🔢WEB · Numbers 17:10
What does Numbers 17:10 mean?
"Yahweh said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die.”"
— Numbers 17:10 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
Moses laid up the rods before Yahweh in the Tent of the Testimony.
On the next day, Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony; and behold, Aaron’s rod for the house of Levi had sprouted, budded, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.
Moses brought out all the rods from before Yahweh to all the children of Israel. They looked, and each man took his rod.
Yahweh said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die.”
Moses did so. As Yahweh commanded him, so he did.
The children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, we perish! We are undone! We are all undone!
Everyone who keeps approaching Yahweh’s tabernacle, dies! Will we all perish?”
Explanation
Numbers 17:10 records God's instruction to Moses following the dramatic sign of Aaron's budding staff. In plain terms, God tells Moses to take Aaron's rod—the one that had miraculously sprouted, blossomed, and produced almonds—and place it permanently in front of the Ark of the Testimony, where the stone tablets of the covenant were kept. This rod would serve as a lasting visual reminder and warning to the Israelites, so that their grumbling against God's chosen leadership would stop, and so that further rebellion would not result in their death.
The context is essential
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