The Budding of Aaron’s Rod—Numbers 16:41—17:13

<p><strong>41</strong> On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” <strong>42</strong> Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. <strong>43</strong> Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting.</p><p><strong>44</strong> And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, <strong>45</strong> “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”</p><p>And they fell on their faces.</p><p><strong>46</strong> So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense <em>on it,</em> and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun.” <strong>47</strong> Then Aaron took <em>it</em> as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. <strong>48</strong> And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped. <strong>49</strong> Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident. <strong>50</strong> So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, for the plague had stopped.</p><p><strong>1</strong> And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: <strong>2</strong> “Speak to the children of Israel, and get from them a rod from each father’s house, all their leaders according to their fathers’ houses—twelve rods. Write each man’s name on his rod. <strong>3</strong> And you shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi. For there shall be one rod for the head of <em>each</em> father’s house. <strong>4</strong> Then you shall place them in the tabernacle of meeting before the Testimony, where I meet with you. <strong>5</strong> And it shall be <em>that</em> the rod of the man whom I choose will blossom; thus I will rid Myself of the complaints of the children of Israel, which they make against you.”</p><p><strong>6</strong> So Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and each of their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods; and the rod of Aaron <em>was</em> among their rods. <strong>7</strong> And Moses placed the rods before