Numbers 17

1 Then Yahweh said to Moses/me,

Afei, Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Mose sɛ,

2 “Tell the Israeli people to bring to you twelve walking sticks. They should bring one from each of the leaders of the twelve tribes. You should carve each leader’s name on his stick.

“Ka kyerɛ Israelfoɔ no sɛ, abusua biara ɔdaanoni no ntwa poma na ɔntwerɛ ne din wɔ ho.

3 There must be one stick for the leader of each tribe, so you must carve Aaron’s name on the stick for the tribe of Levi.

Aaron din na wɔbɛtwerɛ agu Lewi abusuakuo poma no ho.

4 Put those sticks inside the Sacred Tent, in front of the sacred chest that has in it the tablets on which the Ten Commandments are written. That is the place where I always talk with you.

Momfa mpoma yi ngu Ahyiaeɛ Ntomadan no mu ahyiaeɛm wɔ baabi a mehyia mo wɔ adaka no anim hɔ no.

5 Buds will sprout on the stick of the man whom I have chosen [to be the priest]. [When the people see that], they will stop their constantly complaining about you [because they will realize that you are the one whom I have chosen].”

Menam mpoma yi so bɛkyerɛ onipa a mɛyi no no, na ne poma no ho bɛfefɛ! Ɛno akyi, anwiinwii a wɔnwiinwii tia wo no nyinaa to bɛtwa.”

6 So Moses/I told the people what Yahweh had said. Then each of the twelve Israeli leaders, including Aaron, brought his walking stick to Moses/me.

Enti, Mose hyɛɛ saa mmara yi maa nnipa no maa ahemfo dumienu no a Aaron ka wɔn ho de wɔn mpoma brɛɛ no.

7 Moses/I placed the sticks inside the Sacred Tent in front of the sacred chest.

Ɔde guu Awurade anim wɔ Adanseɛ Ntomadan no mu hɔ.

8 The following morning, when he/I went into the tent, he/I saw that Aaron’s stick, which represented the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, it had produced leaves and blossoms, and it had also produced almonds that were ripe!

Adeɛ kyeeɛ a ɔkɔɔ mu no, ɔhunuu sɛ Aaron poma a ɛwɔ hɔ ma Lewi abusuakuo no afefɛ ayɛ frɔmm, aso aba a ɛsensɛn so.

9 Moses/I brought all the sticks out of the Sacred Tent and showed them to the people. Each of the twelve leaders took back his own stick.

Ɛberɛ a Mose de firii Awurade hɔ baeɛ sɛ ɔde rebɛkyerɛ nkurɔfoɔ no, wɔhunuiɛ no, wɔn ho dwirii wɔn. Afei, obiara gyee ne poma, gye Aaron nko.

10 Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Put Aaron’s stick in front of the sacred chest, and let it stay there permanently. That will be a warning to people who want to rebel [against me]. Then no more people will die [because of complaining against me].”

Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Mose sɛ ɔmfa Aaron poma no nto adaka no ho pɛɛ na ɔmfa nkae saa adɔnyɛ no. Na ɛsɛ sɛ ɔde ba bɛkyerɛ nnipa no bio na sɛ anwiinwii bi wɔ hɔ a ɛtia Aaron tumi a, ɛbɛsi amanehunu foforɔ a anka ɛbɛba nnipa no so no ano.

11 So Moses/I did what Yahweh had commanded.

Enti, Mose yɛɛ deɛ Awurade hyɛɛ no sɛ ɔnyɛ no.

12 Then the Israeli people said to Moses/me, “We are going to die! All of us are surely going to die!

Nanso Israelfoɔ no kɔɔ so nwiinwiiɛ sɛ, “Yɛyɛ teaseawuo.

13 Everyone who comes close to Yahweh’s Sacred Tent dies. Are the rest of us going to die, also?” [RHQ]

Obiara a ɔbɛbɛn Awurade Ahyiaeɛ Ntomadan no ho no wu. Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛn nyinaa ase hye anaa?”