The Israelites left Mount Sinai and traveled through the desert of Paran to a place called Kadesh. There Jehovah told Moses: ‘Send 12 men, one from each tribe, to spy out Canaan, the land that I will give to the Israelites.’ So Moses chose 12 men and said to them: ‘Go to Canaan, and find out if the land is good for growing food. See whether the people are weak or strong and whether they live in tents or in cities.’ The 12 spies, including Joshua and Caleb, left for Canaan.

After 40 days, the spies returned, bringing back figs, pomegranates, and grapes. The spies reported: ‘It is a good land, but the people are strong and the cities have high walls.’ Then Caleb said: ‘We can conquer them. Let’s go right away!’ Do you know why Caleb said that? Because he and Joshua trusted in Jehovah. But the other ten spies said: ‘No! The people there are huge, like giants! We seemed like grasshoppers next to them.’

The Israelites were discouraged. They began to complain and say to one another: ‘Let’s choose a different leader and go back to Egypt. Why should we go to this place and be killed?’ Joshua and Caleb said: ‘Do not disobey Jehovah, and do not be afraid. Jehovah will protect us.’ But the Israelites would not listen. They even wanted to kill Joshua and Caleb!

What did Jehovah do? He said to Moses: ‘After everything I have done for the Israelites, they still do not obey me. So they will stay in the wilderness for 40 years, and here they will die. Only their children and Joshua and Caleb will live in the land that I promised to give them.’

Some time later, while the Israelites were in the wilderness, Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and 250 others rebelled against Moses. They said to him: ‘We have had enough of you! Why should you be our leader and Aaron be the high priest? Jehovah is with all of us, not just you and Aaron.’ Jehovah was not pleased. He viewed it as a rebellion against him!

Moses told Korah and his supporters: ‘Come to the tabernacle tomorrow, and bring your fire holders filled with incense. Jehovah will show us whom he has chosen.’

The next day, Korah and the 250 men went to meet Moses at the tabernacle. There they burned incense as if they were priests. Jehovah told Moses and Aaron: ‘Separate yourselves from Korah and his men.’

Although Korah had gone to Moses at the tabernacle, Dathan, Abiram, and their families had refused to go. Jehovah told the Israelites to get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Immediately, the Israelites moved away. Dathan, Abiram, and their families stood outside their tents. Suddenly the ground split apart and swallowed them up! At the tabernacle, a fire came down and burned up Korah and his 250 men.

Jehovah then told Moses: ‘Take a staff from the leader of each tribe, and write his name on it. But on the staff of the tribe of Levi, write Aaron’s name. Put them inside the tabernacle, and the staff of the man whom I choose will grow flowers.’

The next day, Moses brought out all the staffs and showed them to the leaders. Aaron’s staff had flowers growing, and there were ripe almonds on it. In this way, Jehovah confirmed that he had chosen Aaron to be the high priest.