Commentary on Numbers, Book · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
Chapter XVII Ver. 1. AND the LORD ſpake unto Moſes, ſaying.] Verſe 1 Not long after the Plague was ſtayed. For though there had been enough done to ſatisfie the People, that Aaron was advanced to the Prieſthood by God's appointment, and not by Moſes his Affection to his Kindred; yet their Minds had been ſo poiſoned by Korah and his Complices, with the contrary Opinion, that it was neceſſary to do ſtill more to root it out. Which was the occaſion of what follows.
Verſe 2 Ver. 2. Speak unto the Children of Iſrael.] Order them to bring what I require thee to take of them.
And take of every one of them.] i. e. Of every Tribe.
A Rod.] Or a Staff, as the Hebrew word Matteh is often tranſlated. Which ſome take for an ordinary Walking-ſtaff; or for the Staff which was the Badge of their Authority, as Princes of the ſeveral Tribes; neither of which ſeems to me to be true. For what reaſon have we to think that every Man's Staff, which he commonly uſed, was made of the Wood of an Almond Tree? as theſe were, one may probably conclude from the 8th verſe. And therefore, I take it, they were all now cut off from ſome Tree of that kind, and it is likely from one and the ſame Tree, that none might fancy there was any difference between them. For the Miracle was great enough (which here follows) without ſuppoſing, as ſome do, that theſe Rods were all of ſome other common Wood; and yet Aaron's Rod produced Almonds; which were not the proper Fruit of it: Though it muſt be confeſſed, that if they were not of the wood of an Almond Tree, the wonder was greater that his Rod ſhould bring forth Almonds; and ſtruck their Minds more ſtrongly.
According to the Houſe of their Fathers.] In the Hebrew it is Father, in the Singular Number; denoting the principal Perſon or Patriarch (as we call them) of whoſe Houſe or Family he was to take one Rod.
Of all their Princes, according to the Houſe of their Fathers.]. This explains the meaning more fully, that the Prince of every Tribe, who was the Head of the Houſe of their Fathers, ſhould bring theſe Rods. Their Names we have in the first Chapter of this Book, v. 5, 6. and VII. 2, 12, &c.
Twelve Rods.] Beſides Aaron's: for ſo many Tribes there were beſides that of Levi. And too great a number of every Tribe, in all likelyhood, had joyned with Korah in their diſcontended Murmurings, at the confinement of the Prieſthood unto Aaron's Family alone; to which they all fanſied they had as much right as he. Which is the reaſon of taking a Rod from every Tribe; that they might all be convinced, that none of them but he and his Family alone, were owned by God for his Prieſts. See XVI. 3.
Write thou every Man's name upon his Rod.] Either by an Inciſion into the very Wood; or with ſuch Ink as they wrote withal in thoſe days, V. 22. This he did in the Preſence of the Princes; that they might not afterward ſuſpect any Fraud, when they came to take their Rods again; but be ſatisfied they were the very ſame which they ſaw noted with their Names.
Ver. 3. And thou ſhalt write Aaron's name upon the Verſe 3 Rod of Levi.] Becauſe God had made him the Prince of that Tribe, by giving him the High-Prieſthood. And he would have them ſee, that as no other Perſon in any of the Twelve Tribes, ſo no other Levite ought to pretend unto that high Office, which he had inveſted him withal, and him alone.
For one Rod ſhall be for the Head of the Houſe of their Fathers.] One Rod was ſufficient, becauſe the Head of the Tribe comprehended the whole Tribe. Who were all excluded from the Prieſthood, by the Excluſion of him who repreſented them.
Verſe 4 Ver. 4. And thou ſhalt lay them up in the Tabernacle.] In the moſt Holy Place.
Before the Teſtimony.] i. e. Before the Ark; called in many Places the Ark of the Teſtimony, XL Exod. 3. becauſe therein Moſes put the Teſtimony, (or, two Tables of Stone, and the Mercy Seat above it, v. 20, 21.) where the Divine Glory reſided. Therefore to lay the Rods before the Teſtimony, was to lay them before the Divine Majeſty: who intended by them finally to determine the preſent Controverſie.
Where I will meet with you.] There he promiſed to meet with Moſes, XXV Exod. 22. by whom he communicated his Mind unto the People. For he neither met with them, nor with Aaron there, any other way, but by Moſes. And therefore the Vulgar Latin here tranſlates it, minding the ſence rather than the words, Where I will ſpeak to them. And ſo the LXX. By which I will be made known to thee there. And indeed meeting with them here, is nothing but declaring, or making known his Mind to them all, by what was done there upon Aaron's Rod. So it follows in the next verſe. And for this reaſon the Tabernacle of the LORD is called OHEL MOED, the Tabernacle of Meeting: not of Mens meeting there (as is commonly ſuppoſed, by our tranſlating it, The Tabernacle of the Congregation) but of God's meeting there with Men. For ſo the LORD himſelf gives the reaſon of the Name, both here and in XXIX Exod. 42. XXX. 36. where I have noted the ſame out of Mr. Mede.
Ver. 5. And it ſhall come to paſs, that the Man's Rod whom I ſhall chooſe, ſhall bloſſom.] The Rods being laid before me, I will tell you whom I have choſen to miniſter to me in the Prieſthood, by making the Verſe 5 Rod upon which his Name is written, to bloſſom, when all the reſt remain as they were before, without any Alteration. This was a kind of new choice (as the words import) whereby God confirmed the choice he had formerly made of Aaron to be High-Prieſt.
And I will make to ceaſe from me the Murmurings of the Children of Iſrael, whereby they murmur against you.] And hereby ſtop all their Mouths from murmuring any more about this matter: unleſs they will oppoſe me directly, who declare before-hand, how I intend to give Judgment in this Caſe, and put an end to this Diſpute.
Ver. 6. And Moſes ſpake unto the Children of Iſrael.] Verſe 6 Told them what God had ſaid, that they might be all conſenting to this way of Deciſion.
And every one of their Princes gave him a Rod apiece.] For they could not refuſe ſuch a fair Propoſal.
For each Prince one, according to their Fathers Houſes, even twelve Rods.] Obſerving herein the Commands of Moſes; who wrote, no doubt, every Man's Name upon his Rod, as he was alſo commanded, v. 2.
And the Rod of Aaron was among their Rods.] Not one of the twelve, as the Jews fancy; but beſides the twelve Rods for the twelve Tribes, (as was directed v. 2. and obeyed by them, as the foregoing words tell us) his Rod was put among them, with his Name upon it, as their Names were upon their Rods. And therefore the Vulgar tranſlates it, having regard to the ſence only, There were twelve Rods beſides the Rod of Aaron. Which the LXX. intended in their Tranſlation, foreign, and the Rod of Aaron in the midſt of their Rods. And if it were cut from the very ſame Tree with theirs, the Miracle became the more remarkable.
Verſe 7 Ver. 7. And Moſes laid up the Rods before the LORD.] Who was by them to declare his choice, v. 5.
In the Tabernacle of Witneſs.] In that part of the Tabernacle where the Ark was, which had in it the Witneſs or Teſtimony which God gave Moſes, (XXV Exod. 21.) who alone could go into that place.
Verſe 8 Ver. 8. And it came to paſs that on the morrow.] It is likely God told him, he would …orthwith ſhow whom he had choſen.
Moſes went into the Tabernacle of Witneſs.] The moſt Holy Place, where the Rods were laid up by God's order.
And behold, the Rod of Aaron.] Which had his Name written on it.
For the Houſe of Levi.] Or, To the Houſe of Levi: i. e. whom God had made Head of the Levites.
Was budded, and brought forth Buds, and bloſſomed Bloſſoms, and yielded Almonds.] In ſome places of the Rod, I ſuppoſe, there was an appearance of Buds coming forth; in others the Buds were fully thruſt out; and in others they were opened and ſhot forth into Bloſſoms; and thoſe Bloſſoms in other parts, knotted and grown into Almonds. foreign, &c. as Gregory Nyſſen ſpeaks in the Life of Moſes, p. 185. The greateſt Miracle, even in the judgment of Unbelievers; who now acknowledged, that which before they oppoſed, v. 12, 13. For that in one Night, a dry Stick (as ſome ſuppoſe them all to have been) ſhould produce Buds, and Flowers, and Fruit, when all the reſt, which perhaps were cut from the ſame Tree, were as dry as they were before, could not but be very amazing: and, unleſs they would ſhut their eyes, make them ſee the diſtinction which the LORD made between Aaron whoſe Name that Rod bare, and all the reſt of the Children of Iſrael, whom the other Rods repreſented.
The Heathen did not think ſuch things incredible, as Huetius hath ſhown in his Quaeſtiones Alnetanae, L. I. cap. 12. n. 24.
Ver. 9. And Moſes brought out all the Rods from before Verſe 9 the LORD unto all the Children of Iſrael.] Before whom they were expoſed to open view, that they might ſee the difference God had made.
And they looked and took every Man his Rod.] Viewed them, and taking them into their Hands, examined them; and found they were the very ſame Rods, which they had delivered unto Moſes with their Names on them, without any alteration.
Ver. 10. And the LORD ſaid unto Moſes, bring Verſe 10 Aaron's Rod again.] Which either Moſes held in his Hand, or delivered it to Aaron (as he did the reſt to the ſeveral Princes of the Tribes) who ſhowed it to the Children of Iſrael, with the Buds, Bloſſoms, and Almonds upon it. After which God commanded it to be returned unto him.
Before the Teſtimony.] To be laid up in the place, where it was before it was thus changed, v. 4, 7.
To be kept for a Token against the Rebels.] That it might be produced as a ſufficient Conviction of their Impiety, if any preſumed hereafter to rebel againſt Aaron's Authority. Or rather, that it might prevent all Inſurrections againſt it for the future. For it remained, we find, in the moſt Holy Place for ſome time; as appears both from the Apoſtle, IX Hebr. 4. and from the reaſon of its being put here, that it might be preſerved as a Sign or Proof of Aaron's Authority, and Suppreſs all oppoſition to it. But how long it continued, we cannot tell, (for it is not mentioned, when the Ark was brought into the Temple of Solomon, 1 Kings VIII. 9.) nor is it certain whether it continued in that verdure wherein it now appeared, with the Buds, Bloſſoms, and Fruit; though it is highly probable it did: becauſe it was to be a Teſtimony that the Honour of the Prieſthood ſhould continue to Aaron's Family alone, through all Generations.
There are thoſe who take this Rod which bloſſomed, and was laid up in the moſt Holy Place, to have been the Rod of Moſes, wherewith he wrought ſo many Miracles in Egypt, and at the Red Sea. Concerning which the Jews tell very many incredible things: as that it came from a Branch of the Tree of Life, which an Angel gave to Seth, who planted it in the Wilderneſs, where Moſes found it grown to a Tree, and cut this Rod from it. For when they came to Marah, and could not drink the Waters, becauſe they were bitter, God ſhowed them this Tree, that with it he might make them ſweet. Upon which Tree he afterward placed the brazen Serpent, by looking on which the People were healed, &c. Thus the Cabbalists generally tell this Tale; but ſome of them much otherwiſe; who ſay it was given to Adam, and by him to Enoch, and ſo on till it came to Joſeph, in whoſe Houſe the Egyptians found it when he died, and brought it to Pharaoh; from whom Jethro ſtole it, &c. with a great deal of ſuch like ſtuff: Which Abarbinel ſaith is to be underſtood myſtically. But all the ground they have for this Fancy, of the Rod here laid up being Moſes's Rod, is from XX. 8, 9. where it is ſaid, That Moſes took the Rod from before the LORD, wherewith he brought Water out of the Rock, and this Rod is ſaid v. 11. to be Moſes his Rod. Dr. Owen, upon the Epiſtle to the Hebrews, follows this Conceit, and endeavours to find many Myſteries in it. But it is evidently falſe: for as there is not the leaſt intimation here that it was the Rod of Moſes, but quite contrary, it is called the Rod of Aaron, v. 6. ſo it had not been a ſufficient Argument to convince the Infidelity of the Iſraelites, if Aaron's Rod had not been of the ſame kind with all the reſt. For they might have aſcribed what came to paſs to the ſingular quality or vertue of that Rod, eſpecially if it were Moſes his Rod, (wherewith Wonders uſed to be wrought) and not to a ſpecial Hand of God appearing to eſtabliſh the Authority of Aaron. And beſides, a Rod full of Bloſſoms and Fruit, had been very unfit to be uſed to ſmite the Rock withal: for which purpoſe that Rod (which ſeems to have been his Paſtoral Staff) wherewith he ſmote the Rock in Horeb was moſt proper, XVII Exod. 5, 6.
And thou ſhalt quite take away their Murmurings from me.] i. e. Silence all their Cavils againſt Aaron and his Family; which the LORD here declares he would no longer bear, if they continued in them after this demonſtration of his Will and Pleaſure. For here were a great many miraculous things concurred together to convince them, that to oppoſe Aaron, was to oppoſe God himſelf. The Jews reckon up eight. First, That Aaron's Rod ſhould bring forth Buds, Bloſſoms, and Fruit, all in one Night, when the other Rods, which were of the ſame nature, brought forth nothing. And then ſecondly, That the Buds brought forth Leaves; for ſo they interpret thoſe words, v. 8. the Rod of Aaron was budded; i. e. brought forth Leaves; for the next words ſpeaks of its budding, which followed after. And thirdly, That it thruſt out Leaves before the Bloſſoms, which is contrary to the Nature of the Almond Tree. And next, that it put forth Bloſſoms all the Rod over; as they interpret thoſe words, bloomed Bloſſoms. And then that a dry Stick (as they underſtand it) ſhould produce Fruit, and this Fruit Almonds, which ſuch Trees (they think) as that Rod was taken from, did not bear. And further, That it produced ripe Almonds, as the Hebrew word Schekedim imports. And laſtly, That Moſes ſhowed the People all theſe at one view, the Leaves, Buds, Bloſſoms, and Fruit in perfection. By which multiplicity of Miracles the Dignity of Aaron was ſo demonſtrated, that we do not find they at any time hereafter adventured to riſe up againſt him. For beſides all thoſe Wonders now mentioned, it may be, that it was not the Seaſon of the Year for Almonds, nor ſo much as for the budding of that Tree: which made it the more aſtoniſhing. But the greateſt thing of all was, the continuing of this Miracle to future Ages; which might well make them afraid to open their Mouths again in Murmurings againſt Aaron.
That they die not.] Be not conſumed in a moment, as God had more than once formerly threatned (XVI. 21, 45.) and now declared, if they did not mend their Manners, and ceaſe their Murmurings about this matter, he would inſtantly execute.
Ver. 11. And Moſes did ſo: as the LORD commanded ſo did he.] Both brought the Rod again to him, and laid it up before him; and told the Children of Iſrael the reaſon of it: which occaſioned what Verſe 11 follows.
Ver. 12. And the Children of Iſrael ſpake unto Moſes, Verſe 12 ſaying, Behold we die, we periſh, &c.] Moſes having told them that he laid up the Rod for this end, to be a Witneſs againſt them, that (if they murmured any more) they deſerved to be all cut off, as they ſhould certainly be; it moved them to make this doleful Complaint: Wherein they ſeem to be convinced of their Guilt, and to bewail their miſerable ſtate. For the ſence of theſe two verſes is, Some of us died before, and now lately more have periſhed, and we are all in the ſame danger: ſurely, we ſhall never have done dying, till we be all conſumed.
Behold, we die.] This ſeems to relate to thoſe Judgments which had paſſed upon them heretofore.
We periſh.] And this to what had very lately hapned to Korah, Dathan and Abiram, with their Company: and to thoſe that murmured the next day after, XVI. 49.
We all periſh.] This will be the Fate of the whole Congregation.
Ver. 13. Whoſoever cometh any thing near unto the Verſe 13 Tabernacle of the LORD.] Who was not a Prieſt; and yet approached nearer than God allowed.
Shall die.] So Moſes had threatned; and they now believed him. And were afraid withal, they ſhould ſome time or other incur God's Diſpleaſure by their Raſhneſs.
Shall we be conſumed with dying?] They ſeem to be afraid, leſt for their late Murmurings and Inſurrection, after ſuch a heavy Puniſhment for that Sin (XVI. 41, 42.) God ſhould further plague them, as by this new Sign he convinced them, they juſtly deſerved. And therefore beg of Moſes to intreat God to ſpare them, and not to go on utterly to deſtroy them.