John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 9. And Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord, unto all the children of Israel , etc.] He brought them out of the holy place, and showed them to the princes of the several tribes: and they looked, and took every man his rod ; which they knew by their names upon them; by their own handwriting, as Aben Ezra; for though Moses is bid to write their names on them, ( Numbers 17:2,3); yet no more may be meant by that than that he should order them to be written, and take care that they were.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 8-13 - While all the other rods remained as they were. Aaron's rod became living branch. In some places there were buds, in others blossoms, i others fruit, at the same time; all this was miraculous. Thus Aaron wa manifested to be under the special blessing of Heaven. Fruitfulness is the best evidence of a Divine call; and the plants of God's setting and the boughs cut off them, will flourish. This rod was preserved, to take away the murmurings of the people, that they might not die. The design of God, in all his providences, and in the memorials of them, is to take away sin. Christ was manifested to take away sin. Christ i expressly called a rod out of the stem of Jesse: little prospect wa there, according to human views, that he should ever flourish. But the dry rod revived and blossomed to the confusion of his adversaries. The people cry, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish! This was the language of a repining people, quarrelling with the judgments of God which by their own pride and obstinacy they brought upon themselves. It is very wicked to fret against God when we are in affliction, and in our distress thus to trespass yet more. If we die, if we perish, it is of ourselves, and the blame will be upon our own heads. When God judges, he will overcome, and will oblige the most obstinate gainsayer to confess their folly. And how great are our mercies, that we have clearer and a better dispensation, established upon better promises _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew ויצא3318 משׁה4872 את853 כל3605 המטת4294 מלפני6440 יהוה3069 אל413 כל3605 בני1121 ישׂראל3478 ויראו7200 ויקחו3947 אישׁ376 מטהו׃4294
