⁶ So 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. ⁷ Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the covenant law.^(A)

⁸ The next day Moses entered the tent^(B) and saw that Aaron’s staff,^(C) which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.^{(D) 9} Then Moses brought out all the staffs^(E) from the Lord’s presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each of the leaders took his own staff.

¹⁰ The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff^(F) in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious.^(G) This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.” ¹¹ Moses did just as the Lord commanded him.

¹² The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost!^(H)

¹⁵ “He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people^(A) and take its blood behind the curtain^(B) and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle^(C) it on the atonement cover and in front of it. ¹⁶ In this way he will make atonement^(D) for the Most Holy Place^(E) because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the tent of meeting,^(F) which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness. ¹⁷ No one is to be in the tent of meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel.

¹⁸ “Then he shall come out to the altar^(G) that is before the Lord and make atonement for it. He shall take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar.^{(H) 19} He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and to consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.^(I)