Liber Numeri 17
1 et locutus est Dominus ad Mosen dicens
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 loquere ad filios Israhel et accipe ab eis virgas singulas per cognationes suas a cunctis principibus tribuum virgas duodecim et uniuscuiusque nomen superscribes virgae suae
“Speak to the children of Israel, and take rods from them, one for each fathers’ house, of all their princes according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods. Write each man’s name on his rod.
3 nomen autem Aaron erit in tribu Levi et una virga cunctas eorum familias continebit
You shall write Aaron’s name on Levi’s rod. There shall be one rod for each head of their fathers’ houses.
4 ponesque eas in tabernaculo foederis coram testimonio ubi loquar ad te
You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the covenant, where I meet with you.
5 quem ex his elegero germinabit virga eius et cohibebo a me querimonias filiorum Israhel quibus contra vos murmurant
It shall happen that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud. I will make the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you, cease from me.”
6 locutusque est Moses ad filios Israhel et dederunt ei omnes principes virgas per singulas tribus fueruntque virgae duodecim absque virga Aaron
Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, a total of twelve rods. Aaron’s rod was amongst their rods.
7 quas cum posuisset Moses coram Domino in tabernaculo testimonii
Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the Tent of the Testimony.
8 sequenti die regressus invenit germinasse virgam Aaron in domo Levi et turgentibus gemmis eruperant flores qui foliis dilatatis in amigdalas deformati sunt
On the next day, Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony; and behold, Aaron’s rod for the house of Levi had sprouted, budded, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.
9 protulit ergo Moses omnes virgas de conspectu Domini ad cunctos filios Israhel videruntque et receperunt singuli virgas suas
Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the children of Israel. They looked, and each man took his rod.
10 dixitque Dominus ad Mosen refer virgam Aaron in tabernaculum testimonii ut servetur ibi in signum rebellium filiorum et quiescant querellae eorum a me ne moriantur
The LORD said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the covenant, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their complaining against me, that they not die.”
11 fecitque Moses sicut praeceperat Dominus
Moses did so. As the LORD commanded him, so he did.
12 dixerunt autem filii Israhel ad Mosen ecce consumpti sumus omnes perivimus
The children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, we perish! We are undone! We are all undone!
13 quicumque accedit ad tabernaculum Domini moritur num usque ad internicionem cuncti delendi sumus
Everyone who keeps approaching the LORD’s tabernacle, dies! Will we all perish?”
