Numbers17
New International Version
1The Lord said to Moses,
2“Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff.
3On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe.
4Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the covenant law, where I meet with you.
5The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites.”
6So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them.
7Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the covenant law.
8The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.
9Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the Lord’s presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each of the leaders took his own staff.
10The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.”
11Moses did just as the Lord commanded him.
12The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost!
13Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all going to die?”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 17.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Twelve rods laid up before the Lord. (1–7). Aaron's rod buds, and is kept for a memorial. (8–13).
vv1-7
It is an instance of the grace of God, that, having wrought divers miracles to punish sin, he would work one more to prevent it. Twelve rods or staves were to be brought in. It is probable that they were the staves which the princes used as ensigns of their authority; old dry staves, that had no sap in them. They were to expect that the rod of the tribe, or prince, whom God chose to the priesthood, should bud and blossom. Moses did not object that the matter was sufficiently settled already; he did not undertake to determine it; but left the case before the Lord.
vv8-13
While all the other rods remained as they were. Aaron's rod became a living branch. In some places there were buds, in others blossoms, in others fruit, at the same time; all this was miraculous. Thus Aaron was manifested to be under the special blessing of Heaven. Fruitfulness is the best evidence of a Divine call; and the plants of God's setting, and the boughs cut off them, will flourish. This rod was preserved, to take away the murmurings of the people, that they might not die. The design of God, in all his providences, and in the memorials of them, is to take away sin. Christ was manifested to take away sin. Christ is expressly called a rod out of the stem of Jesse: little prospect was there, according to human views, that he should ever flourish. But the dry rod revived and blossomed to the confusion of his adversaries. The people cry, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish! This was the language of a repining people, quarrelling with the judgments of God, which by their own pride and obstinacy they brought upon themselves. It is very wicked to fret against God when we are in affliction, and in our distress thus to trespass yet more. If we die, if we perish, it is of ourselves, and the blame will be upon our own heads. When God judges, he will overcome, and will oblige the most obstinate gainsayers to confess their folly. And how great are our mercies, that we have a clearer and a better dispensation, established upon better promises!
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
לָקַח: to take (in the widest variety of applications)
מַטֶּה: a branch (as extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for chastising (figuratively, correction), ruling (a sceptre), throwing (a lance), or walking (a staff; figuratively, a support of life, e.g. bread)
אָב: father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
בַּיִת: a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
Cross References
Numbers 17Explicit NT reference confirming Aaron's rod was kept inside or near the ark of the covenant.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Thematic parallel where names are written on wood sticks/rods to represent and unite Israel's tribes.
Affirms that no man takes the honor of priesthood to himself, but he who is called.
Direct connection to the core test of who God chooses and separates for his service.
An almond rod used by God as a visual sign, matching Aaron's almond-yielding branch.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel where objects are preserved as a warning sign and memorial for future rebels.
God addresses the terrified people's fear of dying near the tabernacle by structuring priestly duties.
The Lord sending the rod of strength out of Zion, symbolic of authoritative rule.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Details the Testimony where the rods are laid up and where God meets with Moses.
Messianic prophecy of Christ flourishing from a dry root or stem, foreshadowed by Aaron's rod.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Prophetic imagery of making the horn of David to bud and preparing a lamp.
The law warning that any unauthorized person who comes near the tabernacle must be executed.
Immediate fulfillment of God's promise that the chosen man's rod would blossom.
Similar panic and fear of God's holiness following a fatal judgment around the Ark.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB