Numbers 17:4

4 And let them be stored up in the Tent of meeting, in front of the ark of witness where I come to you.

Numbers 17:4 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 17:4

And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the
congregation
In the most holy place:

before the testimony;
that is, the ark in which the testimony or the law was; here they were laid as in the presence of God, who was in a miraculous way to decide the controversy by them, and put an end to it; for upon the ark was the mercy seat, over which were the cherubim, the seat of the divine Majesty, and where none could come at them, and where no fraud could be supposed to be committed:

where I will meet with you;
not with the people in person, who might not go at any time into the most holy place; nor with Aaron, who only might go into it on the day of atonement; but with Moses, the chief ruler and representative of the whole body of the people, and who might go in there at any time, to consult with God about matters of moment and difficulty, and where the Lord had said he would meet him, ( Exodus 25:22 ) ; and now would, in a miraculous way, clearly show him, and the people of Israel by him, who was the priest he had chosen of all the tribes.

Numbers 17:4 In-Context

2 Say to the children of Israel that they are to give you rods, one for every family, for every chief, the head of his father's house, making twelve rods; let every man's name be placed on his rod.
3 And let Aaron's name be placed on the rod of Levi: for there is to be one rod for the head of every family.
4 And let them be stored up in the Tent of meeting, in front of the ark of witness where I come to you.
5 And the rod of that man who is marked out by me for myself will have buds on it; so I will put a stop to the outcries which the children of Israel make to me against you.
6 So Moses gave these orders to the children of Israel, and all their chiefs gave him rods, one for the head of every family, making twelve rods: and Aaron's rod was among them.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.