1亞倫的杖開花耶和華對摩西說：（本節在《馬索拉抄本》為17:16）
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2“你要吩咐以色列人，要從他們手中取杖，按著父家每支派一根，從他們所有的領袖，按著他們的父家，共取十二根杖，你要把各人的名字寫在各人的杖上；
2“Speak to the children of Israel, and take of them rods, one for each fathers’ house, of all their princes according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods: write every man’s name on his rod.
3又要把亞倫的名字寫在利未的杖上，因為照著他們父家各族長必有一根杖。
3You shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers’ houses.
4你要把這些杖放在會幕裡約櫃前，就是我和你們相會的地方。
4You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you.
5我揀選的那人，他的杖必發芽；這樣，我就必使以色列人向你們所發的怨言止息，不再達到我耳中。”
5It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you.”
6於是摩西吩咐以色列人，他們所有的領袖都把杖交給他，按著他們的父家，每個領袖一根杖，共有十二根杖；亞倫的杖也在其中。
6Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
7摩西就把杖放在約櫃的會幕裡，在耶和華面前。
7Moses laid up the rods before Yahweh in the tent of the testimony.
8第二天，摩西進約櫃的會幕去，不料，利未家亞倫的杖已經發了芽，生了花苞，開了花，結了熟杏。
8It happened on the next day, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.
9摩西就把所有的杖，從耶和華面前帶出來，給以色列眾人看；他們看見了，各人就把自己的杖拿了去。
9Moses brought out all the rods from before Yahweh to all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
10耶和華對摩西說：“把亞倫的杖放回約櫃前，給那些背叛的人留作證據，這樣你就使他們向我發的怨言止息，免得他們死亡。”
10Yahweh said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die.”
11摩西就這樣行了，耶和華怎樣吩咐他，他就怎樣行了。
11Moses did so. As Yahweh commanded him, so he did.
12以色列人對摩西說：“我們要死了，我們滅亡了，我們都滅亡了。
12The children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, we perish! We are undone! We are all undone!
13走近耶和華帳幕的，都必定死；難道我們都要死嗎？”
13Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of Yahweh, dies! Will we all perish?”