A reading from the Book of Numbers.

The Lord spoke to Moses saying, Speak to the people of Israel, and get from them staffs,

one for each father's house, from all their chiefs according to their father's houses,

12 staffs.

Write each man's name on his staff and write Aaron's name on the staff of Levi, for there shall be one staff for the head of each father's house.

Then you shall deposit them in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you, and the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout.

Thus I will make to cease from me the grumblings of the people of Israel,

which they grumble against you. Moses spoke to the people of Israel, and all their chiefs gave

him staffs, one for each chief, according to their father's houses, 12 staffs, and the staff of

Aaron was among their staffs, and Moses deposited the staffs before the Lord in the

ten of the testimony. On the next day, Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold,

the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms,

and it bore ripe almonds. Then Moses brought out all the staffs from before the Lord to all the people of Israel,

and they looked and each man took his staff.

And the Lord said to Moses,

Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony,

to be kept as a sign for the rebels,

that you may make an end of their grumblings against me, lest they die.

Thus did Moses, as the Lord commanded him, so he did.

And the people of Israel said to Moses,

Behold we perish.

We are undone, we are all undone.

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