After the rebellion of Korah had silenced the camp, the Lord spoke again to Moses, saying, "Speak to the Israelites and collect twelve staffs from them—one from the leader of each ancestral tribe. Write each man's name on his staff. On the staff of Levi, write Aaron's name, for there is to be one staff for each tribe's leader. Then place them in the Tent of Meeting, in front of the Ark of the Testimony, where I meet with you. The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and this will stop the murmuring of the Israelites against you."
Moses obeyed the Lord's command. The leaders of the twelve tribes each brought their staffs, and Aaron's staff was among them. Moses placed all the staffs before the Lord inside the sacred tent.
The next morning, when Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony, a miracle had taken place. Aaron's staff—the one representing the tribe of Levi—had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed, and even produced ripe almonds.
Moses brought all the staffs out before the Israelites. Each man stepped forward and reclaimed his own staff, but all eyes remained fixed on Aaron's. The lifeless wood that had blossomed in a single night stood as undeniable proof of God's choice.
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Place Aaron's staff back before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebellious, so that their grumbling may cease and they will not die." And Moses did exactly as the Lord commanded.
When the people saw the sign, fear gripped them. They cried out, "We will die! We are lost—every one of us! Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all going to perish?"
And so, Aaron's staff stood before the Ark, a lasting reminder that God Himself had chosen the house of Levi to serve in His presence—and that rebellion against His order led only to death.