Numbers 17

1 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said [to speak, communicate] to [toward] Moses [the Israelite leader], word study 2 “Speak [declare, command] to the Israelites [children of Israel, God’s chosen people] and take [receive, gather] from them twelve staffs [rods, walking sticks], one [a single, unique] from the leader [prince, chief] of each tribe [family, house]. Write [inscribe, carve] each man’s name [identity, character] on his staff [rod], word study 3 and write Aaron’s [the high priest, leader of the Levites] name on the staff [rod] of Levi, because there must be one staff [walking stick] for the head [leader, chief] of each tribe [family, clan]. word study 4 Place the staffs [walking sticks, rods] in the Tent of Meeting [the tabernacle of the congregation, the sacred tent] in front of the Testimony [the ark of witness, the covenant], where I meet [come near, speak to] with you. word study 5 The staff [rod, walking stick] belonging to the man [individual, person] I choose [select, appoint] will sprout [blossom, bud], and I will rid [remove, put an end to] Myself of the constant [persistent, continual] grumbling [murmurings, complaints] of the Israelites [children of Israel, God’s people] against you [in opposition to, toward].” word study 6 So Moses [the leader of the Israelites] spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders [princes, chiefs] gave him a staff [rod, walking stick]—one for each of the leaders [princes, heads] of their tribes [family groups, houses], twelve staffs [rods, walking sticks] in all [totally, altogether]. And Aaron’s [the high priest’s] staff [rod] was among them [in the midst of, surrounded by]. word study 7 Then Moses [the leader of the Israelites] placed the staffs [walking sticks, rods] before the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] in the Tent [tabernacle, sacred dwelling] of the Testimony [witness, evidence of God’s presence]. word study 8 The next day [following morning, on the morrow] Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] entered [went into, approached] the Tent [tabernacle, nomad’s home] of the Testimony [meeting, appointed time, sacred season] and saw [beheld, observed] that Aaron’s [the first high priest, brother of Moses] staff [rod, walking stick], representing [symbolizing, on behalf of] the house [tribe, family] of Levi, had sprouted [budded, flourished], put forth [brought out, developed] buds [young shoots, blossoms], blossomed [bloomed, produced flowers], and produced [yielded, brought forth] almonds [ripe fruit, mature nuts]. word study 9 Then Moses [the Israelite leader] brought out all the staffs [rods, walking sticks] from the LORD’s [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] presence [before, in the sight of] to all the Israelites [children of Israel]. They saw [looked, gazed upon] them, and each man took [received, collected] his own staff [rod, walking stick]. word study 10 The LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff [rod] back in front of the Testimony [ark of the covenant, sacred chest], to be kept as a sign [token, reminder] for the rebellious [children of rebellion, those who refuse to obey], so that you may put an end [finish, stop] to their grumbling [murmurings, complaints] against Me, lest they die [perish, come to an end].” word study 11 So Moses [the Israelite leader, as instructed by God] did [obeyed, fulfilled] as the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] had commanded [given orders, instructed] him [as his servant, to carry out His will]. word study 12 Then the Israelites [children of Israel, the nation] declared to Moses [the leader, prophet], “Look [behold, pay attention], we are perishing [dying, undone]! We are lost [undone, destroyed]; we are all [every one of us] lost [perishing, consumed]! word study 13 Anyone who comes near [draws close, approaches] the tabernacle [House] of the LORD [Yehovah] will die [perish, succumb to death, to expire] [as a punishment, literally or spiritually]. Are we all going to perish [be consumed with dying, utterly destroyed, to die] [completely, as a total destruction]?” word study