Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 17:5
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.
Verse 5. The man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom] It was necessary that something farther should be done to quiet the minds of the people, and for ever to settle the dispute, in what tribe the priesthood should be fixed. God therefore took the method described in the text, and it had the desired effect; the Aaronical priesthood was never after disputed.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod whom I shall choose,…. Or make it manifest that he had chosen him, and so confirm the choice he had made of him and his family, for the priesthood to be and continue in:
shall blossom; bud and blossom, and yield fruit, as it afterwards did, which is here declared beforehand, that the miracle might appear the greater, exactly answering to a prediction delivered out before of it:
and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you; against Moses for setting up his brother as an high priest, and establishing the priesthood in his family; and against Aaron for accepting of it, and officiating in it; but by this method now taken, God would for ever silence their murmurings, so that they should never be able, with any face, to object any more to the authority of the Aaronic priesthood, which should appear by the predicted miracle beyond all dispute and contradiction.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
5. And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod. Aaron, indeed, had been previously chosen; but the expression here refers to his manifestation; (105) because God is said again to choose those, whom He has chosen by His secret counsel, when He brings them forth into the sight of men with their peculiar marks of distinction; and this not once only, but as often as he confirms their election by new indications. And this seems to be spoken of by way of concession, as if God would pass over all His former decrees, and invite the people afresh to take cognizance of the matter. With this view tie states that He will put an end to all the malevolent and noisy detractions of the people, so that Aaron may henceforth exercise his office without controversy; for, although not even thus was their perverseness altogether cured, still their insolence was restrained.
(105) Fr., “A la seconde declaration.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(5) The mans rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom.Or, shall sprout forth or put forthi.e., leaves or blossoms. Achilles, when enraged against Agamemnon, is made to swear a solemn oath by his sceptre which, having once left its stock on the mountains, shall never again grow. King Latinus is represented by Virgil as confirming his covenant with neas by a similar oath.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. Whom I shall choose That is, select for the priesthood.
Cease murmurings Suppress them beyond all possibility of a revival. Jehovah’s claims are set forth in his word with such cogency that there is no just ground for gainsaying. On all questions of duty there is a redundancy of evidence.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Rod of the Chosen One Will Bud and Put an End to Murmuring ( Num 17:5 ).
Num 17:5
‘And it will come about, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose will bud, and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you.’
Then Yahweh would make the rod of the man that Yahweh had chosen spring to life and bud. This final display on Yahweh’s initiative should cause all further murmurings against Moses and Aaron on the question of who had the right of priesthood to cease.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Blessed promise! if GOD undertakes to make the murmurings of his people to cease it shall be done, but without this interference of grace, the most awful judgments lose their effect. Compare what passed in the former chapter where the LORD’S choice was as plainly manifested, but man’s stubborn unreclaimed nature still rebelled. Num 16:5 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Num 17:5 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.
Ver. 5. And I will make to cease. ] But then he must do more than work miracles. For such is the habitual hardness of men’s hearts, as neither ministry, nor misery, nor miracle, nor mercy, can possibly mollify. Nothing can do it, but an extraordinary touch from the hand of Heaven.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Whom I: Num 16:5
blossom: Num 17:8, Isa 5:24, Isa 11:1, Isa 27:6, Isa 35:1, Isa 35:2, Hos 14:5
I will: Num 17:10, Isa 13:11, Eze 16:41, Eze 23:27
they murmur: Num 16:11
Reciprocal: Deu 18:5 – General 1Sa 2:28 – And did I 1Ki 13:33 – whosoever Psa 105:26 – Aaron Joh 3:27 – A man Heb 7:13 – of which Heb 9:4 – and Aaron’s
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
DRY STICKS OR FRUITFUL BOUGHS?
The mans rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom.
Num 17:5
I. The controversy about the Priesthood demanded a final and authoritative settlement.For the removal of all doubts and the silencing of all objections, a notable miracle was wrought in the budding of Aarons rod. There was no room left for man: he was put out of the way, and only God appeared.
II. The rod of Aaron was probably that which had been used by Moses, in working so many miracles. Such rods were dry staves, or wands of office, usually transmitted from father to son. And surely, besides serving their immediate purpose, they were apt figures of Israels condition, and indeed of the condition of every-one of us by naturewithout sap, or life, or power.
III. The miracle was very remarkable, and a beautiful illustration of what grace can effect in each of us. And after all there is no test of true discipleship, or of a call to the ministry, which can be compared to fruitfulness. This is Gods seal of acceptance and designation to His work. We need to be grafted into Christ; so only can we bear fruit (Joh 15:4-5 : Hos 14:8).
IV. The complaint of Israel was indicative of a sad want of simple trust and love. It seemed to be entirely forgotten that they had brought all their sufferings on themselves. How many of our own sorrows are self-originated!
Illustration
(1) The man whom I shall choose, his rod shall bud. This is an eternal principle. There is an indissoluble bond of union between Gods election and our fruitfulness. I have chosen you and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit. He who lives near God must be fruitful, and the fruitful soul is welcome to the secret place of the Most High. But how can dry rods like us ever bear blossom or fruit? There is no other way than by being grafted into the rod of the stem of Jesse, which seemed to be too dry and unlikely to bear fruit again, but which in that wondrous scion, our blessed Lord, has borne blossom and fruit, filling the world with its produce. Hear Him saying to all who are grafted into Him by a living faith, From Me is thy fruit found. Oh, think of that wondrous cross, made of what was once a young fresh sapling! It was dry enough when He hung there to die, but it has become the tree of life, which bears twelve manner of fruits, of which the overcomers eat, whilst its leaves are for the healing of the nations.
(2) The stick was fruitless, and it follows that it was worthless too. It was only a brand fit for the burning, and that is all you and I are before Christ finds us. It does not matter what your outward circumstances or advantages may be. We hear of silver sticks and gold sticks at earthly courts, but neither silver nor gold will avail us at the Court of the Heavenly King. Whatever our pretensions, if the life of Christ be not ours, we shall be counted but as fuel for the fireas worthless sticks.
(3) The manner of the change was secret, sovereign, sudden. The mystery of life came to the stick from the Hand of God. Let us remember God keeps that secret in His own Hand; we cannot penetrate it. Dont turn away from the thought of spiritual life because it is mysterious. All life is a mystery. Vegetable, animal life is a mystery; how much more must spiritual life be! There is a line beyond which mans keenest vision cannot pierce, the subtlest intellect cannot penetrate; it is the boundary line between life and death. I say the manner of the change, the mighty change which converts the dead stick into the living branch, is a secret known to God alone.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
17:5 And it shall come to pass, [that] the man’s rod, whom I shall {b} choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.
(b) To be the chief priest.