2 Say to the children of Israel that they are to give you rods, one for every family, for every chief, the head of his father's house, making twelve rods; let every man's name be placed on his rod.
The rod of authority will not be taken from Judah, and he will not be without a law-giver, till he comes who has the right to it, and the peoples will put themselves under his rule.
And the Lord said to him, What is that in your hand? And he said, A rod.
These are the names of those who are to be your helpers: from Reuben, Elizur, the son of Shedeur; From Simeon, Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai; From Judah, Nahshon, the son of Amminadab; From Issachar, Nethanel, the son of Zuar; From Zebulun, Eliab, the son of Helon; Of the children of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama, the son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur, From Benjamin, Abidan, the son of Gideoni; From Dan, Ahiezer, the son of Ammi-shaddai; From Asher, Pagiel, the son of Ochran; From Gad, Eliasaph, the son of Reuel; From Naphtali, Ahira, the son of Enan. These are the men named out of all the people, chiefs of their fathers' houses, heads of the tribes of Israel.
Those whose tents are on the east side, looking to the dawn, will be round the flag of the children of Judah, with Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, as their chief. The number of his army was seventy-four thousand, six hundred. And nearest to him will be the tribe of Issachar, with Nethanel, the son of Zuar, as their chief. The number of his army was fifty-four thousand, four hundred. After him, the tribe of Zebulun, with Eliab, the son of Helon, as their chief. The number of his army was fifty-seven thousand, four hundred. The number of all the armies of Judah was a hundred and eighty-six thousand, four hundred. They go forward first. On the south side is the flag of the children of Reuben, in the order of their armies, with Elizur, the son of Shedeur, as their chief. The number of his army was forty-six thousand, five hundred. And nearest to him, the tribe of Simeon, with Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai, as their chief. The number of his army was fifty-nine thousand, three hundred. Then the tribe of Gad, with Eliasaph, son of Reuel, as their chief. The number of his army was forty-five thousand, six hundred and fifty. The number of all the armies of Reuben together came to a hundred and fifty-one thousand, four hundred and fifty. They go forward second. Then the Tent of meeting is to go forward, with the tents of the Levites, in the middle of the armies; in the same order as their tents are placed, they are to go forward, every man under his flag. On the west side will be the flag of the children of Ephraim, with Elishama, the son of Ammihud, as their chief. The number of his army was forty thousand, five hundred. And by him the tribe of Manasseh with Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur, as their chief. The number of his army was thirty-two thousand, two hundred. Then the tribe of Benjamin, with Abidan, the son of Gideoni, as their chief. The number of his army was thirty-five thousand, four hundred. The number of all the armies of Ephraim was a hundred and eight thousand, one hundred. They go forward third. On the north side will be the flag of the children of Dan, with Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai, as their chief. The number of his army was sixty-two thousand, seven hundred. Nearest to him will be the tribe of Asher, with Pagiel, the son of Ochran, as their chief. The number of his army was forty-one thousand, five hundred; Then the tribe of Naphtali, with Ahira, the son of Enan, as their chief. The number of his army was fifty-three thousand, four hundred.
First the flag of the children of Judah went forward with their armies: and at the head of his army was Nahshon, the son of Amminadab. And at the head of the army of the children of Issachar was Nethanel, the son of Zuar. And at the head of the army of the children of Zebulun was Eliab, the son of Helon. Then the House was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were responsible for moving the House, went forward. Then the flag of the children of Reuben went forward with their armies: and at the head of his army was Elizur, the son of Shedeur. And at the head of the army of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai. At the head of the army of the children of Gad was Eliasaph, the son of Reuel. Then the Kohathites went forward with the holy place; the others put up the House ready for their coming. Then the flag of the children of Ephraim went forward with their armies: and at the head of his army was Elishama, the son of Ammihud. At the head of the army of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur. At the head of the army of the children of Benjamin was Abidan, the son of Gideoni. And the flag of the children of Dan, whose tents were moved last of all, went forward with their armies: and at the head of his army was Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai. At the head of the army of the children of Asher was Pagiel, the son of Ochran. And at the head of the army of the children of Naphtali was Ahira, the son of Enan.
The Lord will send out the rod of your strength from Zion; be king over your haters.
For the rod of sinners will not be resting on the heritage of the upright; so that the upright may not put out their hands to evil.
It has been made sharp to give death; it is polished so that it may be like a thunder-flame: ...
And you, son of man, take one stick, writing on it, For Judah and for the children of Israel who are in his company: then take another stick, writing on it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and all the children of Israel who are in his company: Then, joining them one to another, make them one stick, so that they may be one in your hand. And when the children of your people say to you, Will you not make clear to us what these things have to do with us? Then say to them, This is what the Lord has said: See, I am taking the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel who are in his company; and I will put it on the stick of Judah and make them one stick, and they will be one in my hand. And the sticks with your writing on them will be in your hand before their eyes.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 17
Commentary on Numbers 17 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 17
Nu 17:1-13. Aaron's Rod Flourishes.
2-5. Speak unto the children of Israel—The controversy with Moses and Aaron about the priesthood was of such a nature and magnitude as required a decisive and authoritative settlement. For the removal of all doubts and the silencing of all murmuring in the future regarding the holder of the office, a miracle was wrought of a remarkable character and permanent duration; and in the manner of performing it, all the people were made to have a direct and special interest.
take of every one … princes … twelve rods—As the princes, being the oldest sons of the chief family, and heads of their tribes, might have advanced the best claims to the priesthood, if that sacred dignity was to be shared among all the tribes, they were therefore selected, and being twelve in number—that of Joseph being counted only one—Moses was ordered to see that the name of each was inscribed—a practice borrowed from the Egyptians—upon his rod or wand of office. The name of Aaron rather than of Levi was used, as the latter name would have opened a door of controversy among the Levites; and as there was to be one rod only for the head of each tribe, the express appointment of a rod for Aaron determined him to be the head of that tribe, as well as that branch or family of the tribe to which the priestly dignity should belong. These rods were to be laid in the tabernacle close to the ark (compare Nu 17:10 and Heb 9:4), where a divine token was promised that would for all time terminate the dispute.
6. the rod of Aaron was among their rods—either one of the twelve, or, as many suppose, a thirteenth in the midst (Heb 9:4). The rods were of dry sticks or wands, probably old, as transmitted from one head of the family to a succeeding.
8. Moses went into the tabernacle—being privileged to do so on this occasion by the special command of God. And he there beheld the remarkable spectacle of Aaron's rod—which, according to Josephus, was a stick of an almond tree, bearing fruit in three different stages at once—buds, blossoms, and fruit.
10. Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels—For if, after all admonitions and judgments, seconded by miracles, the people should still rebel, they would certainly pay the penalty by death.
12, 13. Behold, we die, we perish—an exclamation of fear, both from the remembrance of former judgments, and the apprehension of future relapses into murmuring.
13. cometh any thing near—that is, nearer than he ought to do; an error into which many may fall. Will the stern justice of God overtake every slight offense? We shall all be destroyed. Some, however, regard this exclamation as the symptom or a new discontent, rather than the indication of a reverential and submissive spirit. Let us fear and sin not.