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 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

1And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to 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. 3And 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. 4And thou shalt lay them in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will 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

• Speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• rodמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribe: rodH4294
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
• princesנָשִׂיאnâώîy' nâώi' · leaderH5387
• twelveשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• twelveעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
• writeכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
• man’sאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034

Cross-references for Numbers 17:2

• Numbers 1:5And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur.
• Numbers 2:3And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah encamp throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah.
• Numbers 10:14In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
• Genesis 49:10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh shall come; and to him shall be the obedience of the people.
• Exodus 4:2And the LORD said to him, What is that in thy hand? And he said, A rod.
• Psalms 110:2The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thy enemies.
• Psalms 125:3For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands to iniquity.
• Ezekiel 19:14And fire hath gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.
• Ezekiel 21:10It is sharpened to make a grievous slaughter; it is polished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it despiseth the rod of my son, as every tree.
• Ezekiel 37:16Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:
• Micah 7:14Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thy heritage, who dwell solitarily in the forest, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the 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