New Living Translation
Numbers 17:10
10And the Lord said to Moses: “Place Aaron’s staff permanently before the Ark of the Covenant to serve as a warning to rebels. This should put an end to their complaints against me and prevent any further deaths.”
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
8When 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! 9When Moses brought all the staffs out from the Lord’s presence, he showed them to the people. Each man claimed his own staff. And the Lord said to Moses: “Place Aaron’s staff permanently before the Ark of the Covenant to serve as a warning to rebels. This should put an end to their complaints against me and prevent any further deaths.” 11So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. 12Then the people of Israel said to Moses, “Look, we are doomed! We are dead! We are ruined!
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 9:4In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant.
- Numbers 16:38Take the incense burners of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, and hammer the metal into a thin sheet to overlay the altar. Since these burners were used in the Lord’s presence, they have become holy. Let them serve as a warning to the people of Israel.”
- Exodus 16:32Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: Fill a two-quart container with manna to preserve it for your descendants. Then later generations will be able to see the food I gave you in the wilderness when I set you free from Egypt.”
- Deuteronomy 31:19“So write down the words of this song, and teach it to the people of Israel. Help them learn it, so it may serve as a witness for me against them.
- 1 Samuel 2:12Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord
- 1 Samuel 30:22But some evil troublemakers among David’s men said, “They didn’t go with us, so they can’t have any of the plunder we recovered. Give them their wives and children, and tell them to be gone.”
- Psalms 57:4I am surrounded by fierce lions who greedily devour human prey— whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows, and whose tongues cut like swords.
- Isaiah 1:2Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth! This is what the Lord says: “The children I raised and cared for have rebelled against me.
- Hosea 10:9The Lord says, “O Israel, ever since Gibeah, there has been only sin and more sin! You have made no progress whatsoever. Was it not right that the wicked men of Gibeah were attacked?
- Ephesians 2:2You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
- Ephesians 5:6Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.
- Numbers 17:5Buds will sprout on the staff belonging to the man I choose. Then I will finally put an end to the people’s murmuring and complaining against you.”
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries