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid Myself of the Israelites' complaints that they have been making about you." |
| 6So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron's staff was among them. | 6So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff, one for each of the leaders of their ancestral houses, 12 staffs in all. Aaron's staff was among them. |
| 7Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the tent of the covenant law. | 7Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the tent of the testimony. |
| 8The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron's staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds. | 8The next day Moses entered the tent of the testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, formed buds, blossomed, and produced almonds! |
| 9Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the LORD's presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each of the leaders took his own staff. | 9Moses then brought out all the staffs from the LORD's presence to all the Israelites. They saw them, and each man took his own staff. |
| 10The LORD said to Moses, "Put back Aaron's staff in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die." | 10The LORD told Moses, "Put Aaron's staff back in front of the testimony to be kept as a sign for the rebels, so that you may put an end to their complaints before Me, or else they will die." |
| 11Moses did just as the LORD commanded him. | 11So Moses did as the LORD commanded him. |
| 12The Israelites said to Moses, "We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! | 12Then the Israelites declared to Moses, "Look, we're perishing! We're lost; we're all lost! |
| 13Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the LORD will die. Are we all going to die?" | 13Anyone who comes near the LORD's tabernacle will die. Will we all perish?" |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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