Trees — Eden, Cross, New Jerusalem

Numberschapter 17

13 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 86 cross-references outward and receives 65 — heaviest partner: Numbers.

Chapter summary

Aaron's rod that budded. To end all murmuring about priesthood, each tribe places a rod in the tabernacle of witness, their prince's name written upon it. Overnight Aaron's rod (Levi's rod) buds, brings forth blossoms, and yields almonds. The rods are brought out; each man takes his own; Aaron's rod is brought back before the testimony as a token against the rebels. Priesthood is vindicated not by human vote but by divine life. The people cry, ‘behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die’. The mediating priesthood is felt in their bones.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Law · Moses — see the Numbers overview for the book's full setting.

8–13 Trees — Eden, Cross, New Jerusalem

1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of them rods, one for each fathers’ house, of all their princes according to their fathers’ houses, 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 there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers’ houses.

4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you.

5 And it shall come to pass, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you.

6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

7 And Moses laid up the rods before Jehovah in the tent of the testimony.

8 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bare ripe almonds.