The Test of the Staffs
Study note
God told Moses to collect one staff from the leader of each tribe, twelve staffs in all. Aaron's name was written on the staff of Levi. The staffs were placed in the tent of meeting in front of the ark. God said that the staff of the man he chose would sprout, which would put an end to the constant complaining.
1 The Lord told Moses, And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 "Have the Israelites give you twelve staffs, one from the leader of each tribe. Write each leader's name on his staff." 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.
3 "On the staff belonging to the tribe of Levi, write Aaron's name, since there must be one staff for each tribal leader." 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.
4 "Place them inside the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the testimony, where I meet with you." And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
5 "The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout and grow. This will put a stop to all the constant complaining the Israelites direct at 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.
6 Moses passed along these instructions. Each tribal leader handed him a staff -- twelve staffs in all. Aaron's staff was included with them. 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.
7 Moses placed all the staffs before the Lord inside the tent of the testimony. And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.
Aaron's Staff Blooms
Study note
The next day Moses went into the tent and found that Aaron's staff had not only sprouted but had also put out buds, produced flowers, and grown ripe almonds overnight. This miraculous sign clearly showed God's choice. God told Moses to put Aaron's staff back in front of the ark as a permanent warning to rebels.
8 When Moses went into the tent the following day, something amazing had happened. Aaron's staff, representing the tribe of Levi, had sprouted! It had put out buds, bloomed with flowers, and even produced ripe almonds! 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.
9 Moses brought all the staffs out from the Lord's presence and showed them to the Israelites. Each leader looked them over and took back his own staff. 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.
10 The Lord told Moses, "Return Aaron's staff to its place in front of the ark of the testimony. Keep it there as a warning to anyone who might rebel. This will end their complaints against me so they will not die." 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.
11 Moses did exactly what the Lord told him to do. And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
The People's Fear
Study note
The people of Israel were terrified. They cried out that they were all going to die. Anyone who came near the tabernacle seemed to face death. This fear set the stage for the next chapter, which explained the roles of the priests and Levites in protecting the people from God's holiness.
12 The Israelites said to Moses in a panic, "We are all going to die! We are finished! Every one of us is doomed!" And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
13 "Anyone who even gets close to the Lord's tabernacle dies. Is there no end to this?" Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?