1The LORD spoke to Moses and said,2Speak to the sons of Israel and take from them one rod from each father's house, from all their leaders according to their fathers' houses, twelve rods in all; write each man's name on his rod.3Write Aaron's name on the rod of Levi, because there is to be one rod for the head of each father's house.4Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony, where I meet with you.5The man whom I choose, his rod will sprout, and I will put an end to the murmuring of the sons of Israel against you.6Moses spoke to the sons of Israel, and all their leaders gave him a rod, one rod for each leader according to their fathers' houses, twelve rods in all, with Aaron's rod among their rods.7Moses placed the rods before the LORD in the tent of the testimony.8The next day Moses entered the tent of the testimony and saw that Aaron's rod for the house of Levi had sprouted: it produced blossoms, bloomed flowers, and yielded almonds.9Moses brought all the rods out from before the LORD to all the sons of Israel; they looked, and each man took his own rod.10The LORD said to Moses, Put Aaron's rod back in front of the testimony to be kept as a sign for the sons of Israel, so that their murmuring against me may cease and they may not die.11Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him.12The sons of Israel said to Moses, Behold, we are dying; we are perishing; we are all perishing.13Anyone who approaches the tabernacle of the LORD will die; are we all to perish?