And the Lord said unto Moses
After the rods had been viewed, and every prince took his rod,
and full satisfaction was given that the priesthood belonged to
Aaron, by the budding and blossoming of his rod, when the rest
remained as they were:
bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony;
before the ark, in which the testimony or law was; here it was
placed and continued, but how long cannot be said with certainty;
no doubt for many ages; which increases the wonder, that it
should, as it probably did, continue with its buds, blossoms, and
fruit on it: the apostle speaks of it, as in the holy of holies,
with the ark, the pot of manna, and the tables of the covenant, (
Hebrews 9:4 )
; the Jews say F6, that when Josiah the king ordered
the ark to be laid up in that place which Solomon had built, that
it might not be carried with the captives into captivity, as it
is said, ( 2 Chronicles
35:3 ) , "put the holy ark" they hid with the ark the rod of
Aaron, and the pot of manna, and the anointing oil, and which
were not in the second temple; and they say F7,
particularly of Aaron's rod, that at the time it was laid up by
Josiah it had its buds and almonds: now this was ordered to be
put in the most holy place before the ark:
to be kept for a token against the rebels;
to be a token of their sin and wickedness in rebelling against
God, his ordinance and ministers; which occasioned this miracle
to be wrought, for the confirmation of the priesthood in Aaron's
family, which they opposed, and to be a caution to others not to
attempt anything against it for the future; so Christ and the
Gospel ministry will be swift witnesses against the opposers of
him and that; see ( Malachi 3:5 ) (
John 3:19 ) ;
and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me,
that they die
not;
quite silence all the murmurings of the people with respect to
the priesthood being so fully convinced by this miracle of the
divine authority Aaron and his family had to exercise the
priestly office, and they only, and so such destruction of the
people be prevented as had been lately made.