Numbers 17:2

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 Living Translation (NLT)“Tell the people of Israel to bring you twelve wooden staffs, one from each leader of Israel’s ancestral tribes, and inscribe each leader’s name on his staff.

Context of Numbers 17:2

1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “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. 3And you shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi. For there shall be one rod for the head of each father’s house. 4Then you shall place them in the tabernacle of meeting before the Testimony, where I meet with you.

Numbers 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“These are the names of the men who shall stand with you: from Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur;
• Numbers 2:3On the east side, toward the rising of the sun, those of the standard of the forces with Judah shall camp according to their armies; and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be the leader of the children of Judah.”
• Numbers 10:14The standard of the camp of the children of Judah set out first according to their armies; over their army was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
• Genesis 49:10The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
• Exodus 4:2So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.”
• Psalms 110:2The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
• Psalms 125:3For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest On the land allotted to the righteous, Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.
• Ezekiel 19:14Fire has come out from a rod of her branches And devoured her fruit, So that she has no strong branch— a scepter for ruling.’ ” This is a lamentation, and has become a lamentation.
• Ezekiel 21:10Sharpened to make a dreadful slaughter, Polished to flash like lightning! Should we then make mirth? It despises the scepter of My son, As it does all wood.
• Ezekiel 37:16“As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.’
• Micah 7:14Shepherd Your people with Your staff, The flock of Your heritage, Who dwell solitarily in a woodland, In the midst of Carmel; Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, As in days of old.

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

• Government
• Levites
• Miracles

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Aaron
• Exodus
• Prince
• Rebel
• Aaron's Rod
• Abiram

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