Numbers

17.1-13

Yahweh Himself declares that He will rid Himself of the grumblings of the sons of Israel against Moses. Moses has been the one to suffer the complaints of the people, yet in the declaration of verse 5 of this chapter, we note that it is on behalf of Himself that God intervenes. Grumbling against God's anointed is not just an offense to the man, but more significantly it is an offense to God Himself. This is seen later when the Israelites rebel against the leadership Yahweh appoints for them in the judges, concluding with Samuel.

"and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” (1 Sa 8:5).

Just as Moses was grieved with the grumblings of the children of Israel here in the book of Numbers, Samuel too considered the petition of the elders of Israel evil. In response to that complaint, Yahweh reminded Samuel that this was not the first time He had dealt with impetuous children -

"Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also." (1 Sa 8:7–8).

Unlike during the days of Samuel, here with Moses as they were about to embark on a 40-year wandering in the wilderness, it was not yet time for God to turn the Israelites over to their own decisions. When the decision of Yahweh was revealed to the leaders of the tribes of Israel, He lets them know that this is for their own good.

"...that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, so that they will not die.” (17:10).

Because even though He is patient, He is not willing to allow the guilty to go unpunished. The people had already heard from God's own voice:

"Yahweh, Yahweh God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” (Ex 34:6–7).

CHAPTER 17

Aaron’s Rod Buds

1 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and get from them a rod for each father’s household: twelve rods from all their leaders according to their fathers’ households. You shall write each name on his rod,
3 and write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi; for there is one rod for the head of each of their fathers’ households.
4 “You shall then deposit them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony, where I meet with you.
5 “And it will come about that the rod of the man whom I choose will sprout. Thus I will rid Myself of the grumblings of the sons of Israel, who are grumbling against you.”
6 Moses therefore spoke to the sons of Israel, and all their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers’ households, twelve rods, with the rod of Aaron among their rods.
7 So Moses deposited the rods before Yahweh in the tent of the testimony.
8 Now it happened on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced flowers, and it bore ripe almonds.
9 Moses then brought out all the rods from the presence of Yahweh to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod.
10 But Yahweh said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, so that they will not die.”
11 Thus Moses did; just as Yahweh had commanded him, so he did.
12 Then the sons of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, we are breathing our last breath, we are perishing, we are all perishing!
13 “Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of Yahweh, must die. Are we to breathe our utter last?”

Legacy Standard Bible (Three Sixteen Publishing, 2022), Nu 17.