Numbers, Chapter 17 (Leningrad Codex)

^16:36And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ^16:37Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed. ^16:38The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel. ^16:39And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar: ^16:40To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses. ^16:41But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD. ^16:42And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. ^16:43And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.

^16:44And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ^16:45Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. ^16:46And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun. ^16:47And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. ^16:48And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. ^16:49Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah. ^16:50And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed. ¹And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

²Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a 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. ³And 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. ⁴And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you. ⁵And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you. ⁶And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes 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. ⁷And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. ⁸And 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. ⁹And 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.

¹⁰And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron'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. ¹¹And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he. ¹²And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. ¹³Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?