Numbers 17
Geneva Study Bible
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
And the LORD spake unto {a} Moses, saying,

(a) While he was in the door of the tabernacle.

Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.
Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.
And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.
And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.
And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.
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.

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 of Aaron was among their rods.
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.

And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.
And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.
And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
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.

And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
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 murmurings from me, that they die not.
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.

And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
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.

Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?
Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?
The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599]

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