Numbers 17

This chapter belongs to the account of the wilderness journey in Numbers. In Numbers 16, Korah and his company rebelled, and the people who murmured against Moses and Aaron died in a plague. This chapter follows those events and settles, by means of a sign, the question of who is qualified to draw near to God. In the Hebrew Bible the chapter is numbered 17:16–28, so its verse numbers differ from those in Korean and most English Bibles.

Outline

• Verses 1–5 The LORD commands Moses to collect a rod from each tribal leader, twelve in all, and to write each man's name on his rod, with Aaron's name written on the rod of Levi. The rods are to be laid up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the ark of the testimony. The LORD declares that He will make the rod of the man He chooses blossom and so put an end to the murmuring.
• Verses 6–7 The leaders hand over twelve rods, and Aaron's rod is among them. Moses lays them up before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.
• Verses 8–9 The next day Aaron's rod has sprouted, put forth buds, produced blossoms, and even borne almonds. Moses brings out all the rods, and each leader takes back his own.
• Verses 10–11 The LORD has Aaron's rod put back before the ark of the testimony to be kept there as a token against the rebels, so that their murmuring may cease and they may not die. Moses does as he is commanded.
• Verses 12–13 The people cry out, "Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish," fearing that anyone who comes near the tabernacle will die. Their question leads into the regulations for priests and Levites in Numbers 18.

Key Verses

• Numbers 17:5 "The man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom": This verse captures the chapter's central point, that office is not something one seizes for oneself but something to which God appoints.
• Numbers 17:8 "Was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds": The sign is a dry rod that bears fruit overnight.
• Numbers 17:10 "To be kept for a token against the rebels": This verse explains why the rod was preserved as a memorial.

People and Places

• Moses: At God's command he collects the rods and places them in the tabernacle of the congregation.
• Aaron: His name, representing the tribe of Levi, was written on his rod.
• The twelve leaders: The heads of the twelve tribes of Israel.
• The tabernacle of the congregation (tabernacle of witness): The tabernacle.
• The ark of the testimony: The ark containing the stone tablets of the covenant; it is the same as the ark of the covenant.

Points for Reflection

• Interpreters differ on whether the "twelve" of verse 6 includes Aaron's rod or whether Aaron's rod was added to make thirteen. The question is also bound up with the practice of omitting the tribe of Levi and counting the tribe of Joseph as two.
• The Hebrew word rendered "apricot" in the Korean Bible is usually understood as almond, as in the KJV. The same word appears in a wordplay in the vision of the almond tree in Jeremiah 1, where it sounds similar to the word for "watch."
• Hebrews 9 states that the rod that budded was "in" the ark of the covenant. Numbers, however, says it was placed "before" the ark, and 1 Kings 8 says that in Solomon's time there was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone. Some interpreters explain the difference as a change over time, while others regard it as a difference in expression.
• Protestant interpreters often read this chapter together with Hebrews 5:4, which teaches that one must be called by God to take up an office. Some also see the dead wood coming to life as a type of Christ's resurrection and high priesthood. Some Church Fathers and the Eastern Christian tradition read it as a symbol of the virgin birth.
• Some sermons apply this chapter as a basis for pastoral authority. Others, however, hold that in light of the New Testament principle of the priesthood of all believers, one should be cautious about simply equating the Old Testament priesthood with church offices today.

In the Korean Church

"Aaron's rod that budded" is frequently cited in sermons on calling and church office. In Sunday schools, the story is taught together with the Korah incident to teach about the leaders whom God appoints.