God’s Word Translation
Numbers 17:2
2“Speak to the Israelites, and get 12 staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their tribes. Write each man’s name on his staff.
Numbers 17:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)“Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Speak to the people of Israel, and get from them staffs, one for each fathers' house, from all their chiefs according to their fathers' houses, twelve staffs. Write each man's name on his staff,
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Speak to the children of Israel, and get from them a rod from each father’s house, all their leaders according to their fathers’ houses—twelve rods. Write each man’s name on his rod.
Context of Numbers 17:2
1The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites, and get 12 staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their tribes. Write each man’s name on his staff. 3Write Aaron’s name on the staff for Levi because there must be one staff for the head of each tribe. 4Put them in the tent of meeting where I meet with you, in front of the words of my promise.
Read all of Numbers 17Numbers 17:2 word by word
דַּבֵּ֣ר׀ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְקַ֣ח מֵֽאִתָּ֡ם מַטֶּ֣ה מַטֶּה֩ לְבֵ֨ית אָ֜ב מֵאֵ֤ת כָּל־נְשִֽׂיאֵהֶם֙ לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֔ם שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר מַטּ֑וֹת אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־שְׁמ֔וֹ תִּכְתֹּ֖ב עַל־מַטֵּֽהוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- unto the childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- of every one of them a rodמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribe: rodH4294
- according to the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
- of all their princesנָשִׂיאnâώîy' nâώi' · leaderH5387
- twelveעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
- twelveשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- writeכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
- thou every man’sאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
Cross-references for Numbers 17:2
- Numbers 1:5“Here are the names of the men who will help you: Elizur, son of Shedeur, from the tribe of Reuben;
- Numbers 2:3“On the east side, facing the rising sun, the armies led by Judah will camp under their flag. The leader for the people of Judah is Nahshon, son of Amminadab.
- Numbers 10:14With their flag in front, the armies led by Judah’s descendants broke camp first. Nahshon, son of Amminadab, was in command.
- Genesis 49:10A scepter will never depart from Judah nor a ruler’s staff from between his feet until Shiloh comes and the people obey him.
- Exodus 4:2Then the Lord asked him, “What’s that in your hand?” He answered, “A shepherd’s staff.”
- Psalms 110:2The Lord will extend your powerful scepter from Zion. Rule your enemies who surround you.
- Psalms 125:3A wicked ruler will not be allowed to govern the land set aside for righteous people. That is why righteous people do not use their power to do wrong.
- Ezekiel 19:14Fire has spread from the vine’s main branch. Fire has destroyed its fruit. It no longer has any strong branches that could be used as a king’s scepter. This is a funeral song. It is to be used as a funeral song.
- Ezekiel 21:10It’s sharpened to kill and polished to flash like lightning. How can we rejoice? My son has refused to be disciplined or punished.
- Ezekiel 37:16“Son of man, take a stick and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the Israelites who are associated with it.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘The stick of Ephraim, for Joseph and for all the people of Israel associated with it.’
- Micah 7:14With your shepherd’s staff, take care of your people, the sheep that belong to you. They live alone in the woods, in fertile pastures. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead like before.
Commentaries on Numbers 17:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2And take of every one of them a rod - מטה matteh, the staff or scepter, which the prince or chief of each tribe bore, and which was the sign of office or royalty among almost all the people of the earth.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Compare Ezekiel 37:16 ff.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-5The shepherd's staff was a common item (see Psalm 23:4). Like the scepter, it symbolized authority (see Jeremiah 48:17). This trial was fitting because the Hebrew words for "staffs" and "tribes" sound the same. The Lord's chosen staff would show his chosen tribe.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-132-5. Speak unto the children of Israel--The controversy with Moses and Aaron about the priesthood was of such a nature and magnitude as required a decisive and authoritative settlement. For the removal of all doubts and the silencing of all murmuring in the future regarding the holder of the office, a miracle was wrought of a remarkable character and permanent duration; and in the manner of performing it, all the people were made to have a direct and…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 17:2
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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