17:5 And it shall come to pass, [that] the man's rod, whom I
shall b choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease
from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby
they murmur against you.
(b) To be the chief priest.
17:6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one
of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince
one, according to their fathers' houses, [even] twelve
rods: and the rod c of Aaron [was] among their rods.
(c) Though Joseph's tribe was divided into two in the
distribution of the land, yet here it is but one and
Levi makes a tribe.
17:8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the
tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron d
for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds,
and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
(d) To declare that God chose the house of Levi to serve
him in the tabernacle.
17:10 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 e
murmurings from me, that they die not.
(e) Grudging that Aaron should be high priest.
17:12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying,
Behold, f we die, we perish, we all perish.
(f) The Chaldea text describes their complaining in this
way; "We die by the sword, the earth swallows us up,
the pestilence consumes us."
