5. Buds will sprout on the staff belonging to the man I choose. Then I will finally put an end to the people’s murmuring and complaining against you.”
6. So Moses gave the instructions to the people of Israel, and each of the twelve tribal leaders, including Aaron, brought Moses a staff.
7. Moses placed the staffs in the lord’s presence in the Tabernacle of the Covenant.
8. When he went into the Tabernacle of the Covenant the next day, he found that Aaron’s staff, representing the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, budded, blossomed, and produced ripe almonds!
9. When Moses brought all the staffs out from the lord’s presence, he showed them to the people. Each man claimed his own staff.
10. And the lord said to Moses: “Place Aaron’s staff permanently before the Ark of the Covenant to serve as a warning to rebels. This should put an end to their complaints against me and prevent any further deaths.”
11. So Moses did as the lord commanded him.
12. Then the people of Israel said to Moses, “Look, we are doomed! We are dead! We are ruined!
13. Everyone who even comes close to the Tabernacle of the lord dies. Are we all doomed to die?”