Kebra Nagast

took up stones to stone Moses and Aaron. x And God was exceedingly wroth with Israel, and He abominated as a filthy rag the counsel of Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Korah. And the Word of God made a sign to the earth, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, together with all their companions, and their wives, and their children, and their beasts. They went down into Sheol alive, and the earth shut herself up over them. And as for the people who had been associated with them and had heard their revilings [of Moses] God sent upon them a plague, and they died forthwith. And Moses and Aaron came with incense and censers, and they wept before God, and entreated Him for " Remember, O Lord, forgiveness for the people, saying, Abraham Thy friend, and Isaac Thy servant, and Israel Thy holy one, for we are their seed, and the children of Thy people. Cool Thy wrath in respect of us, and make haste to hear us, destroy us not, and remove Thy punishment from upon Thypeople." And God the Merciful saw the sincerity of Moses, and had compassion upon them. And God spake unto Moses and said unto him, " Speak thou to this people and say unto them, Sanctify ye yourselves, and bring ye for each of the houses of your fathers a rod,' and write ye [the name] upon it so that ye may know their rods, thou and thy brother Aaron. Now of your houses let Aaron write upon his rod, but upon thine own rod make no mark, for it shall be a perfect miracle for the children of thy people, a vindication for the wicked, and a sign of life If thou didst write [thy for all those who believe. c name] now with them, they would say unto thee, This hath been a worker of miracles from of old by the word let them say this when I have shown them a of God But for the house of thy miracle by it (i.e. the rod). father write upon the rod of Aaron." 2 * ' ; 1 8 176 Compare Exodus xvii, 4 Numbers xvii, 8. ; Numbers xvi, 41.