Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Numbers
Book: Numbers
Chapter: 17
Overview:
Twelve rods laid up before the
Lord.
(1-7) Aaron's rod buds,
and is kept for a memorial.
(8-13)
1-7 It is an instance of the
Grace of
God, that, having wrought
divers miracles to punish
Sin, he would work one more to prevent
it. Twelve rods or staves were to be brought in. It is probable
that they were the staves which the princes used as ensigns of
their authority; old dry staves, that had
No sap in them. They
were to expect that the rod of the
Tribe, or
Prince, whom
God
chose to the priesthood, should bud and blossom.
Moses did not
object that the matter was sufficiently settled already; he did
not undertake to determine it; but left the case before the
Lord.
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 of the people, that they might not die. The
design of
God, in all his providences, and in the memorials of
them, is to take away
Sin.
Christ was manifested to take away
Sin.
Christ is expressly called a rod out of the stem of
Jesse:
little prospect was there, according to human views, that he
should ever flourish. But the dry rod revived and blossomed to
the confusion of his adversaries. The people cry, Behold, we
die, we perish, we all perish! This was the language of a
repining people, quarrelling with the
Judgments of God, which
By
their own pride and obstinacy they brought upon themselves. It
is very wicked to fret against
God when we are in affliction,
and in our distress thus to trespass yet more. If we die, if we
perish, it is of ourselves, and the blame will be upon our own
heads. When
God Judges, he will overcome, and will oblige the
most obstinate gainsayers to confess their folly. And how great
are our mercies, that we have a clearer and a better
Dispensation, established upon better promises!