As a test, a rod for each tribe is placed in the tabernacle of witness—Aaron’s rod buds and blossoms and brings forth almonds—It is kept as a token against rebels.

 AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them ^aa^• 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 ^atabernacle^• of the congregation before the testimony, where I will ^bmeet^• with you.

 And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall ^achoose, 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 ^aprinces^• 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 ^atabernacle^• 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.

 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring ^aAaron^•’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.

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

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

 Whosoever cometh ^aany^• thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall ^bdie^•: ^cshall^• we be consumed with dying?