YHWHיְהוָהspokeוַיְדַבֵּרto Moses,אֶל מֹשֶׁהsaying,לֵּאמֹר
“Speakדַּבֵּרtoאֶלthe sonsבְּנֵיof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלand takeוְקַחfrom themמֵאִתָּםa staffמַטֶּהfor eachמַטֶּה לְfather’sאָבhouse,בֵיתfromמֵאֵתallכָּלtheir chiefsנְשִׂיאֵהֶםby their fathers’אֲבֹתָםhouses,לְבֵיתtwelveשְׁנֵים עָשָׂרstaffs.מַטּוֹתEach man’sאִישׁnameאֶת שְׁמוֹyou shall writeתִּכְתֹּבonעַלhis staff,מַטֵּהוּ
andוְthe nameאֵת שֵׁםof Aaronאַהֲרֹןyou shall writeתִּכְתֹּבonעַלthe staffמַטֵּהof Levi,לֵוִיforכִּיthere shall be oneאֶחָדstaffמַטֶּהfor the headלְרֹאשׁof their fathers’אֲבוֹתָםhouse.בֵּית
And you shall leave themוְהִנַּחְתָּםin the tentבְּאֹהֶלof meetingמוֹעֵדbeforeלִפְנֵיthe testimony,הָעֵדוּתwhereאֲשֶׁר שָׁמָּהI meetאִוָּעֵדwith you.לָכֶם
Andוְthe manהָאִישׁwhomאֲשֶׁרI choose,אֶבְחַר בּוֹhis staffמַטֵּהוּshall sprout;הָיָה יִפְרָחand I will silenceוַהֲשִׁכֹּתִיfromמֵupon meעָלַיthe grumblingsאֶת תְּלֻנּוֹתof the sonsבְּנֵיof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלwhichאֲשֶׁרtheyהֵםgrumbleמַלִּינִםagainst you.”עֲלֵיכֶם
So Mosesוַ מֹשֶׁהspokeיְדַבֵּרtoאֶלthe sonsבְּנֵיof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלand allוַ כָּלtheir chiefsנְשִׂיאֵיהֶםgaveיִּתְּנוּhimאֵלָיוa staffמַטֶּהfor eachלְ אֶחָדchief,נָשִׂיאa staffמַטֶּהfor eachלְ אֶחָדchief,נָשִׂיאby their fathers’אֲבֹתָםhouses,לְבֵיתtwelveשְׁנֵים עָשָׂרstaffs;מַטּוֹתand the staffוּמַטֵּהof Aaronאַהֲרֹןwas amongבְּתוֹךְtheir staffs.מַטּוֹתָם
And Mosesוַ מֹשֶׁהleftיַּנַּחthe staffsאֶת הַמַּטֹּתbeforeלִפְנֵיYHWHיְהוָהin the tentבְּאֹהֶלof the testimony.הָעֵדֻת
And it happenedוַיְהִיon the next dayמִמָּחֳרָתthat Mosesוַ מֹשֶׁהwentיָּבֹאintoאֶלthe tentאֹהֶלof the testimony,הָעֵדוּתandוְlook,הִנֵּהthe staffמַטֵּהof Aaronאַהֲרֹןfor the houseלְבֵיתof Leviלֵוִיhad sprouted,פָּרַחand it had put forthוַיֹּצֵאbudsפֶרַחand producedוַיָּצֵץblossomsצִיץand ripenedוַיִּגְמֹלalmonds.שְׁקֵדִים
Then Mosesוַ מֹשֶׁהbrought outיֹּצֵאallאֶת כָּלthe staffsהַמַּטֹּתfromמִלִּbeforeפְנֵיYHWHיְהוָהtoאֶלallכָּלthe sonsבְּנֵיof Israel;יִשְׂרָאֵלand they looked,וַיִּרְאוּand they took,וַיִּקְחוּeach man,אִישׁhis staff.מַטֵּהוּ
And YHWHוַ יְהוָהsaidיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלMoses,מֹשֶׁה“Put backהָשֵׁבthe staffאֶת מַטֵּהof Aaronאַהֲרֹןbeforeלִפְנֵיthe testimony,הָעֵדוּתto be keptלְמִשְׁמֶרֶתas a signלְאוֹתfor the rebels,לִבְנֵי מֶרִיso that you put an endוּתְכַלto their grumblingsתְּלוּנֹּתָםagainst me,מֵעָלַיandוְthey will notלֹאdie.”יָמֻתוּ
And Mosesוַ מֹשֶׁהdid so;יַּעַשׂasכַּאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהhad commandedצִוָּהhim,אֹתוֹsoכֵּןhe did.עָשָׂה
And the sonsוַ בְּנֵיof IsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלsaidיֹּאמְרוּtoאֶלMoses,מֹשֶׁהsaying,לֵאמֹר“Look,הֵןwe expire,גָּוַעְנוּwe perish,אָבַדְנוּall of usכֻּלָּנוּperish!אָבָדְנוּ
Everyoneכֹּלwho comes near,הַקָּרֵבwho comes nearהַקָּרֵבtoאֶלthe dwellingמִשְׁכַּןof YHWH,יְהוָהwill die.יָמוּתAre we toהַאִםcome to an endתַּמְנוּand expire?”לִגְוֺעַ