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Numbers 16:50

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Aaron returned unto Moses,.... After he had by his atonement and intercession put a stop to the wrath of God broken forth upon the people: unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; where Moses was waiting for his return, and to know the issue of this affair: and the plague was stayed: even before Aaron left the camp, and is here...

Numbers 17

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...

Numbers 17:1

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.

Numbers 17

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,...

Numbers 17:2

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...

Numbers 17:3

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...

Numbers 17:4

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...

Numbers 17:5

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...

Numbers 17:6

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...

Numbers 17:7

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...

Numbers 17:8

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...

Numbers 17:9

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...

Numbers 17:10

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...

Numbers 17:11

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.

Numbers 17:12

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...

Numbers 17:13

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...

Numbers 18

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

INTRODUCTION TO Numbers 18 This chapter gives an account of the distinct work and service of the priests and Levites, Numbers 18:1; and of several things given to the priests for their maintenance, Numbers 18:8; and of the tithes the Levites should have to live upon, since they were to have no inheritance in the land of Israel, Numbers 18:20; and...

Numbers 18:1

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And the Lord spake unto Aaron,.... As the things spoken were such as concerned Aaron, he might be only and immediately spoken unto: thou, and thy sons, and thy father's house with thee; meaning both priests and Levites, the priests by him and his sons, and the Levites by his father's house: shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary; the blame of...

Numbers 18

Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry

Aaron being now fully established in the priesthood abundantly to his own satisfaction, and to the satisfaction of the people (which was the good that God brought out of the evil opposition made to him), in this chapter God gives him full instructions concerning his office or rather repeats those which he had before given him. He tells him, I....

Numbers 18:2

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And to thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father,.... For his father Amram was of that tribe, and so the Levites were his brethren, as he is directed to consider them; which might serve to conciliate their minds, and make them easy with respect to his enjoyment of the priesthood: bring them with thee; into the court of the...