10 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Bring H7725 Aaron's H175 rod H4294 again H7725 before H6440 the testimony, H5715 to be kept H4931 for a token H226 against the rebels; H4805 H1121 and thou shalt quite take away H3615 their murmurings H8519 from me, that they die H4191 not.
The censers H4289 of these sinners H2400 against their own souls, H5315 let them make H6213 them broad H7555 plates H6341 for a covering H6826 of the altar: H4196 for they offered H7126 them before H6440 the LORD, H3068 therefore they are hallowed: H6942 and they shall be a sign H226 unto the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
Which had G2192 the golden G5552 censer, G2369 and G2532 the ark G2787 of the covenant G1242 overlaid G4028 round about G3840 with gold, G5553 wherein G1722 G3739 was the golden G5552 pot G4713 that had G2192 manna, G3131 and G2532 Aaron's G2 rod G4464 that budded, G985 and G2532 the tables G4109 of the covenant; G1242
And Moses H4872 said, H559 This is the thing H1697 which the LORD H3068 commandeth, H6680 Fill H4393 an omer H6016 of it to be kept H4931 for your generations; H1755 that they may see H7200 the bread H3899 wherewith I have fed H398 you in the wilderness, H4057 when I brought you forth H3318 from the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
To be a memorial H2146 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that H834 H4616 no stranger, H376 H2114 which is not of the seed H2233 of Aaron, H175 come near H7126 to offer H6999 incense H7004 before H6440 the LORD; H3068 that he be not as Korah, H7141 and as his company: H5712 as the LORD H3068 said H1696 to him by the hand H3027 of Moses. H4872
Ye have been rebellious H4784 against the LORD H3068 from the day H3117 that I knew H3045 you.
Now therefore write H3789 ye this song H7892 for you, and teach H3925 it the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 put H7760 it in their mouths, H6310 that this song H7892 may be a witness H5707 for me against the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 For when I shall have brought H935 them into the land H127 which I sware H7650 unto their fathers, H1 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey; H1706 and they shall have eaten H398 and filled H7646 themselves, and waxen fat; H1878 then will they turn H6437 unto other H312 gods, H430 and serve H5647 them, and provoke H5006 me, and break H6565 my covenant. H1285 And it shall come to pass, when many H7227 evils H7451 and troubles H6869 are befallen H4672 them, that this song H7892 shall testify H6030 against H6440 them as a witness; H5707 for it shall not be forgotten H7911 out of the mouths H6310 of their seed: H2233 for I know H3045 their imagination H3336 which they go about, H6213 even now, H3117 before I have brought H935 them into the land H776 which I sware. H7650 Moses H4872 therefore wrote H3789 this song H7892 the same day, H3117 and taught H3925 it the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 And he gave Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun H5126 a charge, H6680 and said, H559 Be strong H2388 and of a good courage: H553 for thou shalt bring H935 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 into the land H776 which I sware H7650 unto them: and I will be with thee. And it came to pass, when Moses H4872 had made an end H3615 of writing H3789 the words H1697 of this law H8451 in a book, H5612 until they were finished, H8552 That Moses H4872 commanded H6680 the Levites, H3881 which bare H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 Take H3947 this book H5612 of the law, H8451 and put H7760 it in the side H6654 of the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 your God, H430 that it may be there for a witness H5707 against thee.
Now the sons H1121 of Eli H5941 were sons H1121 of Belial; H1100 they knew H3045 not the LORD. H3068
Then answered H6030 all the wicked H7451 men H376 and men of Belial, H1100 of those H582 that went H1980 with David, H1732 and said, H559 Because they went H1980 not with us, we will not give H5414 them ought of the spoil H7998 that we have recovered, H5337 save to every man H376 his wife H802 and his children, H1121 that they may lead them away, H5090 and depart. H3212
Hear, H8085 O heavens, H8064 and give ear, H238 O earth: H776 for the LORD H3068 hath spoken, H1696 I have nourished H1431 and brought up H7311 children, H1121 and they have rebelled H6586 against me.
O Israel, H3478 thou hast sinned H2398 from the days H3117 of Gibeah: H1390 there they stood: H5975 the battle H4421 in Gibeah H1390 against the children H1121 of iniquity H5932 did not overtake H5381 them.
Wherein G1722 G3739 in time past G4218 ye walked G4043 according to G2596 the course G165 of this G5127 world, G2889 according to G2596 the prince G758 of the power G1849 of the air, G109 the spirit G4151 that now G3568 worketh G1754 in G1722 the children G5207 of disobedience: G543 Among G1722 whom G3739 also G2532 we G2249 all G3956 had our conversation G390 in times past G4218 in G1722 the lusts G1939 of our G2257 flesh, G4561 fulfilling G4160 the desires G2307 of the flesh G4561 and G2532 of the mind; G1271 and G2532 were G2258 by nature G5449 the children G5043 of wrath, G3709 even G2532 as G5613 others. G3062
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.