🔢WEB · Numbers 17:6
What does Numbers 17:6 mean?
"Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, a total of twelve rods. Aaron’s rod was among their rods."
— Numbers 17:6 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
You shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers’ houses.
You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you.
It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud. I will make the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you, cease from me.”
Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, a total of twelve rods. Aaron’s rod was among their rods.
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.
Explanation
Numbers 17:6 describes a simple but weighty administrative act: Moses collects a wooden staff, or rod, from each of the twelve tribal leaders of Israel. Each rod represents one tribe, inscribed with that tribe's name, and Aaron's rod is included among them to represent the tribe of Levi, the priestly line. Twelve rods in total are gathered and will soon be placed before the L
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