15 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Numbers 17 In this chapter the priesthood of Aaron is further confirmed and established by the budding and blossom of his rod, as it lay among the princes of the several tribes, when theirs did not, Numbers 17:1; which rod of Aaron was ordered to be laid up before the ark, as a token against the rebels, and to put an end to all...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... After the plague ceased, for the further confirmation of the priesthood in Aaron's family, another method is directed to by the Lord: saying: as follows.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
Enough had been done in the chapter before to quash all pretensions of the families of the tribe of Levi that would set up in competition with Aaron, and to make it appear that Aaron was the head of the tribe; but it seems, when that matter was settled, the princes of the rest of the tribes began to murmur. If the head of a tribe must be a priest,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Speak unto the children of Israel,.... The principal men among them of the several tribes: and take of everyone of them; not of every individual of the people of Israel, but of their princes, as afterwards explained: a rod, according to the house of [their] fathers; or "father", of whom their house or tribe was called, as Reuben, Simeon, c. this...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi,.... Or upon the rod that was for the tribe of Levi; the name of "Aaron" was to be written, not the word "Levi", or a "Levite", as Josephus (e); for that would not have decided the controversy about the priesthood, which chiefly lay between the Levites and the family of Aaron, who were of the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation,.... In the most holy place: before the testimony; that is, the ark in which the testimony or the law was; here they were laid as in the presence of God, who was in a miraculous way to decide the controversy by them, and put an end to it; for upon the ark was the mercy seat, over...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod whom I shall choose,.... Or make it manifest that he had chosen him, and so confirm the choice he had made of him and his family, for the priesthood to be and continue in: shall blossom; bud and blossom, and yield fruit, as it afterwards did, which is here declared beforehand, that the miracle might...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Moses laid up the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness. In that part of the tabernacle where the testimony or witness was, that is, the law, which was in the ark, over which was the mercy seat, with the cherubim between which Jehovah dwelt, and this was the most holy place; and the rods being laid here, might be said to be laid...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness,.... Where none but he could go at any time; this was the day after the rods had been placed there: and, behold, the rod of Aaron, for the house of Levi; the rod that had Aaron's name upon it, which was to represent the tribe of Levi, of which he was: was budded, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord, unto all the children of Israel,.... He brought them out of the holy place, and showed them to the princes of the several tribes: and they looked, and took every man his rod; which they knew by their names upon them; by their own handwriting, as Aben Ezra; for though Moses is bid to write...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord said unto Moses,.... After the rods had been viewed, and every prince took his rod, and full satisfaction was given that the priesthood belonged to Aaron, by the budding and blossoming of his rod, when the rest remained as they were: bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony; before the ark, in which the testimony or law was; here...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Moses did so; as the Lord commanded him, even so did he. Took Aaron's rod, and laid it up before the ark for the purpose mentioned, being a faithful servant to God in all his house.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the children of Israel spake unto Moses,.... The princes of the tribes, who had seen the miracle of the rod, and knew that it was laid up in the most holy place, and for what purpose, which gave them a sensible concern: these, and as many as were acquainted with it, addressed Moses upon it, as follows: saying, behold, we die, we perish, we all...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Whosoever cometh anything near unto the tabernacle of the Lord shall die,.... They who before were so bold and daring as to think the priesthood was common to them with Aaron, or they had as good a right to it, and might go into the sanctuary of the Lord where he did, are now so frightened at the rod being laid up as a token against them, that...