Numbers 17:11 kjv
And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
Numbers 17:11 nkjv
Thus did Moses; just as the LORD had commanded him, so he did.
Numbers 17:11 niv
Moses did just as the LORD commanded him.
Numbers 17:11 esv
Thus did Moses; as the LORD commanded him, so he did.
Numbers 17:11 nlt
So Moses did as the LORD commanded him.
Numbers 17 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 16:1-35 | "Now Korah, the son of Izhar... and they rose up before Moses... against them." | Context of Korah's rebellion, preceding events. |
| Num 17:10 | "And the Lord said to Moses, 'Put back the rod of Aaron before the Testimony..." | God's command for permanent display. |
| Heb 9:3-4 | "And behind the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest... Aaron’s rod that budded..." | Mentioned as a stored item in the ark/tabernacle. |
| Isa 11:1 | "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse..." | Prophecy of Messiah, a 'rod' bringing new life. |
| Jer 1:11-12 | "Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Jeremiah, what see you?'... almond tree." | The 'watching tree', God watching over His Word. |
| Exo 28:1 | "And bring Aaron your brother... that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office." | Divine institution of Aaron's priesthood. |
| Psa 110:4 | "The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: 'You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.'" | Foreshadows Christ's unchangeable priesthood. |
| Heb 5:1-10 | "For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men..." | Christ's high priesthood compared to Levitical. |
| Jhn 15:4-5 | "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself... if it abide not in the vine." | Spiritual fruitfulness from divine connection. |
| Eze 37:1-14 | "The hand of the Lord was upon me... brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord... valley full of bones." | Life from death, divine power to revive. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation..." | Believers as a spiritual priesthood. |
| Php 4:13 | "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." | Strength and ability from God. |
| Rom 1:1-7 | "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle..." | Authority of apostolic calling. |
| 1 Cor 1:27-29 | "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world... that no flesh should glory in His presence." | God uses unlikely means to display power. |
| Lk 5:5-6 | "And Simon answered and said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing..." | Obedience to God's word bringing supernatural results. |
| Mal 3:3 | "He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi..." | Future purification of the priestly line. |
| Zec 3:8-9 | "Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your companions... For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH." | Messiah as the true High Priest. |
| Num 1:50-53 | "but you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony..." | Divine ordination of Levites for tabernacle service. |
| Rom 11:17 | "And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in..." | New life/fruitfulness through grafting by God. |
| 2 Cor 3:6 | "who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit;" | Ministers empowered by the Spirit. |
| 1 Cor 15:53 | "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." | Transformation, resurrection from death to life. |
| Jdg 6:36-40 | "And Gideon said unto God, 'If You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said...' dry and wet fleece." | God provides unique, clear signs of affirmation. |
| Psa 89:35 | "Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David:" | God's unchangeable oath regarding His chosen. |
Numbers 17 verses
Numbers 17 11 Meaning
Numbers chapter 17, verse 11 describes the miraculous sign given by God to confirm Aaron's divine appointment to the priesthood, thereby silencing all future challenges to his authority and the legitimate role of the Levites in temple service. On the day following the placement of the tribal rods in the Tabernacle of Witness, Aaron's rod alone supernaturally blossomed, producing buds, blossoms, and ripe almonds overnight, transforming from a dead stick to a life-bearing staff.
Numbers 17 11 Context
Numbers chapter 17 is a pivotal moment in the wilderness narrative, immediately following the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Numbers 16). This rebellion challenged Moses' and Aaron's leadership and the divinely appointed Levitical priesthood. God responded with swift judgment, swallowing the rebels and consuming 14,700 Israelites with a plague for their grumbling. Despite this, the people continued to complain against Moses and Aaron. To permanently silence the contention over the priesthood, God instructed each tribal leader to bring his rod, representing his authority, to the Tabernacle of Witness. Aaron, as head of the tribe of Levi, also submitted his rod. The miracle described in Numbers 17:11 served as God's unmistakable validation of Aaron and his descendants as the chosen, legitimate priestly line. The rod was then to be kept perpetually before the Ark of the Covenant as a permanent sign to future generations, underscoring the finality and divine sanction of Aaron's office.
Numbers 17 11 Word analysis
- And it came to pass: Introduces the next event in a sequence, often with divine involvement.
- on the morrow: Hebrew mimmoharat (מִמָּחֳרָת). Signifies immediacy, the very next day. This points to a swift, divinely orchestrated unfolding, emphasizing the miraculous speed of the transformation.
- that Moses went: Moses, as the faithful intermediary and chosen leader, personally enters to witness and report God's sign.
- into the tabernacle of witness: Hebrew ’ōhel hā‘ēdût (אֹהֶל הָעֵדֻת). The "Tent of Meeting" or "Tabernacle of Testimony," where the Ark of the Covenant, containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments (the 'testimony'), was kept. This was the place of God's presence and where His divine pronouncements and laws resided. The miracle occurred directly in God's presence, signifying its divine origin and irrefutable nature.
- and, behold: Hebrew wəhinnēh (וְהִנֵּה). An exclamation drawing attention to something astonishing or unexpected; a marker for an immediate, impactful, and often miraculous observation.
- the rod of Aaron: Hebrew maṭṭēh Aharon (מַטֵּה אַהֲרֹן). A 'rod' or 'staff,' a symbol of authority, leadership, and tribal identity. Prior to this, it was a dry, dead piece of wood, signifying its ordinary, non-living state. This highlights the magnitude of the miracle – life from deadness. It explicitly names Aaron, reinforcing that the sign is specifically for his lineage.
- for the house of Levi: Hebrew ləvēyt Lēwî (לְבֵית לֵוִי). Clarifies that Aaron's selection as priest is directly tied to the specific divine choice for the entire priestly lineage within the tribe of Levi, solidifying the tribe's exclusive role in ministering before the Lord.
- was budded: Hebrew wayyipraḥ (וַיִּפְרַח). Literally, "and it budded/blossomed." Signifies the emergence of new growth, overcoming its former dead state. This is the initial stage of life returning.
- and brought forth buds: Hebrew wayyōṣē’ pirḥāḥ (וַיֹּאצֵא פֶּרַח). Indicating the actual "bringing forth" or full appearance of the new buds. This isn't just a sign of life, but a progression of development.
- and bloomed blossoms: Hebrew wayyāṣēṣ ṣîṣ (וַיָּצֵץ צִיץ). Moving from buds to open flowers or blossoms. This implies the beauty and full expression of the initial life-force, making the miracle unmistakably clear.
- and yielded almonds: Hebrew wayyiḡmōl šeqēdîm (וַיִּגְמֹל שְׁקֵדִים). The culmination: the production of ripened fruit (almonds). This shows the completion of a full cycle of growth from a barren state to fruitfulness, all in one night. The almond tree (shaqed) is significant as it's typically the first tree to bud in spring, often associated with watchfulness and swiftness, as seen in Jeremiah 1:11-12, reinforcing God's promptness and watchful eye over His word to bring it to pass.
Numbers 17 11 Bonus section
- The three stages of the rod's transformation – budding, blossoming, and yielding ripe almonds – represent not just life from death, but a full and complete cycle of divine fruitfulness and completion, all divinely ordained and instantaneous. This leaves no room for human explanation or doubt.
- The fact that it was an almond tree, often called the "wake-up tree" because it blooms earliest in the spring, emphasizes God's watchfulness and His immediate execution of His will and word. As God was "watching" over His word in Jeremiah 1, so He watched over His chosen priesthood.
- This miraculous event stands in stark contrast to the judgment that preceded it. While Korah's rebellion resulted in the earth swallowing some alive and fire consuming others, demonstrating death and destruction against illegitimate claims, Aaron's rod demonstrated divine life and fruitfulness in confirming legitimate authority.
Numbers 17 11 Commentary
Numbers 17:11 is the climax of God's direct intervention to settle the dispute over the legitimate priesthood once and for all. The transformation of Aaron's dead staff into a flourishing, fruit-bearing branch in a single night inside the holy Tabernacle of Witness provides an undeniable, supernatural demonstration of divine approval. This miracle signifies God's singular election of Aaron's lineage for the priesthood, bringing forth life where there was only death, and silencing all contention. It reveals God's commitment to uphold His chosen representatives, serving as both a confirmation of authority for Aaron and a warning against rebellion for the people. Symbolically, it points forward to Christ, the ultimate High Priest, whose resurrected life and fruitfulness overcome spiritual death.