Numbers 17
BSB
Aaron’s Staff Buds
1And the LORD said to Moses, 2“Speak to the Israelites and take from them twelve staffs, one from the leader of each tribe. Write each man’s name on his staff, 3and write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi, because there must be one staff for the head of each tribe. 4Place the staffs in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where I meet with you. 5The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid Myself of the constant grumbling of the Israelites against you.”
6So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff—one for each of the leaders of their tribes, twelve staffs in all. And Aaron’s staff was among them. 7Then Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the Tent of the Testimony.
8The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, put forth buds, blossomed, and produced almonds. 9Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the LORD’s presence to all the Israelites. They saw them, and each man took his own staff.
10The LORD said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebellious, so that you may put an end to their grumbling against Me, lest they die.” 11So Moses did as the LORD had commanded him.
12Then the Israelites declared to Moses, “Look, we are perishing! We are lost; we are all lost! 13Anyone who comes near the tabernacle of the LORD will die. Are we all going to perish?”
Introduction
Numbers 17
Enough had been done in the chapter before to quash all pretensions of the families of the tribe of Levi that would set up in competition with Aaron, and to make it appear that Aaron was the head of the tribe; but it seems, when that matter was settled, the princes of the rest of the tribes began to murmur. If the head of a tribe must be a priest, why not the head of some other tribe than that of Levi? He that searches the heart knew this thought to be in the breast of some of them, and before it broke out into any overt act graciously anticipated it, to prevent bloodshed; and it is done by miracle in this chapter, not a miracle of wrath, as before, but of grace. I. The matter is put upon trial by the bringing of twelve rods, one for each prince, before the Lord (Num 17:1-7). II. Upon trial, the matter is determined by the miraculous blossoming of Aaron's rod (Num 17:8, Num 17:9). III. The decision of the controversy is registered by the preservation of the rod (Num 17:10, Num 17:11). IV. The people acquiesce in it with some reluctance (Num 17:12, Num 17:13).
Cross-references: Num 17:1 · Num 17:8 · Num 17:9 · Num 17:10 · Num 17:11 · Num 17:12 · Num 17:13