Aaron's Staff Buds

Yahweh told Moses to collect twelve staffs from the children of Israel, one from each tribal leader according to their fathers’ houses. Moses was to write each man’s name on his staff. On the staff for Levi, he was to write Aaron’s name.

The staffs were to be placed in the Tent of Meeting before the covenant, where Yahweh met with Moses. Yahweh said he would make the chosen man’s staff bud. This sign was meant to stop the people’s complaints against Moses and Aaron.

Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and the leaders gave him their staffs, twelve in all. Aaron’s staff was among them. Moses laid the staffs before Yahweh in the Tent of the Testimony.

The next day Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, for the house of Levi, had changed. It had sprouted, budded, blossomed, and even borne ripe almonds. Yahweh had made his choice plain to see.

Moses brought all the staffs out from before Yahweh to all the children of Israel. They looked, and each man took his own staff. Then Yahweh told Moses to put Aaron’s staff back before the covenant as a sign against rebellion, so the complaints would end and the people would not die. Moses obeyed.

But the people were afraid. They said to Moses, “We perish. We are undone.” They worried that everyone who kept approaching Yahweh’s tabernacle would die. Why do you think this sign filled them with such fear?