Numbers 17

1 And the LORD said to Moses,

1 耶和华对摩西说：

2 “Speak to the Israelites and take from them twelve staffs, one from the leader of each tribe. Write each man’s name on his staff,

2 「你晓谕以色列人，从他们手下取杖，每支派一根；从他们所有的首领，按着支派，共取十二根。你要将各人的名字写在各人的杖上，

3 and write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi, because there must be one staff for the head of each tribe.

3 并要将亚伦的名字写在利未的杖上，因为各族长必有一根杖。

4 Place the staffs in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where I meet with you.

4 你要把这些杖存在会幕内法柜前，就是我与你们相会之处。

5 The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid Myself of the constant grumbling of the Israelites against you.”

5 后来我所拣选的那人，他的杖必发芽。这样，我必使以色列人向你们所发的怨言止息，不再达到我耳中。」

6 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff—one for each of the leaders of their tribes, twelve staffs in all. And Aaron’s staff was among them.

6 于是摩西晓谕以色列人，他们的首领就把杖交给他，按着支派，每首领一根，共有十二根；亚伦的杖也在其中。

7 Then Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the Tent of the Testimony.

7 摩西就把杖存在法柜的帐幕内，在耶和华面前。

8 The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, put forth buds, blossomed, and produced almonds.

8 第二天，摩西进法柜的帐幕去。谁知利未族亚伦的杖已经发了芽，生了花苞，开了花，结了熟杏。

9 Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the LORD’s presence to all the Israelites. They saw them, and each man took his own staff.

9 摩西就把所有的杖从耶和华面前拿出来，给以色列众人看；他们看见了，各首领就把自己的杖拿去。

10 The LORD said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebellious, so that you may put an end to their grumbling against Me, lest they die.”

10 耶和华吩咐摩西说：「把亚伦的杖还放在法柜前，给这些背叛之子留作记号。这样，你就使他们向我发的怨言止息，免得他们死亡。」

11 So Moses did as the LORD had commanded him.

11 摩西就这样行。耶和华怎样吩咐他，他就怎样行了。

12 Then the Israelites declared to Moses, “Look, we are perishing! We are lost; we are all lost!

12 以色列人对摩西说：「我们死啦！我们灭亡啦！都灭亡啦！

13 Anyone who comes near the tabernacle of the LORD will die. Are we all going to perish?”

13 凡挨近耶和华帐幕的是必死的。我们都要死亡吗？」