Tree of Life Version
Numbers 17:2
2“Speak to Bnei-Yisrael and get a rod from each ancestral house, twelve staffs in all, from each prince according to his ancestral household. 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
1Adonai spoke to Moses saying, “Speak to Bnei-Yisrael and get a rod from each ancestral house, twelve staffs in all, from each prince according to his ancestral household. Write each man’s name on his staff. 3Write Aaron’s name on Levi’s staff, for there is to be one staff for the prince of each tribe. 4Then you are to place them in the Tent of Meeting, before the Testimony, where I meet with you.
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“These then are the names of the men who will assist you: from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur.
- Numbers 2:3Those camping on the east—toward the sunrise—will be of the standard of Judah, according to their divisions. Nachshon son of Amminadab, is the prince of the sons of Judah.
- Numbers 10:14The standard of the camp of the sons of Judah set out first by their divisions. Over them was Nahshon son of Amminadab.
- Genesis 49:10The scepter will not pass from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs will come. To him will be the obedience of the peoples.
- Exodus 4:2So Adonai said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he said.
- Psalms 110:2Adonai will extend your mighty rod from Zion: “Rule in the midst of your enemies.”
- Psalms 125:3For a scepter of wickedness will not rest over the land of the righteous— lest the righteous set their hands to evil.
- Ezekiel 19:14Fire has spread from its main branch and devoured its fruit. No strong branch is left on it to become a ruler’s scepter.” This is a lamentation, and it is to be used as a lamentation.
- Ezekiel 21:10All flesh will know that I, Adonai, have drawn My sword from its sheath; it will not return any more.
- Ezekiel 37:16“You, son of man, take one stick and write on it, ‘For Judah’—for Bnei-Yisrael joined with him. Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph’—the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel joined with him.
- Micah 7:14Tend Your people with Your staff, the flock of Your inheritance, dwelling alone, in a forest in the midst of a fertile garden. 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
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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Commentaries