Números 17

1 La vara de Aarón brota
Entonces el Señor
le dijo a Moisés:

2 «Diles a los israelitas que te traigan doce varas de madera, una por cada jefe de las tribus de los antepasados de Israel, y escribe el nombre de cada jefe en su propia vara.

3 Escribe el nombre de Aarón sobre la vara de la tribu de Leví, pues debe haber una vara por cada jefe de tribu patriarcal.

4 Coloca las varas en el tabernáculo delante del arca que contiene las tablas del pacto,
donde me encuentro contigo.

5 Entonces, de la vara del hombre que yo elija saldrán brotes y finalmente pondré fin a las murmuraciones y a las quejas de este pueblo en contra de ustedes».

6 Así que Moisés dio las instrucciones al pueblo de Israel, y cada uno de los doce jefes de las tribus, incluido Aarón, llevó una vara a Moisés;

7 Entonces Moisés colocó las varas en la presencia del Señor
en el tabernáculo del pacto.

8 Al día siguiente, cuando Moisés entró en el tabernáculo del pacto, encontró que la vara de Aarón, que representaba a la tribu de Leví, ¡había retoñado, echado brotes, florecido y producido almendras maduras!

9 Después que Moisés sacó todas las varas de la presencia del Señor
, las mostró al pueblo y cada hombre tomó su propia vara.

10 Entonces el Señor
le dijo a Moisés: «Pon la vara de Aarón permanentemente delante del arca del pacto
para que sirva de advertencia a los rebeldes. Esto deberá poner fin a las quejas contra mí y evitará más muertes».

11 Y Moisés hizo lo que el Señor
le ordenó.

12 Entonces el pueblo de Israel le dijo a Moisés: «¡Estamos perdidos! ¡Moriremos! ¡Estamos arruinados!

13 Cualquiera que tan siquiera se acerque al tabernáculo del Señor
morirá. ¿Acaso estamos todos condenados a morir?».

Números 17 Commentary

Chapter 17

Twelve rods laid up before the Lord. (1-7) Aaron's rod buds, and is kept for a memorial. (8-13)

Verses 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.

Verses 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!

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 17

In this chapter the priesthood of Aaron is further confirmed and established by the budding and blossom of his rod, as it lay among the princes of the several tribes, when theirs did not, Nu 17:1-9; which rod of Aaron was ordered to be laid up before the ark, as a token against the rebels, and to put an end to all murmurings against Aaron for the future; which was accordingly done, Nu 17:10,11; upon which the people expressed their fear of perishing because of their sins, Nu 17:12,13.