Numbers 16:41-17:13

New International Version

⁴¹ The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. “You have killed the Lord’s people,” they said.

⁴² But when the assembly gathered in opposition^(A) to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the tent of meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord^(B) appeared. ⁴³ Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting, ⁴⁴ and the Lord said to Moses, ⁴⁵ “Get away from this assembly so I can put an end^(C) to them at once.” And they fell facedown.

⁴⁶ Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer^(D) and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly^(E) to make atonement^(F) for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord;^(G) the plague^(H) has started.” ⁴⁷ So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people,^(I) but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. ⁴⁸ He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.^{(J) 49} But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah.^{(K) 50} Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.^[a]

The Budding of Aaron’s Staff

17 ^[b]The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs^(L) from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes.^(M) Write the name of each man on his staff. ³ On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name,^(N) for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. ⁴ Place them in the tent of meeting^(O) in front of the ark of the covenant law,^(P) where I meet with you.^{(Q) 5} The staff belonging to the man I choose^(R) will sprout,^(S) and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling^(T) against you by the Israelites.”

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.^(U)

⁸ The next day Moses entered the tent^(V) and saw that Aaron’s staff,^(W) which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.^{(X) 9} Then Moses brought out all the staffs^(Y) 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^(Z) in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious.^(AA) 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!^{(AB) 13} Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die.^(AC) Are we all going to die?”