Numeri 17

BIBBIA RICCIOTTI	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 - Ed il Signore disse a Mosè:	1 The LORD said to Moses,
2 «Parla a' figli d'Israele, e fatti dare da loro una verga per ogni tribù, cioè dodici verghe da tutti i capi-tribù, e scrivi il nome di ciascuno sulla sua verga.	2 "Tell Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, to remove the censers from the embers; and scatter the fire some distance away,
3 Metterai poi il nome d'Aronne per la tribù di Levi, e così ogni tribù avrà da sè 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."
4 e le porrai nel tabernacolo dell'alleanza, di contro all'arca da dove io ti parlo.	4 So Eleazar the priest had the bronze censers of those burned during the offering hammered into a covering for the altar,
5 La verga di quegli che io eleggerò di fra loro, germoglierà; così acqueterò intorno a me i lamenti de' figli d'Israele, co' quali mormorano contro di 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.
6 Mosè dunque parlò a' figli di Israele, e tutti i capi gli dettero ciascuno una verga per la sua tribù; furon dunque dodici verghe, oltre quella d'Aronne.	6 The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, "It is you who have slain the LORD'S people."
7 Mosè le pose davanti al Signore nel tabernacolo della testimonianza;	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.
8 e tornato il giorno seguente, trovò che la verga d'Aronne, quella per la tribù di Levi, aveva germogliato; messe le gemme, n'eran usciti i fiori, e questi sbocciati avevano dato le mandorle.	8 Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the meeting tent,
9 Mosè dunque portò tutte le verghe dal tabernacolo del Signore alla presenza di tutt'i figli d'Israele; e dopo aver visto, riebbero ciascuno la propria verga.	9 and the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
10 Ed il Signore disse a Mosè: «Riporta la verga d'Aronne nel tabernacolo della testimonianza, acciò ivi sia conservata come avviso ai ribelli figliuoli d'Israele, e cessino da me le loro querele, e non abbiano a morire».	10 "Depart from this community, that I may consume them at once." But they fell prostrate.
11 E Mosè fece come il Signore gli aveva ordinato.	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."
12 Ma i figli d'Israele dissero a Mosè: «Ecco, siamo sterminati, siamo tutti perduti;	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,
13 chiunque s'accosta al tabernacolo del Signore, muore. Dobbiamo dunque morir tutti, dal primo all'ultimo?».	13 standing there between the living and the dead, the scourge was checked.
	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?"