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17:1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17:2 "Speak to the sons of Israel, and get from them a rod for each father's household: twelve rods, from all their leaders according to their fathers' households. You shall write each name on his rod, 17:3 and write Aaron's name on the rod of Levi; for there is one rod for the head of each of their fathers' households. 17:4 "You shall then deposit them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony, where I meet with you. 17:5 "It will come about that the rod of the man whom I choose will sprout. Thus I will lessen from upon Myself the grumblings of the sons of Israel, who are grumbling against you." 17:6 Moses therefore spoke to the sons of Israel, and all their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers' households, twelve rods, with the rod of Aaron among their rods. 17:7 So Moses deposited the rods before the Lord in the tent of the testimony. 17:8 Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. 17:9 Moses then brought out all the rods from the presence of the Lord to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod. 17:10 But the Lord said to Moses, "Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, so that they will not die." 17:11 Thus Moses did; just as the Lord had commanded him, so he did. 17:12 Then the sons of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, "Behold, we perish, we are dying, we are all dying! 17:13 "Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the Lord, must die. Are we to perish completely?"