Numbers 17

King James Version

Full text for Numbers Chapter 17

1¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2Speak 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.

3And 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.

4And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.

5And 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.

6And 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.

7And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.

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 budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

9And 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.

10And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

11And Moses did [so]: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.

12And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.

13Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

In Numbers 17, the LORD commanded Moses to gather a rod from each of the twelve tribal princes, including Aaron's rod for Levi, and lay them before the testimony in the tabernacle. The LORD declared that the chosen man's rod would blossom, thereby silencing the Israelites' murmurings against Moses and Aaron. On the morrow, Aaron's rod miraculously budded, bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds, confirming his divine appointment.

Medium Summary

The LORD instructed Moses to collect twelve rods, one for each tribal prince, with Aaron's name inscribed on the rod for the house of Levi. These rods were to be placed in the tabernacle before the testimony, where the LORD promised to meet with Moses. The divine decree stated that the rod of the man chosen by God would miraculously blossom, serving as an undeniable sign to quell the persistent murmurings of the children of Israel. The following day, Moses found Aaron's rod not only budded but also bearing blossoms and ripe almonds. This miraculous event was then publicly displayed to all the Israelites. Subsequently, the LORD commanded Aaron's rod to be returned to the tabernacle and preserved as a lasting token against future rebellion, preventing further divine judgment. The Israelites, witnessing this powerful sign, expressed profound fear of death and consumption due to their proximity to the tabernacle.

Long Summary

Following the recent rebellion, the LORD spoke to Moses, commanding him to gather a rod from each of the twelve tribal princes, representing their respective fathers' houses. Specifically, Aaron's name was to be inscribed upon the rod designated for the house of Levi. These twelve rods were then to be laid up in the tabernacle of the congregation, before the testimony, where the LORD had promised to commune with Moses. The divine instruction stipulated that the rod of the man whom the LORD chose would miraculously blossom, a sign intended to definitively cease the murmurings of the children of Israel against Moses and Aaron. Moses diligently carried out these instructions, collecting the twelve rods, including Aaron's, and placing them before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. On the subsequent day, Moses entered the tabernacle and discovered that Aaron's rod, representing the house of Levi, had miraculously budded, brought forth blossoms, and even yielded ripe almonds. Moses then presented all the rods to the children of Israel, who observed the sign and each took back their own rod. The LORD then commanded Moses to return Aaron's miraculously transformed rod to be kept permanently before the testimony, serving as an enduring token against the rebellious Israelites, thereby preventing further divine wrath and death. Moses complied precisely with the LORD's command. In response to these events, the children of Israel expressed profound fear and despair, lamenting that they were perishing and would be consumed by death, fearing that anyone approaching the tabernacle of the LORD would surely die.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Confirmation of PriesthoodThe LORD established a test involving twelve rods to definitively confirm Aaron's chosen status for the priesthood, thereby settling the dispute over his authority. The blossoming of Aaron's rod served as the irrefutable divine sign of his selection.
  • The Rod of AaronThis specific rod, representing the house of Levi and bearing Aaron's name, was the object of a unique miracle. Overnight, it transformed from a dry stick into one that budded, bloomed, and produced ripe almonds.
  • Miraculous BlossomThe supernatural event where a dry, inanimate rod produced living vegetation—buds, blossoms, and fruit—in a single night. This extraordinary act underscored God's direct intervention and validation.
  • Cessation of MurmuringA primary purpose of the rod's miracle was to silence the persistent complaints and rebellion of the Israelites against Moses and Aaron's leadership. The sign was intended to remove their cause for discontent.
  • Token Against RebelsAaron's rod, after blossoming, was commanded to be preserved before the testimony. It was to serve as a permanent visual reminder and warning against future acts of rebellion and disobedience among the children of Israel.
  • Fear of Divine JudgmentUpon witnessing the miraculous sign and understanding its implications, the Israelites expressed profound fear and dread. They feared that their continued proximity to the tabernacle and their past rebellions would lead to their complete consumption by death.