Numbers

Numbers 17

1God commandeth the rods of the tribes to be brought before the testimony. 6They are laid up, and Aaron's rod only flourisheth. 10It is left for a monument against the rebels.


1AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of aall their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.

a ch. 1.5-16; 2.3-30; 10.14-27.

3And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.

4And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation bbefore the testimony, where I will meet with you.

b Ex. 25.16,22; 30.36.

5And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I cshall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, dwhereby they murmur against you.

c ch. 16.5. d ch. 16.11.

6¶And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and eevery one of their princes gave him 1a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

1Heb. a rod for one prince, a rod for one prince.

e v.1. ch. 1.5-16.

7And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in fthe tabernacle of witness.

f Ex. 38.21. ch. 18.2. 2Ch. 24.6. Ac. 7.44.

8And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was gbudded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

g Ge. 40.10. Eze. 17.24. Jn. 5.30. Is. 4.2; 9.7. Ps. 132.18; 110.2,3. Ca. 3.3. Re. 22.2.

9And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.

10¶And the LORD said unto Moses, hBring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, ito be kept jfor a token against the 2rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

2Heb. children of rebellion.

h He. 9.4. Ex. 16.32. De. 31.19-26. i ch. 3.7; 18.3,4,5; 19.9. j ch. 16.38.

11And kMoses did so : as the LORD commanded him, so did he.

k ch. 8.22; 9.23.

12And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, lwe die, we perish, we all perish.

l Is. 26.11. Pr. 19.3. Jude 16. Eze. 18.25. ch. 14.1; 16.19.

13 mWhosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?

m ch. 1.51; 3.10,38; 18.4,7,22.