John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi , etc.] Or upon the rod that was for the tribe of Levi; the name of “Aaron” was to be written, not the word “Levi”, or a “Levite”, as Josephus f240 ; for that would not have decided the controversy about the priesthood, which chiefly lay between the Levites and the family of Aaron, who were of the same tribe: for one rod [shall be] for the head of the house of their fathers ; one rod for the head or prince of every tribe, every prince representing his own tribe he was the head of, and the rod the prince; and though the tribe of Levi was divided into two families, the family of the priests, and the family of the Levites; yet, as Jarchi observes, they were but one tribe, and so one rod for them, as for the other tribes.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - It is an instance of the grace of God, that, having wrought diver miracles to punish sin, he would work one more to prevent it. Twelv rods or staves were to be brought in. It is probable that they were the staves which the princes used as ensigns of their authority; old dr staves, that had no sap in them. They were to expect that the rod of the tribe, or prince, whom God chose to the priesthood, should bud an blossom. Moses did not object that the matter was sufficiently settle already; he did not undertake to determine it; but left the case befor the Lord.
Original Hebrew ואת853 שׁם8034 אהרן175 תכתב3789 על5921 מטה4294 לוי3878 כי3588 מטה4294 אחד259 לראשׁ7218 בית1004 אבותם׃1
