Numbers 17:8
New International Version
The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

New Living Translation
When he went into the Tabernacle of the Covenant the next day, he found that Aaron’s staff, representing the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, budded, blossomed, and produced ripe almonds!

English Standard Version
On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds.

Berean Standard Bible
The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, put forth buds, blossomed, and produced almonds.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds.

New American Standard Bible
Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, Aaron’s staff for the house of Levi had sprouted and produced buds and bloomed with blossoms, and it yielded ripe almonds.

NASB 1995
Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds.

NASB 1977
Now it came about on the next day that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced flowers, and it bore ripe almonds.

Amplified Bible
Now on the next day Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony, and the rod of Aaron of the tribe of Levi had sprouted and put out buds and produced blossoms and yielded [ripe] almonds.

Christian Standard Bible
The next day Moses entered the tent of the testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, formed buds, blossomed, and produced almonds!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The next day Moses entered the tent of the testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, formed buds, blossomed, and produced almonds!

American Standard Version
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bare ripe almonds.

Contemporary English Version
The next day when Moses went into the tent, flowers and almonds were already growing on Aaron's stick.

English Revised Version
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and bare ripe almonds.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The next day Moses went into the tent. He found that Aaron's staff for the tribe of Levi had not only begun to grow, but it had also blossomed and produced ripe almonds.

Good News Translation
The next day, when Moses went into the Tent, he saw that Aaron's stick, representing the tribe of Levi, had sprouted. It had budded, blossomed, and produced ripe almonds!

International Standard Version
The next morning, Moses went to the Tent of Testimony and the rod of Aaron of the tribe of Levi had burst into bloom! It sprouted buds, bloomed blossoms, and produced fully ripe almonds!

Majority Standard Bible
The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron?s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, put forth buds, blossomed, and produced almonds.

NET Bible
On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony--and the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted, and brought forth buds, and produced blossoms, and yielded almonds!

New Heart English Bible
It happened on the next day, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and look, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 had budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

World English Bible
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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And it comes to pass, on the next day, that Moses goes into the Tent of the Testimony, and behold, the rod of Aaron has flourished for the house of Levi, and brings out a bud, and blossoms [with] a blossom, and produces almonds;

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that Moses goeth in unto the tent of the testimony, and lo, the rod of Aaron hath flourished for the house of Levi, and is bringing out flourishing, and doth blossom blossoms, and doth produce almonds;

Smith's Literal Translation
And it shall be on the morrow, and Moses will go into the tent of testimony; and behold, Aaron's rod was fruitful for the house of Levi, and the blossom will come forth and the flower will flourish and will show almonds.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He returned on the following day, and found that the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi, was budded: and that the buds swelling it had bloomed blossoms, which spreading the leaves, were formed into almonds.

Catholic Public Domain Version
returning on the following day, he found that the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi, had germinated, and that the swelling buds had opened into flowers, which, spreading their petals, were formed into those of an almond tree.

New American Bible
The next day, when Moses entered the tent of the covenant, Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted. It had put forth sprouts, produced blossoms, and borne ripe almonds!

New Revised Standard Version
When Moses went into the tent of the covenant on the next day, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted. It put forth buds, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and blossomed, and yielded ripe almonds.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the next day Moshe entered the Tabernacle of the Testimony and he saw that the rod of Ahron of the house of Levi budded, and it put out leaves and it produced almonds.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi blossomed, and put forth a bud, and bloomed blossoms and produced almonds.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Aaron's Staff Buds
7Then Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the Tent of the Testimony. 8 The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, put forth buds, blossomed, and produced almonds. 9Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the LORD’s presence to all the Israelites. They saw them, and each man took his own staff.…

Cross References
Hebrews 9:4
containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

Exodus 7:10-12
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD had commanded. Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent. / But Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers and magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same things by their magic arts. / Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up the other staffs.

John 15:5
I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.

Psalm 110:2
The LORD extends Your mighty scepter from Zion: “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”

Isaiah 11:1
Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.

Jeremiah 1:11-12
And the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” “I see a branch of an almond tree,” I replied. / “You have observed correctly,” said the LORD, “for I am watching over My word to accomplish it.”

Matthew 3:10
The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Romans 11:17-24
Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root, / do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. / You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ...

1 Kings 13:3-5
That day the man of God gave a sign, saying, “The LORD has spoken this sign: ‘Surely the altar will be split apart, and the ashes upon it will be poured out.’” / Now when King Jeroboam, who was at the altar in Bethel, heard the word that the man of God had cried out against it, he stretched out his hand and said, “Seize him!” But the hand he stretched out toward him withered, so that he could not pull it back. / And the altar was split apart, and the ashes poured out, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

1 Samuel 12:16-18
Now, therefore, present yourselves and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes. / Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have committed in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king.” / So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

Acts 5:12-16
The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade. / Although the people regarded them highly, no one else dared to join them. / Yet more and more believers were brought to the Lord—large numbers of both men and women. ...

1 Corinthians 12:4-11
There are different gifts, but the same Spirit. / There are different ministries, but the same Lord. / There are different ways of working, but the same God works all things in all people. ...

Revelation 11:3-6
And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” / These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. / If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouths and devours their enemies. In this way, anyone who wants to harm them must be killed. ...

Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.

Zechariah 6:12-13
And you are to tell him that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Here is a man whose name is the Branch, and He will branch out from His place and build the temple of the LORD. / Yes, He will build the temple of the LORD; He will be clothed in splendor and will sit on His throne and rule. And He will be a priest on His throne, and there will be peaceful counsel between the two.’


Treasury of Scripture

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.

The rod of Aaron.

Numbers 17:5
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.

Genesis 40:10
And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:

Psalm 110:2
The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

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Aaron Almonds Bloomed Blossoms Bore Budded Buds House Levi Morrow Moses Produced Ripe Rod Tabernacle Tent Testimony Witness
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Aaron Almonds Bloomed Blossoms Bore Budded Buds House Levi Morrow Moses Produced Ripe Rod Tabernacle Tent Testimony Witness
Numbers 17
1. Aaron's rod, among all the rods of the tribes, only flourishes
10. It is left for a monument against the rebels














The next day
This phrase indicates the immediacy and divine timing of God's response. In the Hebrew context, the phrase underscores God's swift action to affirm His chosen leader. The "next day" signifies a new beginning, a fresh revelation of God's will, and a decisive moment in the history of Israel. It serves as a reminder that God's interventions are timely and purposeful, often occurring when least expected but most needed.

Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony
The "Tent of the Testimony" refers to the Tabernacle, the sacred dwelling place of God among His people. Moses, as the mediator between God and Israel, enters this holy space, symbolizing his unique role and the gravity of the situation. The Tabernacle was central to Israelite worship and represented God's presence and covenant with His people. This setting emphasizes the divine authority and sacredness of the events unfolding.

and saw that the staff of Aaron
The "staff of Aaron" is a symbol of leadership and divine appointment. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a staff often represented authority and power. Aaron's staff, in particular, signifies God's chosen priesthood and the legitimacy of Aaron's lineage. This moment is crucial in affirming Aaron's role against the backdrop of rebellion and dissent among the Israelites.

representing the house of Levi
The "house of Levi" refers to the Levitical tribe, set apart for priestly duties and service to God. This phrase highlights the special calling and responsibility of the Levites within the Israelite community. Historically, the Levites were entrusted with the care of the Tabernacle and the spiritual leadership of the nation, underscoring the importance of divine order and structure in worship.

had sprouted, put forth buds, blossomed, and produced almonds
This miraculous transformation of Aaron's staff is rich with symbolism. The progression from sprouting to producing almonds signifies life, fruitfulness, and divine blessing. In Hebrew, the almond tree is one of the first to bloom, symbolizing watchfulness and the fulfillment of God's promises. This imagery serves as a powerful testament to God's power to bring life and vindication, affirming His choice of Aaron and the Levitical priesthood. The almonds, in particular, are a sign of God's provision and the sweet fruit of obedience and faithfulness.

(8) Behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded . . . --As the budding of Aaron's rod was the divinely appointed proof of the establishment of the priesthood in his person and in his posterity, so our Lord proved Himself to be the true High Priest over the House of God by coming forth as "a rod [or shoot] out of the stem of Jesse" (Isaiah 11:1), and as "a root out of a dry ground" (Isaiah 53:2). The miraculous shooting forth of Aaron's dry rod may be regarded as a type of the mode of the Spirit's operation in the Church, and more especially in the work of the ministry; "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6).

And yielded almonds.--Better, and brought almonds to maturity, or yielded ripe almonds. The word shaked (almond-tree) is a cognate form of the verb shakad--to keep watch. The name is supposed to have been given to the almond-tree because it blossoms at a time when vegetation is lying in the sleep of winter. (See Jeremiah 1:11-12; also, The Land and the Book, p. 319.)

Verse 8. - Was budded: or "sprouted." פָּרַח. And yielded almonds. Rather, "matured almonds." This particular rod had been cut from an almond tree, and it would seem probable that it had on it shoots and flowers and fruit at once, so that the various stages of its natural growth were all exemplified together. The almond has its Hebrew name שָׁקֵד, "awake," from the well-known fact of its being the first of all trees to awake from the winter sleep of nature, and to herald the vernal resurrection with its conspicuous show of snow-white blossoms, which even anticipate the leaves (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:5). Thus the "rod of an almond-tree" (מַקֵּל שָׁקֵד) was shown to the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:11) as the evident symbol of the vigilant haste with which the purposes of God were to be developed and matured. It is possible that all the tribe princes had official "rods" of the almond-tree to denote their watchful alacrity in duty, and that these were the rods which they brought to Moses. In any case the flowering and fruiting of Aaron's rod, while it was an unquestionable miracle (for if not a miracle, it could only have been a disgraceful imposture), was a σημεῖον, in the true sense, i.e., a miracle which was also a parable. Aaron's rod could no more blossom and fruit by nature than any of the others, since it also had been severed from the living tree; and so in Aaron himself was no more power or goodness than in the rest of Israel. But as the rod germinated and matured its fruit by the power of God, supernaturally starting and accelerating the natural forces of vegetable life, even so in Aaron the grace of God was quick and fruitful to put forth, not the signs only and promise of spiritual gifts and energies, but the ripened fruits as well.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The next day
מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗ת (mim·mā·ḥo·rāṯ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4283: The morrow, tomorrow

Moses
מֹשֶׁה֙ (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

entered
וַיָּבֹ֤א (way·yā·ḇō)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

the Tent
אֹ֣הֶל (’ō·hel)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 168: A tent

of the Testimony
הָעֵד֔וּת (hā·‘ê·ḏūṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5715: Testimony

and saw
וְהִנֵּ֛ה (wə·hin·nêh)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

that Aaron’s
אַהֲרֹ֖ן (’a·hă·rōn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses

staff,
מַטֵּֽה־ (maṭ·ṭêh-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe

representing the house
לְבֵ֣ית (lə·ḇêṯ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of Levi,
לֵוִ֑י (lê·wî)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3878: Levi -- a son of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him

had sprouted,
פָּרַ֥ח (pā·raḥ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6524: To break forth as a, bud, bloom, to spread, to fly, to flourish

put forth
וַיֹּ֤צֵֽא (way·yō·ṣê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

buds,
פֶ֙רַח֙ (p̄e·raḥ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6525: A calyx, bloom

blossomed,
וַיָּ֣צֵֽץ (way·yā·ṣêṣ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6692: To twinkle, glance, to blossom

and produced
וַיִּגְמֹ֖ל (way·yiḡ·mōl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1580: To deal fully or adequately with, deal out to, wean, ripen

almonds!
שְׁקֵדִֽים׃ (šə·qê·ḏîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8247: Almond (tree)


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OT Law: Numbers 17:8 It happened on the next day that (Nu Num.)
Numbers 17:7
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