Numbers 17:10
in Numbers 17The LORD said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebellious, so that you may put an end to their grumbling against Me, lest they die.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jehovah said unto Moses, Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that thou mayest make an end of their murmurings against me, that they die not.
KJV
And 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.
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This verse in Numbers 17
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The testimony - i. e. the two tables of the Law; compare Exo 25:16 note. No doubt the rod lay in front of the tables within the ark. In the days of Solomon 1Ki 8:9 there was nothing in the ark save the Two tables. Aaron’s rod was probably lost when the ark was taken by the Philistines.
This site's exposition
Then Moses brought out all the staffs
on Numbers 17:9-10
Hebrews 9:4 places Aaron’s staff that had budded inside the ark. By 1 Kings 8:9 there was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets. Albert Barnes reads the gap as a loss, perhaps when the Philistines took the ark in 1 Samuel 4.
This site's exposition
to be kept as a sign for the rebellious
Its purpose is to spare the rebellious. A people who see the staff need no second plague to learn who is priest. Albert Barnes identifies the Testimony as the two tablets of the law, so the staff lay with the covenant itself.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
To be kept for a token - it is probable, the buds and blossoms and fruit, all which could never have grown together, but by miracle, continued fresh, the same which produced them in a night preserving them for ages.
And the Lord said unto Moses,....
The design of God in all his providences, both mercies and judgments, and in the memorials of them, is to take away sin, and to prevent it. These things are done, these things written, that we sin not, 1 John ii. Christ was manifested to take away sin.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels--For if, after all admonitions and judgments, seconded by miracles, the people should still rebel, they would certainly pay the penalty by death.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
I have not understood the intention of this verse, nor of its companion above, Separate yourselves from among this congregation, 189 Above,:21.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
“Remove [ separate ] yourselves from this congregation and I shall annihalate them in an instant,” and they fell upon their faces.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֜ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֗ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| הָשֵׁ֞ב | hashev | put back | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מַטֵּ֤ה | mateh | [the] rod of | H4294 → | 252 times |
| אַהֲרֹן֙ | ʾaharon | Aaron | H175 → | 347 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הָעֵד֔וּת | haedut | the testimony | H5715 → | 59 times |
| לְמִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת | lemishmeret | for keeping | H4931 → | 78 times |
| לְא֖וֹת | leot | for a sign | H226 → | 80 times |
| לִבְנֵי־ | livnei- | for [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| מֶ֑רִי | meri | rebellion | H4805 → | |
| וּתְכַ֧ל | utekhal | and may you put an end to | H3615 → | 208 times |
| תְּלוּנֹּתָ֛ם | telunotam | grumblings their | H8519 → | 8 times |
| מֵעָלַ֖י | mealai | from on <the> me | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָמֻֽתוּ׃ | yamutu | they will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֜הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מֹשֶׁ֗הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
הָשֵׁ֞בput back
hashevH7725 →1056 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
מַטֵּ֤ה[the] rod of
matehH4294 →252 times
אַהֲרֹן֙Aaron
ʾaharonH175 →347 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
הָעֵד֔וּתthe testimony
haedutH5715 →59 times
לְמִשְׁמֶ֥רֶתfor keeping
lemishmeretH4931 →78 times
לְא֖וֹתfor a sign
leotH226 →80 times
לִבְנֵי־for [the] sons of
livnei-H1121 →4930 times
מֶ֑רִיrebellion
meriH4805 →
וּתְכַ֧לand may you put an end to
utekhalH3615 →208 times
תְּלוּנֹּתָ֛םgrumblings their
telunotamH8519 →8 times
מֵעָלַ֖יfrom on <the> me
mealaiH5921 →5755 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
יָמֻֽתוּ׃they will die
yamutuH4191 →839 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 5:6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
it leads to
- Romans 1:18
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
- Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
- Matthew 24:4
Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you.
- 1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12
and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.
- Romans 1:18
Through
Isaiah 1:2Listen, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD has spoken: “I have raised children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against Me.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:1
Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
- Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, so that you and your descendants may live,
- Micah 1:2
Hear, O peoples, all of you; listen, O earth, and everyone in it! May the Lord GOD bear witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple.
- Deuteronomy 32:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
About Numbers
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.