Print Page Options Listen to Números 17

La vara de Aarón

17 El Señor ordenó a Moisés: «Diles a los israelitas que traigan doce varas, una por cada familia patriarcal, es decir, una por cada uno de los jefes de las familias patriarcales. Escribe el nombre de cada uno de ellos sobre su propia vara. Sobre la vara de Leví escribe el nombre de Aarón, pues cada jefe de familia patriarcal debe tener su vara. Colócalas en la Tienda de reunión, frente al arca con las tablas del pacto, donde me reúno con ustedes. La vara que retoñe será la de mi elegido. De tal manera me quitaré de encima las constantes quejas que los israelitas levantan contra ustedes».

Moisés se lo comunicó a los israelitas y los jefes le entregaron doce varas, una por cada jefe de su familia patriarcal. Entre ellas estaba la vara de Aarón. Moisés colocó las varas delante del Señor, en la Tienda donde se guardan las tablas del pacto.

Al día siguiente, Moisés entró en la Tienda y, al fijarse en la vara que representaba a la familia de Leví, vio que la vara de Aarón no solo había retoñado, sino que también tenía botones, flores y almendras. Sacó entonces de la presencia del Señor todas las varas y las puso delante de los israelitas, para que por sí mismos vieran lo que había ocurrido, y cada jefe tomó su propia vara.

10 El Señor dijo a Moisés: «Vuelve a colocar la vara de Aarón frente al arca con las tablas del pacto, para que sirva de advertencia a los rebeldes. Así terminarás con las quejas en contra mía y evitarás que mueran los israelitas».

11 Moisés hizo todo tal como el Señor se lo ordenó. 12 Entonces los israelitas dijeron a Moisés: «¡Estamos perdidos, totalmente perdidos! ¡Vamos a morir! 13 Todo el que se acerca al santuario del Señor muere, ¡así que todos moriremos!».

El bastón de Aarón retoña

17 (16) El Señor se dirigió a Moisés y le dijo:

(17) «Ordena a los israelitas que cada uno de los jefes de tribu traiga un bastón, o sea doce bastones en total. Tú escribirás el nombre de cada uno en su bastón, (18) y en el bastón correspondiente a la tribu de Leví escribirás el nombre de Aarón, pues debe haber un bastón por cada jefe de tribu. (19) Los colocarás en la tienda del encuentro, frente al arca de la alianza, que es donde yo me encuentro con ustedes. (20) Voy a hacer que retoñe el bastón de mi elegido, y así los israelitas no seguirán hablando mal de ustedes delante de mí.»

(21) Moisés dijo esto mismo a los israelitas, y cada uno de los jefes de tribu le dio un bastón, reuniendo así doce bastones en total. Entre ellos estaba también el bastón de Aarón. (22) Moisés colocó los bastones delante del Señor en la tienda de la alianza, (23) y al día siguiente, cuando fue a la tienda, vio que el bastón de Aarón, correspondiente a la tribu de Leví, había retoñado: había echado retoños, y dado flores, y tenía almendras maduras. (24) Entonces Moisés sacó de la presencia del Señor todos los bastones y se los mostró a los israelitas. Después de verlos, cada uno tomó su bastón.

10 (25) Entonces el Señor dijo a Moisés: «Vuelve a poner el bastón de Aarón delante del arca de la alianza, y guárdalo allí como advertencia para este pueblo rebelde. Así harás que dejen de hablar mal delante de mí, y no morirán.»

11 (26) Moisés hizo todo tal como el Señor se lo ordenó, 12 (27) pero los israelitas dijeron a Moisés: «¡Estamos perdidos! ¡Todos vamos a morir! 13 (28) Todos los que se acercan al santuario del Señor, mueren. ¿Acaso vamos a morir todos?»

The Budding of Aaron’s Staff

17 [a]The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs(A) from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes.(B) Write the name of each man on his staff. On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name,(C) for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. Place them in the tent of meeting(D) in front of the ark of the covenant law,(E) where I meet with you.(F) The staff belonging to the man I choose(G) will sprout,(H) and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling(I) against you by the Israelites.”

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. Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the covenant law.(J)

The next day Moses entered the tent(K) and saw that Aaron’s staff,(L) which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.(M) Then Moses brought out all the staffs(N) 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(O) in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious.(P) 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!(Q) 13 Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die.(R) Are we all going to die?”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 17:1 In Hebrew texts 17:1-13 is numbered 17:16-28.

Aaron’s Staff Buds

17 [a]Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, and obtain from them a staff for each father’s household: twelve staffs, from all their leaders for their fathers’ households. You shall write each man’s name on his staff, and write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi; for there is to be one staff for the head of each of their fathers’ households. You shall then leave them in the tent of meeting in front of (A)the testimony, where I meet with you. And it will come about that the staff of (B)the man whom I choose will sprout. So I will relieve Myself of the grumblings of the sons of Israel, who are grumbling against you.” So Moses spoke to the sons of Israel, and all their leaders gave him a staff, one for each leader, for their fathers’ households, twelve staffs in all, with the staff of Aaron among their staffs. Then Moses left the staffs before the Lord in (C)the tent of the testimony.

Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, (D)Aaron’s staff for the house of Levi had sprouted and produced buds and bloomed with blossoms, and it yielded ripe almonds. Moses then brought out all the staffs from the presence of the Lord to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his staff. 10 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put the staff of Aaron (E)back in front of the testimony [b]to be kept as a sign against the [c](F)rebels, so that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me and they do not die.” 11 Moses did so; just as the Lord had commanded him, so he did.

12 Then the sons of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “(G)Behold, we are passing away, we are perishing, we are all perishing! 13 (H)Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the Lord, must die. Are we to perish completely?”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 17:1 Ch 17:16 in Heb
  2. Numbers 17:10 Lit for preserving
  3. Numbers 17:10 Lit sons of rebellion

17 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.

And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.

And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.

And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.

And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

And Moses laid up the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness.

And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

And Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.

10 And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

11 And Moses did so: as the Lord commanded him, so did he.

12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.

13 Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the Lord shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?