Moses Settles the Dispute over the Priesthood

1 And is it any wonder that those who were entrusted in Christ with such a work by God appointed the persons already mentioned? For even the blessed Moses who was a faithful servant in all His house⁠a recorded as a sign in the sacred books everything that was commanded him. And the rest of the prophets followed him, bearing witness with him to the laws he had laid down. 2 For when jealousy arose over the priesthood, and the tribes were disputing which of them was adorned with the glorious name, he commanded the twelve chiefs of the tribes to bring him rods inscribed with the name of each tribe. And he took them and tied them and sealed them with the signet rings of the chiefs of the tribes, and put them away in the tabernacle of the testimony on the table of God. 3 And having shut the tabernacle he sealed the keys and the doors as well. 4 And he said to them, “Brothers and sisters, the tribe whose rod buds is the one God has chosen to be priests and ministers⁠b to Him.” 5 Now when morning came, he called together all Israel, the six hundred thousand men, and showed the seals to the chiefs of the tribes and opened the tabernacle of the testimony and took out the rods. And the rod of Aaron was found not only with buds, but also bearing fruit. 6 What do you think, dear friends? Did Moses not know beforehand that this would happen? Certainly he knew it. But he did this so that disorder would not arise in Israel, and so that the Name of the true and only God might be glorified: to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.