Numbers 17:6

_AND MOSES SPAKE UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND EVERY ONE OF THEIR PRINCES GAVE HIM A ROD APIECE, FOR EACH PRINCE ONE, ACCORDING TO THEIR FATHERS' HOUSES, EVEN TWELVE RODS: AND THE ROD OF AARON WAS AMONG THEIR RODS._ THE ROD OF AARON WAS AMONG THEIR RODS - either one of the twelve, or, as many suppose, a thirteenth in the midst (Hebrews 9:4). The rods were of dry sticks or wands, probably old, as transmitted from one head of the family to a succeeding....

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....

The whole number of rods was twelve exclusive of Aaron’s, as the Vulgate expressly states....

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 ...

AND MOSES SPAKE UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,.... What the Lord had bid him say unto them concerning the rods, which they hearkened unto and observed: AND EVERYONE OF THEIR PRINCES GAVE HIM A ROD APIECE, FOR EACH PRINCE ONE; every prince of the several tribes, and so a rod for every tribe, as well as for each prince: ACCORDING TO THEIR FATHER'S HOUSES, [EVEN] TWELVE RODS; there being twelve tribes named after their fathers, or the patriarchs, the twelve sons of Jacob; and Joseph having two tribes which sprung from him, called after his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh, there were twelve rods besides that of Aaron; and so the Vulgate Latin version renders the words with the next clause, "and there were twelve rods besides the rod of Aaron;'' in all thirteen; though the Jews say there were but twelve with it, allowing but one rod for Joseph, under whom were comprehended Ephraim and Manasse...

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

_the_ STAFF _of Aaron was_ IN THE MIDST OF _their_ STAVES] We are perhaps to think of the thirteen staves as stuck into the ground and standing erect, Aaron's staff being the middle one....

F. BUDDING OF AARON'S ROD (NUMBERS 17) TEXT Numbers 17:1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 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. 3. And 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. 4. And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet you. 5. And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you. 6. And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, an

AARON'S AUTHORITY CONFIRMED Korah and his followers having questioned the authority of Aaron and the claim of his family to the priesthood, the matter is put beyond the possibility of further doubt by the Blossoming of Aaron's rod....