Numbers 17:10

10 And the Lord said to Moses, Bear thou again the rod of Aaron into the tabernacle of witnessing, that it be kept there into a token of the rebel sons of Israel, and that their complainings, or grouchings, cease from me, lest they die. (And the Lord said to Moses, Bring thou back Aaron's staff into the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, so that it can be kept there as a sign, or as a warning, to all the rebellious Israelites, so that their complaints, or their grumblings, cease, or else they shall die.)

Numbers 17:10 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 17:10

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 Kimchi in 2 Chron. xxxv. 3. Maimon. Hilchot. Beth Habechirah, c. 4. sect. 1.
F7 T. Hieros. Shekalim, c. 6. fol. 49. 3.

Numbers 17:10 In-Context

8 he went again in the day following, and found that the rod of Aaron, in the house of Levi, had burgeoned; and when [the] knops were great, the blossoms had broken out, which were alarged in (the) leaves, and were formed into almonds. (he went back on the following day, and found that Aaron's staff, for the house of Levi, had sprouted; and first the buds grew great, and then the blossoms broke out, and enlarged themselves amid the leaves, and then they were formed into almonds.)

9 Therefore Moses brought forth all the rods from the sight of the Lord to all the sons of Israel; and they saw, and received each his rod. (And so Moses brought out all the staffs from before the Lord to all the Israelites; and they looked at all of them, and then each man received back his own staff.)

10 And the Lord said to Moses, Bear thou again the rod of Aaron into the tabernacle of witnessing, that it be kept there into a token of the rebel sons of Israel, and that their complainings, or grouchings, cease from me, lest they die. (And the Lord said to Moses, Bring thou back Aaron's staff into the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, so that it can be kept there as a sign, or as a warning, to all the rebellious Israelites, so that their complaints, or their grumblings, cease, or else they shall die.)

11 And Moses did, as the Lord commanded.

12 Soothly the sons of Israel said to Moses, Lo! we be wasted, all we have perished; (And the Israelites said to Moses, Lo! we be destroyed, and we all shall perish;)