Numbers 17

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DIODATI
1 The LORD said to Moses,	1 POI il Signore parlò a Mosè, dicendo:
2 "Tell Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, to remove the censers from the embers; and scatter the fire some distance away,	2 Parla a’ figliuoli d’Israele, e prendi da loro una verga per ciascuna nazione paterna; dodici verghe, da tutti i capi delle lor nazioni paterne; e scrivi il nome di ciascun d’essi sopra la sua verga.
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 E scrivi il nome di Aaronne sopra la verga di Levi; perciocchè v’ha da essere una verga per ciascun capo di nazione paterna.
4 So Eleazar the priest had the bronze censers of those burned during the offering hammered into a covering for the altar,	4 Poi riponi quelle verghe nel Tabernacolo della convenenza, davanti alla Testimonianza, dove io mi ritrovo con voi.
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 E avverrà che la verga di colui che io avrò eletto germoglierà; e così acqueterò d’attorno a me i mormorii de’ figliuoli d’Israele, co’ quali mormorano contro a voi.
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 Mosè adunque parlò a’ figliuoli d’Israele; e tutti i lor capi gli diedero una verga per ciascun capo delle lor nazioni paterne, che furono dodici verghe; e la verga d’Aaronne era per mezzo le lor verghe.
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 E Mosè ripose quelle verghe davanti al Signore, nel Tabernacolo della Testimonianza
8 Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the meeting tent,	8 E il giorno seguente, essendo Mosè entrato nel Tabernacolo della Testimonianza, ecco, la verga d’Aaronne, ch’era per la nazione di Levi, era germogliata; e avea messe gemme, e prodotti fiori, e maturate delle mandorle.
9 and the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,	9 E Mosè trasse fuori tutte quelle verghe d’innanzi al Signore, e le recò a tutti i figliuoli d’Israele; i quali le videro, e ciascuno prese la sua verga.
10 "Depart from this community, that I may consume them at once." But they fell prostrate.	10 E il Signore disse a Mosè: Riporta la verga d’Aaronne davanti alla Testimonianza; acciocchè sia guardata per segnale a’ ribelli; e così fa’ restar d’attorno a me i lor mormorii; che talora non muoiano.
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 E Mosè fece così; come il Signore gli avea comandato, così fece.
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 E i figliuoli d’Israele dissero a Mosè: Ecco, noi siam morti, noi siam perduti, noi tutti siam perduti.
13 standing there between the living and the dead, the scourge was checked.	13 Chiunque si accosta al Tabernacolo del Signore muore; morremo noi tutti quanti?
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?"