Numbers 17 5

Numbers 17:5 kjv

And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.

Numbers 17:5 nkjv

And it shall be that the rod of the man whom I choose will blossom; thus I will rid Myself of the complaints of the children of Israel, which they make against you."

Numbers 17:5 niv

The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites."

Numbers 17:5 esv

And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout. Thus I will make to cease from me the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against you."

Numbers 17:5 nlt

Buds will sprout on the staff belonging to the man I choose. Then I will finally put an end to the people's murmuring and complaining against you."

Numbers 17 verses

Numbers 17 5 Meaning

This verse declares God's decisive method for revealing His chosen high priest among the leaders of Israel, specifically through a rod that miraculously blossoms. This visible, life-giving sign aims to conclusively silence the ongoing complaints and challenges to the divinely appointed authority of Aaron and his lineage concerning the priesthood.

Numbers 17 5 Context

Numbers chapter 17 directly follows the traumatic events of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram's rebellion in Numbers 16. This rebellion fiercely challenged the divinely ordained leadership of Moses and the exclusive priestly office given to Aaron, asserting that all in the congregation were equally holy and therefore equally entitled to priestly duties. God responded with swift and dramatic judgment: the earth swallowed the rebels, and fire consumed the 250 men who presumed to offer unauthorized incense. Despite this clear demonstration of divine wrath, the Israelites continued to complain, blaming Moses and Aaron for the deaths, which triggered a plague that killed 14,700 people. Numbers 17 therefore sets forth God's ultimate, unambiguous, and incontrovertible test to permanently resolve the question of legitimate priestly authority and to bring an end to the pervasive complaining by visibly designating His chosen priest. The command to gather rods from each tribal leader, with Aaron's rod representing the tribe of Levi, indicates that this divine intervention is addressing a fundamental issue of representation and divine appointment among Israel's leadership, particularly concerning the exclusive access to and mediation before God.

Numbers 17 5 Word analysis

• "And it shall be that" (וְהָיָה - vəhāyāh): This is a standard Hebrew introductory phrase for a divine declaration or decree. It signals an inevitable outcome, emphasizing that what follows is a direct and certain act of God, a divinely determined consequence or fulfillment.

• "the man" (אִישׁ - 'îsh): A straightforward term for an individual male person. Here, it signifies the singular representative leader of each of Israel's tribes, underscoring that God's choice will fall upon one specific person, distinguishing him clearly.

• "whom I choose" (אֲשֶׁר אֶבְחַר - 'asher 'evkhar): This phrase highlights God's sovereign and active role in selecting. The Hebrew verb bakhar (בָחַר) explicitly means "to choose," "to elect," or "to select." This powerfully asserts God's exclusive right and decisive agency in the appointment of His representative, fundamentally opposing any claims based on human merit, popular consensus, or arbitrary human selection.

• "his rod" (מַטֵּהוּ - maṭṭēhû): Maṭṭeh (מַטֶּה) translates to "rod," "staff," or "branch." Crucially, it also signifies "tribe." The rod functions both as a symbol of tribal identity and the authority of the leader. Its inanimate nature (a dead piece of wood) contrasts sharply with the life it is about to display, amplifying the miraculous intervention. The possessive suffix '-hu' specifies it as "his" particular rod.

• "will blossom" (יִפְרָח - yipraḥ): Derived from the Hebrew verb paraḥ (פָּרַח), meaning "to sprout," "to bloom," "to bud," or "to blossom." This word denotes an emergence of life, growth, and flourishing. When applied to a cut, seemingly dead wooden staff, it denotes an extraordinary, supernatural act of life and vitality, indicating divine anointing and favor. It signifies an irrefutable sign from God.

• "thus I will rid Myself of" (וַהֲשִׁכֹּתִי מֵעָלַי - va'hishikotî mē'ālāy): From the root shakak (שָׁכַךְ), which means "to subside," "to calm," or "to abate." Here, in the Hiphil (causative) stem, it means "I will cause to subside," "I will put an end to," or "I will bring to rest." The crucial element mē'ālāy translates to "from upon Me" or "from over Me," profoundly indicating that the complaints, while directed outwardly at Moses and Aaron, were a direct affront and burden to God Himself.

• "the complaints" (תְּלֻנֹּות - telunnōt): This is the plural form of telunah (תְּלֻנָּה), meaning "grumbling," "complaint," or "murmuring." This term is frequently used in Exodus and Numbers to describe Israel's consistent expressions of dissatisfaction, doubt, and rebellion against God's provisions and His chosen leadership.

• "of the children of Israel" (בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - bəne Yisrael): Literally "sons of Israel," this refers to the entire congregation, indicating that the grumbling was a widespread national issue.

• "which they make against you" (אֲשֶׁר הֵם מְלִינִים עֲלֵיכֶם - 'asher hem melīnîm 'aleykhem): Melīnîm (from the root lūn) reinforces the idea of "they murmur" or "they complain." 'Aleykhem means "against you," explicitly referencing Moses and Aaron. This repetition underscores that the rebellion manifested as a challenge to their divinely appointed authority.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "the man whom I choose, his rod will blossom": This phrase establishes the specific and extraordinary sign God will use to validate His selection. It points to a supernatural act—life from inanimate wood—that completely removes any human ambiguity or contestation. God's choice is demonstrated through a miracle, not by human means. This validates the authority not by a claim but by an observable act of divine life and favor.
  • "thus I will rid Myself of the complaints... which they make against you": This clause illuminates the primary purpose and desired outcome of the divine test. The continuous complaints were not just an annoyance but a direct affront and burden to God Himself. The miracle is intended to provide a conclusive, visible, and undeniable sign that would permanently quell the murmuring and remove all doubt regarding the legitimate priestly authority, thereby bringing rest to God from the constant provocation. It is God's decisive act of self-vindication and governmental finality.

Numbers 17 5 Bonus section

• The almond tree holds symbolic significance; it is often the first tree to bud in spring, known for its rapid flowering. In biblical contexts, it can represent vigilance or swift fulfillment of God's word (cf. Jeremiah 1:11-12). The immediate and multi-stage blossoming (buds, blossoms, almonds) on Aaron's rod underscores the irrefutable and comprehensive nature of God's confirmation.
• The placement of Aaron's rod in the Ark of the Covenant, beside the tablets of the Law and a pot of manna, demonstrates its profound importance as a permanent "sign to the rebels" (Numbers 17:10). This permanent witness served as an ongoing deterrent against any future challenges to the divinely appointed priesthood, securing the integrity of Israel's worship and leadership.
• This miracle shifted the foundation of priestly authority from perceived human lineage or self-ascription to direct, miraculous divine affirmation, reinforcing that access to God and mediation of His covenant is solely by His choice and grace.

Numbers 17 5 Commentary

Numbers 17:5 encapsulates God's ultimate solution to the prolonged crisis of legitimate priestly authority following the severe challenge of Korah's rebellion. This divine pronouncement clarifies that the true priest is designated solely by Yahweh's sovereign election, superseding all human claims, popular vote, or even the most esteemed hereditary status within the Levite tribe without explicit divine affirmation. The miraculous blossoming of a dead almond rod, including its budding, flowering, and yielding ripe fruit overnight, served as an irrefutable testament. This extraordinary display of life emerging from inanimate wood signifies God's divine anointing and bestowal of life, spiritual vitality, and fruitfulness upon His chosen servant, starkly contrasting with the spiritual deadness and presumption of unauthorized claimants. The purpose is profoundly practical: to definitively silence Israel's chronic and rebellious complaints. These murmuring were not merely directed at Moses and Aaron but, as shown repeatedly in Scripture, were fundamentally against God's wisdom, appointments, and character. Thus, the sign ultimately enabled God to "rid Himself" of the burden of their incessant contention, re-establishing His divine order and unequivocally legitimizing Aaron's lineage as the sole divinely sanctioned channel for the sacred priestly office.