SEE the flowers and ripe almonds growing from this rod, or stick. This is the rod of Aaron. These flowers and the ripe fruit grew out of Aaron’s rod in just one night! Let’s see why.

The Israelites have been wandering in the wilderness for a while now. Some of the people don’t think Moses should be the leader, or that Aaron should be the high priest. Koʹrah is one who thinks this way, and so are Daʹthan, A·biʹram and 250 leaders of the people. These all come and say to Moses: ‘Why is it that you put yourself above the rest of us?’

Moses tells Koʹrah and his followers: ‘Tomorrow morning take fire holders and put incense in them. Then come to Jehovah’s tabernacle. We will see whom Jehovah will choose.’

The next day Koʹrah and his 250 followers come to the tabernacle. Many others come along to support these men. Jehovah is very angry. ‘Get away from the tents of these bad men,’ Moses says. ‘Don’t touch anything that belongs to them.’ The people listen, and move away from the tents of Koʹrah, Daʹthan and A·biʹram.

Then Moses says: ‘By this you will know whom Jehovah has chosen. The ground will open and swallow up these bad men.’

As soon as Moses stops talking, the ground opens. Koʹrah’s tent and belongings and Daʹthan and A·biʹram and those with them go down, and the ground closes over them. When the people hear the cries of those falling into the ground, they shout: ‘Run! The earth might swallow us too!’

Koʹrah and his 250 followers are still near the tabernacle. So Jehovah sends fire, and all of them are burned up. Then Jehovah tells Aaron’s son E·le·aʹzar to take the fire holders of the dead men and to make a thin covering for the altar with them. This altar covering is to serve as a warning to the Israelites that no one besides Aaron and his sons should act as priests for Jehovah.

But Jehovah wants to make very clear that it is Aaron and his sons whom he has chosen to be priests. So he tells Moses: ‘Have a leader of each tribe of Israel bring his rod. For the tribe of Levi, have Aaron bring his rod. Then put each of these rods in the tabernacle in front of the ark of the covenant. The rod of the man that I have chosen as priest will grow flowers.’

When Moses looks the next morning, why, Aaron’s rod has these flowers and ripe almonds growing out of it! So do you see now why Jehovah caused Aaron’s rod to grow flowers?