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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Numbers, Chapter XVII].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>N U M B E R S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XVII.</FONT>
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<P>
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Enough had been done in the chapter before to quash all pretensions of
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the families of the tribe of Levi that would set up in competition with
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Aaron, and to make it appear that Aaron was the head of the tribe; but
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it seems, when that matter was settled, the princes of the rest of the
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tribes began to murmur. If the head of a tribe must be a priest, why
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not the head of some other tribe than that of Levi? He that searches
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the heart knew this thought to be in the breast of some of them, and
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before it broke out into any overt act graciously anticipated it, to
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prevent bloodshed; and it is done by miracle in this chapter, not a
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miracle of wrath, as before, but of grace.
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I. The matter is put upon trial by the bringing of twelve rods, one for
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each prince, before the Lord,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+17:1-7">ver. 1-7</A>.
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II. Upon trial, the matter is determined by the miraculous blossoming
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of Aaron's rod,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+17:8,9">ver. 8, 9</A>.
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III. The decision of the controversy is registered by the preservation
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of the rod,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+17:10,11">ver. 10, 11</A>.
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IV. The people acquiesce in it with some reluctance,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+17:12,13">ver. 12, 13</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Nu17_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu17_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu17_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu17_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu17_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu17_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu17_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Blossoming of Aaron's Rod.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1490.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> spake unto Moses, saying,
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2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of
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them a rod according to the house of <I>their</I> fathers, of all
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their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve
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rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.
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3 And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for
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one rod <I>shall be</I> for the head of the house of their fathers.
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4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the
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congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
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5 And it shall come to pass, <I>that</I> the man's rod, whom I shall
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choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the
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murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against
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you.
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6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of
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their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one,
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according to their fathers' houses, <I>even</I> twelve rods: and the
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rod of Aaron <I>was</I> among their rods.
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7 And Moses laid up the rods before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> in the tabernacle
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of witness.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here we have,
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I. Orders given for the bringing in of a rod for every tribe (which was
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peculiarly significant, for the word here used for a rod sometimes
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signifies a tribe, as particularly
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+34:13"><I>ch.</I> xxxiv. 13</A>),
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that God by a miracle, wrought on purpose, might make it known on whom
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he had conferred the honour of the priesthood.
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1. It seems then the priesthood was a preferment worth seeking and
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striving for, even by the princes of the tribes. It is an honour to the
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greatest of men to be employed in the service of God. Yet perhaps these
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contended for it rather for the sake of the profit and power that
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attended the office than for the sake of that in it which was divine
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and sacred.
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2. It seems likewise, after all that had been done to settle this
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matter, there were those who would be ready upon any occasion to
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contest it. They would not acquiesce in the divine appointment, but
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would make an interest in opposition to it. They strive with God for
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the dominion; and the question is whose will shall stand. God will
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rule, but Israel will not be ruled; and this is the quarrel.
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3. It is an instance of the grace of God that, having wrought divers
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miracles to punish sin, he would work one more on purpose to prevent
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it. God has effectually provided that the obstinate shall be left
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inexcusable, and every mouth shall be stopped. Israel were very prone
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to murmur both against God and against their governors. "Now," said
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God, "<I>I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of
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Israel,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+17:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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If any thing will convince them, they shall be convinced; and, if this
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will not convince them, nothing will." This was to be to them, as
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Christ said the sign of the prophet Jonas (that is, his own
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resurrection) should be to the men of that generation, the highest
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proof of his mission that should be given them. The directions are,
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(1.) That twelve rods or staves should be brought in. It is probable
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that they were not now fresh cut out of a tree, for then the miracle
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would not have been so great; but that they were the staves which the
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princes ordinarily used as ensigns of their authority (of which we read
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+21:18"><I>ch.</I> xxi. 18</A>),
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old dry staves, that had no sap in them, and it is probable that they
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were all made of the almond-tree. It should seem they were but twelve
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in all, with Aaron's, for, when Levi comes into the account, Ephraim
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and Manasseh make but one, under the name of Joseph.
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(2.) That the name of each prince should be written upon his rod, that
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every man might know his own, and to prevent contests. Writing is often
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a good preservative against strife, for what is written may be appealed
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to.
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(3.) That they should be laid up in the tabernacle, for one night,
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before the testimony, that is, before the ark, which, with its mercy
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seat, was a symbol, token, or testimony, of God's presence with them.
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(4.) They were to expect, being told it before, that the rod of the
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tribe, or prince, whom God chose to the priesthood, should bud and
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blossom,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+17:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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It was requisite that they should be told of it, that it might appear
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not to be casual, but according to the counsel and will of God.</P>
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<P>
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II. The preparing of the rods accordingly. The princes brought them in,
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some of them perhaps fondly expecting that the choice would fall upon
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them, and all of them thinking it honour enough to be competitors with
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Aaron, and to stand candidates, even for the priesthood
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+17:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>);
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and <I>Moses laid them up before the Lord.</I> He did not object that
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the matter was sufficiently settled already, and enough done to
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convince those that were not invincibly hardened in their prejudices.
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He did not undertake to determine the controversy himself, though it
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might easily have been done; nor did he suggest that it would be to no
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purpose to offer satisfaction to a people that were willingly blind.
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But, since God will have it so, he did his part, and lodged the case
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before the Lord, to whom the appeal was made by consent, and left it
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with him.</P>
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<A NAME="Nu17_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu17_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu17_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu17_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu17_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Nu17_13"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the
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tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the
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house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed
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blossoms, and yielded almonds.
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9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> unto
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all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man
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his rod.
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10 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before
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the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and
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thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they
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die not.
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11 And Moses did <I>so:</I> as the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> commanded him, so did he.
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12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold,
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we die, we perish, we all perish.
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13 Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
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I. The final determination of the controversy concerning the priesthood
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by a miracle,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+17:8,9"><I>v.</I> 8, 9</A>.
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The rods or staves were brought out from the most holy place where they
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were laid up, and publicly produced before the people; and, while all
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the rest of the rods remained as they were, Aaron's rod only, of a dry
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stick, became a living branch, budded, and blossomed, and yielded
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almonds. In some places there were buds, in others blossoms, in others
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fruit, at the same time. This was miraculous, and took away all
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suspicion of a fraud, as if in the night Moses had taken away Aaron's
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rod, and put a living branch of an almond tree in the room of it; for
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no ordinary branch would have buds, blossoms, and fruits upon it, all
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at once. Now,</P>
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<P>
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1. This was a plain indication to the people that Aaron was chosen to
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the priesthood, and not any other of the princes of the tribes. Thus he
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was distinguished from them and manifested to be under the special
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blessing of heaven, which sometimes yields increase where there is
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neither planting nor watering by the hand of man. Bishop Hall here
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observes that fruitfulness is the best evidence of a divine call, and
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that the plants of God's setting, and the boughs cut off from them,
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will flourish. See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+92:12-14">Ps. xcii. 12-14</A>.
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The trees of the Lord, though they seem dry trees, are full of sap.</P>
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<P>
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2. It was a very proper sign to represent the priesthood itself, which
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was hereby confirmed to Aaron.
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(1.) That it should be fruitful and serviceable to the church of God.
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It produced not only blossoms, but almonds; for the priesthood was
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designed, not only for an honour to Aaron, but for a blessing to
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Israel. Thus Christ ordained his apostles and ministers that they
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should go and bring forth fruit, and that their <I>fruit should
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remain,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+15:16">John xv. 16</A>.
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(2.) That there should be a succession of priests. Here were not only
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almonds for the present, but buds and blossoms promising more
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hereafter. Thus has Christ provided in his church that a seed should
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serve him from generation to generation.
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(3.) That yet this priesthood should not be perpetual, but in process
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of time, like the branches and blossoms of a tree, should fail and
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wither. The flourishing of the almond-tree is mentioned as one of the
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signs of old age,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ec+12:5">Eccl. xii. 5</A>.
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This character was betimes put upon the Mosaic priesthood, which soon
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became old and <I>ready to vanish away,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+8:13">Heb. viii. 13</A>.</P>
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<P>
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3. It was a type and figure of Christ and his priesthood: for he is
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<I>the man, the branch,</I> that is to be <I>a priest upon his
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throne,</I> as it follows
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+6:12">Zech. vi. 12</A>);
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and he was to <I>grow up before God,</I> as this before the ark,
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<I>like a tender plant, and a root out of a dry ground,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+53:2">Isa. liii. 2</A>.</P>
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<P>
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II. The record of this determination, by the preserving of the rod
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before the testimony, <I>in perpetuam rei memoriam--that it might be had
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in perpetual remembrance,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+17:10,11"><I>v.</I> 10, 11</A>.
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It is probable that the buds, and blossoms, and fruit, continued fresh;
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the same divine power that produced them in a night preserved them for
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ages, at least so long as it was necessary for a token against the
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rebels. So it was a standing miracle, and the continuance of it was an
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undeniable proof of the truth of it. Even the leaf of God's trees shall
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not wither,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+1:3">Ps. i. 3</A>.
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This rod was preserved, as the censers were, to <I>take away their
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murmurings, that they die not.</I> Note,
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1. The design of God in all his providences, both mercies and
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judgments, and in the memorials of them, is to take away sin, and to
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prevent it. These things are done, these things written, <I>that we sin
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not,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Jo+2:1">1 John ii. 1</A>.
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Christ was <I>manifested to take away sin.</I>
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2. What God does for the taking away of sin is done in real kindness to
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us, <I>that we die not.</I> All the bitter potions he gives, and all
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the sharp methods he uses with us, are for the cure of a disease which
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otherwise would certainly be fatal. Bishop Hall observes here that the
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tables of the law, the pot of manna, and Aaron's rod, were preserved
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together in or about the ark (the apostle takes notice of them all
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three together,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+9:4">Heb. ix. 4</A>),
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to show to after-ages how the ancient church was taught, and fed, and
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ruled; and he infers how precious the doctrine, sacraments, and
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government, of the church are to God and should be to us. The rod of
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Moses was used in working many miracles, yet we do not find that this
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was preserved, for the keeping of it would serve only to gratify men's
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curiosity; but the rod of Aaron, which carried its miracle along with
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it, was carefully preserved, because that would be of standing use to
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convince men's consciences, to silence all disputes about the
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priesthood, and to confirm the faith of God's Israel in his
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institutions. Such is the difference between the sacraments which
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Christ has appointed for edification and the relics which men have
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devised for superstition.</P>
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<P>
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III. The outcry of the people hereupon
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+17:12,13"><I>v.</I> 12, 13</A>):
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<I>Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. Shall we be consumed with
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dying?</I> This may be considered as the language either,
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1. Of a repining people quarrelling with the judgments of God, which,
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by their own pride and obstinacy, they had brought upon themselves.
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They seem to speak despairingly, as if God was a hard Master, that
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sought advantage against them, and took all occasions to pick quarrels
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with them, so that if they trod every so little awry, if they stepped
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ever so little beyond their bounds, they must die, they must perish,
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they must all perish, basely insinuating that God would never be
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satisfied with their blood and ruin, till he had made an end of them
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all and they were consumed with dying. Thus they seem to be like a
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<I>wild bull in a net, full of the fury of the Lord</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+51:20">Isa. li. 20</A>),
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fretting that God was too hard for them and that they were forced to
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submit, which they did only because they could not help it. Note, It
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is a very wicked thing to fret against God when we are in affliction,
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and in our distress thus to trespass yet more. If we die, if we perish,
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it is owing to ourselves, and the blame will lie upon our own heads.
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Or,
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2. Of a repenting people. Many interpreters take it as expressing their
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submission: "Now we see that it is the will of God we should keep our
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distance, and that it is at our peril if we draw nearer than is
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appointed. We submit to the divine will in this appointment; we will
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not contend any more, lest we all perish:" and they engage Moses to
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intercede for them, that they may not be all consumed with dying. Thus
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the point was gained, and in this matter God quite took away their
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murmurings, and henceforward they acquiesced. Note, When God judges he
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will over come, and, one way or other, will oblige the most obstinate
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gainsayers to confess their folly sooner or later, and that wherein
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they dealt proudly he was above them. <I>Vicisti Galilæe--O
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Galilæan, thou hast conquered!</I></P>
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<!-- (End Body) -->
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<HR>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%">
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<TR>
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<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
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