Numbers 17

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 The LORD said to Moses,	1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
2 "Tell Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, to remove the censers from the embers; and scatter the fire some distance away,	2 Speak to the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod by their kindreds, of all the princes of the tribes, twelve rods, and write the name of every man upon his rod.
3 for these sinners have consecrated the censers at the cost of their lives. Have them hammered into plates to cover the altar, because in being presented before the LORD they have become sacred. In this way they shall serve as a sign to the Israelites."	3 And the name of Aaron shall be for the tribe of Levi, and one rod shall contain all their families:
4 So Eleazar the priest had the bronze censers of those burned during the offering hammered into a covering for the altar,	4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the covenant before the testimony, where I will speak to thee.
5 in keeping with the orders which the LORD had given him through Moses. This cover was to be a reminder to the Israelites that no layman, no one who was not a descendant of Aaron, should approach the altar to offer incense before the LORD, lest he meet the fate of Korah and his band.	5 Whomsoever of these I shall choose, his rod shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, wherewith they murmur against you.
6 The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, "It is you who have slain the LORD'S people."	6 And Moses spoke to the children of Israel: and all the princes gave him rods one for every tribe: and there were twelve rods besides the rod of Aaron.
7 But while the community was deliberating against them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the meeting tent, and the cloud now covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared.	7 And when Moses had laid them up before the Lord in the tabernacle of the testimony:
8 Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the meeting tent,	8 He returned on the following day, and found that the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi, was budded: and that the buds swelling it had bloomed blossoms, which spreading the leaves, were formed into almonds.
9 and the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,	9 Moses therefore brought out all the rods from before the Lord to all the children of Israel: and they saw, and every one received their rods.
10 "Depart from this community, that I may consume them at once." But they fell prostrate.	10 And the Lord said to Moses: Carry back the rod of Aaron into the tabernacle of the testimony, that it may be kept there for a token of the rebellious children of Israel, and that their complaints may cease from me lest they die.
11 Then Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer, put fire from the altar in it, lay incense on it, and bring it quickly to the community to make atonement for them; for wrath has come forth from the LORD and the blow is falling."	11 And Moses did as the Lord had commanded.
12 Obeying the orders of Moses, Aaron took his censer and ran in among the community, where the blow was already falling on the people. Then, as he offered the incense and made atonement for the people,	12 And the children of Israel said to Moses: Behold we are consumed, we all perish.
13 standing there between the living and the dead, the scourge was checked.	13 Whosoever approacheth to the tabernacle of the Lord, he dieth. Are we all to a man to be utterly destroyed?
14 Yet fourteen thousand seven hundred died from the scourge, in addition to those who died because of Korah.
15 When the scourge had been checked, Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the meeting tent.
16 The LORD now said to Moses,
17 "Speak to the Israelites and get one staff from them for each ancestral house, twelve staffs in all, one from each of their tribal princes. Mark each man's name on his staff;
18 and mark Aaron's name on Levi's staff, for the head of Levi's ancestral house shall also have a staff.
19 Then lay them down in the meeting tent, in front of the commandments, where I meet you.
20 There the staff of the man of my choice shall sprout. Thus will I suppress from my presence the Israelites' grumbling against you."
21 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their princes gave him staffs, twelve in all, one from each tribal prince; and Aaron's staff was with them.
22 Then Moses laid the staffs down before the LORD in the tent of the commandments.
23 The next day, when Moses entered the tent, Aaron's staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth not only shoots, but blossoms as well, and even bore ripe almonds!
24 Moses thereupon brought out all the staffs from the LORD'S presence to the Israelites. After each prince identified his own staff and took it,
25 the LORD said to Moses, "Put back Aaron's staff in front of the commandments, to be kept there as a warning to the rebellious, so that their grumbling may cease before me; if it does not, they will die."
26 And Moses did as the LORD had commanded him.
27 Then the Israelites cried out to Moses, "We are perishing; we are lost, we are all lost!
28 Every time anyone approaches the Dwelling of the LORD, he dies! Are we to perish to the last man?"