God’s Word Translation
Numbers 17:10
10The Lord said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back in front of the words of my promise, and keep it there as a sign to warn any other rebels. Then you will stop their complaints about me, and they won’t die.”
Numbers 17:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the Lord said to Moses, "Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumblings against me, lest they die."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the Lord said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die.”
Context of Numbers 17:10
8The 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. 9Moses brought out the staffs from the Lord’s presence and showed them to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each man took his staff. The Lord said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back in front of the words of my promise, and keep it there as a sign to warn any other rebels. Then you will stop their complaints about me, and they won’t die.” 11Moses did exactly what the Lord commanded him to do. 12The Israelites said to Moses, “Now we’re going to die! We’re lost! We’re all lost!
Read all of Numbers 17Numbers 17:10 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה הָשֵׁ֞ב אֶת־מַטֵּ֤ה אַהֲרֹן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָעֵד֔וּת לְמִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת לְא֖וֹת לִבְנֵי־מֶ֑רִי וּתְכַ֧ל תְּלוּנֹּתָ֛ם מֵעָלַ֖י וְלֹ֥א יָמֻֽתוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- Bringשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- Aaron’sאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- rodמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribe: rodH4294
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the testimonyעֵדוּת‛êdûth · testimonyH5715
- to be keptמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתmishmereth · chargeH4931
- for a tokenאוֹת'ôth · sign: indicatorH226
- against the rebelsבֵּןbên · son: young animalH1121
- against the rebelsמְרִיmerîy · rebellionH4805
- and thou shalt quite take awayכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: finishH3615
- their murmuringsתְּלֻנָּהtelûnâh telûnnâh · murmuringH8519
- from me, that they dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
Cross-references for Numbers 17:10
- Hebrews 9:4It contained the gold incense burner and the ark of the Lord’s promise. The ark was completely covered with gold. In the ark were the gold jar filled with manna, Aaron’s staff that had blossomed, and the tablets on which the promise was written.
- Numbers 16:38The incense burners of these men who sinned and lost their lives are holy, because they were offered to the Lord. Hammer them into thin metal sheets to cover the altar. This will be a sign to the Israelites.”
- Exodus 16:32Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: Take two quarts of manna to be kept for your descendants. This way they will see the food that I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.”
- Deuteronomy 31:19“Write down this song, teach it to the Israelites, and have them sing it. This song will be a witness for me against the Israelites.
- 1 Samuel 2:12Eli’s sons, ⌞Hophni and Phinehas,⌟ were good-for-nothing priests; they had no faith in the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 30:22Then every wicked and worthless man who had gone with David said, “Since they didn’t go with us, they shouldn’t be given any of the loot we recovered. Each of them should take only his wife and children and leave.”
- Psalms 57:4My soul is surrounded by lions. I must lie down with man-eating lions. Their teeth are spears and arrows. Their tongues are sharp swords.
- Isaiah 1:2Listen, heaven, and pay attention, earth! The Lord has spoken, “I raised ⌞my⌟ children and helped them grow, but they have rebelled against me.
- Hosea 10:9Israel, you have sinned ever since the incident at Gibeah. You never change. War will overtake the wicked people in Gibeah.
- Ephesians 2:2You followed the ways of this present world and its spiritual ruler. This ruler continues to work in people who refuse to obey God.
- Ephesians 5:6Don’t let anyone deceive you with meaningless words. It is because of sins like these that God’s anger comes to those who refuse to obey him.
- Numbers 17:5The staff from the man I choose will begin to grow. In this way I will silence the frequent complaints the Israelites make against you and Aaron.”
Commentaries on Numbers 17:10
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10The testimony - i. e. the two tables of the Law; compare Exodus 25:16 note. No doubt the rod lay in front of the tables within the ark. In the days of Solomon 1 Kings 8:9 there was nothing in the ark save the Two tables. Aaron‘s rod was probably lost when the ark was taken by the Philistines.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-13Verses 8-13 While all the other rods remained as they were. Aaron's rod became a living branch. In some places there were buds, in others blossoms, in others fruit, at the same time; all this was miraculous. Thus Aaron was manifested to be under the special blessing of Heaven. Fruitfulness is the best evidence of a Divine call; and the plants of God's setting, and the boughs cut off them, will flourish. This rod was preserved, to take away the murmurings…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-11After each tribal leader claimed his staff, it was clear that Aaron’s deserved special treatment. They placed it permanently in front of the ark of the covenant to warn potential rebels. It would also warn Israelites who complained about the Lord and his appointed leaders. The ark of the covenant eventually contained this staff, a jar of manna, and the stone tablets of the law (compare Hebrews 9:4). This was to remind the Israelites of their time…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels--For if, after all admonitions and judgments, seconded by miracles, the people should still rebel, they would certainly pay the penalty by death.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 17:10
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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