The Fourth Book of Moses, called Numbers
Numbers 17
Chapter XVII · Vol. I, pp. 443–444
1 Aaron's rod among all the rods of the tribes only flourisheth. 10 It is left for a monument against the rebels.
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 a all their princes, according to the house of their fathers, twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.
a ch. 1.5-16; 2.3-30; 10.14-27.
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 b before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
b Ex. 25.16, 22; 30.36. Moses had access at all times into the most holy place.
5 And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I c shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.1
c ch. 16.5.
1 The large body of the people were manifestly deeply implicated in the rebellion of Korah. The 250 princes of renown who joined with him were men held in high estimation. They were the champions of the unruly mob; and they were put forward to oppose that supremacy which Moses had so long exercised. When they were consumed by fire from the Lord, the mob was awed and terrified for the moment; but terror soon gave way to rage, and they charged Moses and Aaron with the murder of their leaders. The plague again struck terror into their hearts; and now that they might have visible proof that Moses and Aaron were not usurpers, but were the chosen of the Lord, this miracle of the rod was wrought.—P.
6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and d every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece,2 for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
A.M. 2533. B.C. 1471.
d ver. 1; ch. 1.5-16.
2 Heb. a rod for one prince, a rod for one prince.
7 And Moses laid up the rods3 before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.
3 Aaron's blossoming rod typified Christ and the gospel rod of his strength.
8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was e budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.4
e Ge. 40.10. Eze. 17.24. Jn. 5.30. Is. 4.2; 9.7. Ps. 132.18; 110.2, 3. Ca. 3.3. Re. 22.2.
4 That is, it exhibited the ordinary threefold succession of buds, blossoms, and fruit, in contemporaneous fellowship, a lovely emblem of the spiritual life of the true Christian, always budding in the spring of hope, always blossoming in the summer of beauty, always fruitful in the harvest of ingathering, Jn. 15.1-8.—C.
9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.5
5 Never was the evidence of a miracle more complete. (1) A dead rod not only buds, but blossoms, and bears fruit, at once. (2) The princes examined all, and each took his own rod. (3) They were rebels that examined, and ambitious of the honour to be conferred on Aaron by this decision. (4) Aaron's rod was publicly deposited as an evidence of the fact recorded against the rebels. (5) They acquiesced in the evidence, and never murmured upon this head again.—Note, When infidelity denies miracles, it must deny them either upon a theory that asserts the impossibility of a miracle, or the insufficiency of the evidence. But such a theory is unphilosophical, being a mere assumption, without proof; and if the evidence for this miracle be insufficient, then is there no sufficient evidence for any historical fact. Into this conclusion, no doubt, infidelity is driven; and then it is madness, and reasoning with it is vain.—C.
10 And the LORD said unto Moses, f Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels;6 and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
f He. 9.4. Ex. 16.32. De. 31.19-26.
6 Heb. children of rebellion.
12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, h Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
h Is. 26.11. Pr. 19.3. Jude 16. Eze. 18.25. ch. 14.1; 16.19.
13 Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?
Notes
[Ver. 6. There were originally but twelve tribes, but when Joseph was increased into Ephraim and Manasseh, Ge. 48.17, they became thirteen; afterwards when the tribe of Levi, instead of being numbered for war, was chosen of God for his service, instead of the first-born of every tribe, Nu. 1.47; 3.41, the tribes were again reckoned as twelve, Levi ceasing to be counted. As in this narrative 'every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, and the rod of Aaron was among them,' there were in all thirteen rods. C.]
Reflections.—It is very desirable to prevent all disputes among the people of God; but often very difficult to extinguish some men's pretensions to what was never theirs. Abundant is the grace of God, who will even work miracles to prevent the sin and ruin of such as have rebelled against him: and what a mercy is it when a minister's call to his office is manifested by his success therein; and if sinners, even at the last, be brought to repentance! Nothing, surely, but a remarkable bestowal of gracious influence will effectually stop all murmurings against the dispensations of God, and bring sinners to submit to them. But in this budding rod let me not only behold the fruitfulness of the Aaronic priesthood, in its usefulness to the people, and the certain succession of priests while the ceremonial period continued, with the speedy justice which overtook the invaders thereof: but let me chiefly remark the eternal, the sole high-priesthood of our Lord Jesus, manifested by the blessed effects of the gospel rod of his strength in the conversion, sanctification, and comfort of sinful men.