Numbers 17:2

_SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND TAKE OF EVERY ONE OF THEM A ROD ACCORDING TO THE HOUSE OF THEIR FATHERS, OF ALL THEIR PRINCES ACCORDING TO THE HOUSE OF THEIR FATHERS TWELVE RODS: WRITE THOU EVERY MAN'S NAME_ _ UPON HIS ROD._ 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 complaining future regarding the holder of the office, a miracle was performed 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. Since 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 sa...

2._Speak unto the children of Israel. _They are mistaken who suppose that to the twelve rods there was another added for the tribe of Levi; (103) for, since there was no question here as to the possession of the land, there was no occasion at all for the division of the tribe of Joseph into two parts. We know, too, that it was endowed with a double portion, because the Levites had no inheritance; and in this case the circumstances were different, because all the other tribes were contending for the priesthood with the tribe of Levi alone. Hence it was, then, that rods were given to each of them, in accordance with the origin of their race. But, when Aaron’s rod is said to have been “in the midst of them,” (104) it is in the usual phrase of the Hebrew language, because it was mixed with them as one of their number. And this is expressly stated, to show us that all ground for

1-7 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....

Verse Numbers 17:2. _AND TAKE OF EVERY ONE OF THEM A ROD_] מטה _matteh_, the _staff_ or _sceptre_, which the _prince_ or _chief_ of each tribe bore, and which was the sign of _office_ or _royalty_ among almost all the people of the earth....

Compare Ezekiel 37:16 ff....

EXPOSITION AARON'S ROD THAT BUDDED (Numbers 17:1). NUMBERS 17:1 AND THE LORD SPAKE. Presumably upon the same day, since the design was to prevent any recurrence of the sin and punishment described above. NUMBERS 17:2 TAKE OF EVERY ONE OF THEM A ROD. Literally, "take of them a rod, a rod," _i.e; _a rod apiece, in the way immediately particularized. hsilgnE:egaugnaL\מַטֶּה} _ _is used for the staff of Judah (Genesis 38:18) and for the rod of Moses ...

SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,.... The principal men among them of the several tribes: AND TAKE OF EVERYONE OF THEM; not of every individual of the people of Israel, but of their princes, as afterwards explained: A ROD, ACCORDING TO THE HOUSE OF [THEIR] FATHERS; or "father", of whom their house or tribe was called, as Reuben, Simeon, c. this rod was either a common walking staff, as some think, or rather the ensign of their princely office and dignity, peculiar to each tribe though some think it was now freshly cut off from an almond tree, and that all the rods were of one and the same tree; but supposing they were all of the almond kind, as Josephus d thinks, yet being dry rods, and of long use, served to make the miracle appear the greater: OF ALL THEIR PRINCES, ACCORDING TO THE HOUSE OF THEIR FATHERS, TWELVE RODS; this explains who they were to be taken of, the princes of the s...

7. THE PRIESTHOOD OF AARON CONFIRMED CHAPTER 17 _ 1. The divine command (Numbers 17:1)_ 2. The rods before Jehovah (Numbers 17:6) 3. The blossoming rod of Aaron (Numbers 17:8) Little comment is needed on this chapter. The blossoming and fruit bearing rod of Aaron is another confirmation of the priesthood. Standing among the dying, “making an atonement,” he is a type of Christ in His atoning work. The blossoming rod is the beautiful figure of resurrection. The rods were absolutely dead, not a sign of life was there. And Aaron's rod received life during that night and life was there in its abundance, buds, blossoms and almonds. Christ risen from the dead, the firstfruits of them that sle

THE BUDDING OF AARON'S ROD (from P). The superiority of Levi over the other tribes is finally vindicated through the budding of the rod of Aaron (the representative of that tribe) when a rod for each tribe is laid up before the Ark. Rods (or staves) were usually carried by persons of distinction among the Hebrews (Numbers 21:18; Genesis 38:18; 1 Samuel 14:43) as among the Babylonians (Herodotus, i. 195). Fanciful stories, which are in some degree parallel to this story, and describe the sprouting of sapless staves or shafts, occur in the classical tales of Hercules-' club and Romulus'spear (which took root and grew) Numbers 17:2

CHILDREN. sons....