Numbers 17  Contemporary English Version

Aaron's Walking Stick Blooms and Produces Almonds

17 The Lord told Moses:

^2-3 Call together the twelve tribes of Israel and tell the leader of each tribe to write his name on the walking stick he carries as a symbol of his authority. Make sure Aaron's name is written on the one from the Levi tribe, then collect all the sticks.

⁴ Place these sticks in the tent right in front of the sacred chest where I appear to you. ⁵ I will then choose a man to be my priest, and his stick will sprout. After that happens, I won't have to listen to any more complaints about you.

⁶ Moses told the people what the Lord had commanded, and they gave him the walking sticks from the twelve tribal leaders, including Aaron's from the Levi tribe. ⁷ Moses took them and placed them in the Lord's sacred tent.

^8 (A) The next day when Moses went into the tent, flowers and almonds were already growing on Aaron's stick. ⁹ Moses brought the twelve sticks out of the tent and showed them to the people. Each of the leaders found his own and took it.

¹⁰ But the Lord told Moses, “Put Aaron's stick back! Let it stay near the sacred chest as a warning to anyone who might think of rebelling. If these people don't stop their grumbling about me, I will wipe them out.” ¹¹ Moses did what he was told.

¹² The Israelites cried out to Moses, “We're done for ¹³ and doomed if we even go near the sacred tent!”