Korah lead a rebellion against Moses and Aaron. He claimed God had not appointed them to positions of power and authority over the Jewish people.
It turns out there are differences in how verses are numbered in Jewish bibles compared to the King James Version and others. In Jewish bibles, Numbers 16 has 35 verses and Numbers 17 has 28 verses. By way of contrast, in the KJV Numbers 16 has 50 verses and Numbers 17 has only 13 verses.
This article is about Aaron’s rod and the meaning of its budding and blossoming.
- Jewish Bible: Numbers 17:16-26
- King James Version: Numbers 17:1-11
Background – Korah’s Rebellion
Korah claimed that all of the Jewish people were holy (Numbers 16:3). Each Jew was qualified to serve as a priest, not just Aaron and his family.
Korah attracted 250 leaders of the people to his side.
The rebellion did not work well for Korah or his followers.
Some of Korah’s followers were swallowed by the earth (Numbers 16:32). The 250 who tried to offer incense before God were consumed by fire (Numbers 16:35).
The next day the Children of Israel accused Moses and Aaron of being responsible for these punishments and deaths.
This false accusation resulted in a plague which killed 14,700 people (Numbers 17:14).
At this point God commands Moses to perform a demonstration to prove to the Children of Israel who God had chosen to serve in the Tabernacle.
12 Tribes – 12 Rods
With that introduction, let’s look at the the miracle God used to demonstrate who He had chosen.
Numbers 17:16 (KJV 17:1). And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
17:17 (KJV 17:2). Speak to the people of Israel, and take from every one of them a rod according to each father’s house, from all their princes according to their fathers’ house twelve rods; write every man’s name upon his rod.
In all of these verses, “rod” is from the Hebrew word “mateh” spelled mem-tet-hey.
Mateh has two basic meanings:
- rod, staff, stick, branch
- tribe
Rabbi Hirsch explains that the tribes are called “mattot” (plural of mateh) because they are branches off of one common stem.
But each tribe is unique, therefore each one has it’s own “father’s house.”
“Thus, the tribes are called ‘mattot’ on account of what is common to them all, and they are called ‘father’s houses’ on account of what is unique to each tribe.”
The phrase “father’s house” is from the Hebrew “beit av.” The phrase appears twice in this verse. The first time it’s singular but the second time it’s in the plural.
Chizkuni adds that Korah’s rebellion and the punishments had shown that God had chosen Aaron and his family as the priests. But until now there was no sign that God had chosen the tribe of Levi.
Malbim slightly disagrees and writes that this test would determine which tribe was chosen to serve in the Tabernacle and Temple and that the head of that tribe would be the High Priest.
What name was written on each rod?
Ramban argues that it was the name of the current prince of each tribe. That’s why Aaron’s name was written on the rod for the tribe of Levi (verse 18).
Abarbanel agrees that Aaron’s name was written on Levi’s rod. But on the other rods the the name of the tribe was written: Reuben, Simeon, etc.
17:18 (KJV 17:3). And you shall write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi; for one rod shall be for the chief of the house of their fathers.
Rashi explains that even though the tribe of Levi was divided into two families (the family of the priests and the family of the Levites) it is still one tribe.
How many rods were there?
Ramban notes that the number of tribes is always 12. Jacob had 12 sons and their offspring became the 12 tribes. This considers Levi and Joseph each as one tribe.
But, often Joseph is counted as two tribes with his sons Manasseh and Ephraim considered separate tribes. In these instances, Levi is not counted as a tribe.
Ramban concludes that in these verses Levi is being counted as a tribe and there were a total of 12 rods.
17:19 (KJV 17:4). And you shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the Testimony, where I will meet with you.
Ibn Ezra: the future tense “I will meet” is used to indicate an ongoing relationship. In other words, the phrase means “where I always meet with you.”
Hirsch asks why the rods were placed “before the Testimony”?
He explains that “What is to be determined is the mateh – the branch on the tree of the Jewish nation – that God has found worthy of being chosen.”
That tribe will be the one “to represent the Testimony and to nurture the service of the Testimony among the people.” Therefore, the appropriate place to put the rods is “before the Testimony.”
Daat Mikra offers the practical explanation that Moses was commanded to place the rods in a concealed place so that there would be no concern that anyone tampered with them.
17:20 (KJV 17:5). And it will be the man who I shall choose, his rod will blossom, and I will make cease from me the complaints of the people of Israel, which they complain against you.
What was their complaint? Chizkuni writes that some complained that Moses and Aaron on their own initiative had replaced the first born of each family with the tribe of Levi. See Numbers 3:40-51 and Exodus 32:26-29.
The wording of the verse seems to be overly complicated. Rabbi Hirsch explains that though the complaints were aimed at Moses and Aaron, they were really complaints against God.
The Rods Before the Lord
Numbers 17:21 (KJV 17:6). And Moses spoke to the people of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, from each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods; and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
This verse states explicitly that there were 12 rods which supports what Ramban wrote on verse 18. There are some commentators who argue that there were actually 13 rods: 12 for the “regular” tribes plus one for the tribe of Levi.
Rashi notes that “among their rods” means that Aaron’s rod was in the middle of all of them. This way no one could claim that Moses put it in the place that made it more likely to blossom.
It seems to me that this verse indicates that from a distance it was impossible to see any difference between the rods. Only the name written on each rod made it different.
17:22 (KJV 17:7). And Moses laid up the rods before the Lord in the Tent of Testimony.
Rabbi Hirsch explains that “before the Lord” means for God’s decision.
Which section of the Tabernacle is meant here?
Verse 19 said “before the Testimony.” That seems to mean in front of the Ark in the Holy of Holies.
But we read in Leviticus 16 that only the High Priest can come into the Holy of Holies and only on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).
However, Ramban on Leviticus 16:2 explains that this restriction did not apply to Moses and that he could come into the Holy of Holies at any time!
Based on this, the commentary Birkat Asher on the Torah explains that Moses placed the rods in front of the Ark in the Holy of Holies.
Aaron’s Rod Blossoms
Numbers 17:23 (KJV 17:8). And it came to pass, that on the next day Moses went into the Tent of Testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had blossomed, and brought forth a bud, and sprouted a blossom, and yielded almonds.
Rabbi Steinsaltz explains that usually almonds ripen about 6 months after blossoming. Here it all happened overnight. Also, a tree with ripe almonds does not still have buds and blossoms on it.
Rashbam, based on a close reading of the text, suggests that when Moses saw Aaron’s rod, it had only blossomed but nothing else. When he brought it out, it sprouted a bud and then yielded almonds in front of the people. Otherwise, the verse should have just said, “the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had yielded almonds.”
Malbim disagrees. He writes everything happened overnight and there were ripe almonds on the rod when Moses first saw it. According to Malbim, the miracle was that the rod contained buds, blossoms, and almonds all at the same time. The normal way is that almonds ripen after the buds and blossoms have fallen off the branch.
Malbim points that God showed the Jewish people two things.
- Aaron’s rod blossomed. That clarified that he was chosen to be High Priest.
- It was also the rod “for the house of Levi.” That clarified which tribe was chosen to serve in the Tabernacle.
17:24 (KJV 17:9). And Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord to all the people of Israel; and they looked, and took each man his rod.
Each prince took his staff. This showed who had been chosen and who had not been chosen. This is the fulfillment of verse 17:20.
Ibn Ezra notes that each man saw the writing of his name and took his rod. Ibn Ezra hints that each prince had written his name himself. Thus they could verify that the name was in their writing style and had not been changed.
Daat Mikra writes that each prince took his rod and accepted it without complaint.
Aaron’s Rod Preserved
Numbers 17:25 (KJV 17:10). And the Lord said to Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the Testimony, for safekeeping for a sign against the rebels; that there may be an ending of their complaints against Me, that they die not.
17:26 (KJV 17:11). And Moses did so; as the Lord commanded him, so did he.
Rashi states God wanted the rod preserved as a remembrance that He chose Aaron as priest.
Ramban disagrees. The remembrance isn’t the choice of Aaron as priest, it’s the choice of the tribe of Levi from all the other tribes.
It’s a remembrance that the tribe of Levi has been chosen in place of the firstborn of each family.
The burning of the 250 was the sign that Aaron was chosen as High Priest (Numbers 16:35).
The blossoming is the sign that the tribe of Levi was chosen. That’s why 17:23 says, “the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had blossomed” mentioning “the house of Levi.”
Summary – What the Miracle Demonstrates
The commentators take 3 different approaches as to what the miracle of Aaron’s rod proves.
Rashi: The miracle confirmed Aaron as the High Priest and his family as the priests.
Ramban and Chizkuni: Aaron’s status as High Priest was already established by the punishment of the 250 who tried to offer incense. Aaron’s rod budding and blossoming established Levi as God’s chosen tribe to serve in the Tabernacle.
Malbim: The miracle with Aaron’s rod established both that the tribe of Levi was chosen and that the head of that tribe should be High Priest.
Meaning of Aaron’s Rod
Why did this miracle involve a blossoming almond branch?
Rashi writes that the almond is the quickest tree to produce fruit. So too, those who protest or contest against the priesthood are quick to be punished.
Rashi cites the incident of King Uzziah who came into the Temple to offer incense and was immediately punished by God (2 Chronicles 26:16-19).
Abarbanel writes the miracle that Aaron’s rod produced ripe almonds demonstrated that his offspring were chosen to be the priests forever. He cites from Jeremiah:
11. Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what do you see? And I said, I see a branch of an almond tree.
12. Then said the Lord to me, You have seen well; for I will hasten My word to perform it.
The Hebrew words for “almond” and “hasten” are similar based on the same 3-letter root shin-kuf-dalet.
I think Abarbanel means that God is acting quickly to make clear to the Children of Israel which tribe and people He has chosen.
First there is the miracle of the rod blossoming. Then in Numbers 18 God confirms the choice of Aaron and the Levites, their roles in the Tabernacle, and how the community is to support them.
Rabbi Hirsch writes that almonds are a good depiction of the Levite spirit. After the incident with the Golden Calf, the tribe of Levi was the one that stood with Moses against those who sinned (see Exodus 32:26).
The almond tree precedes other trees in blossoming. It’s a leader. Other trees eventually follow suit. This is the job of the Levites and priests to be spiritual leaders to set an example that others will follow.