The Meaning of Numbers 17:2 Explained

Numbers 17:2

KJV: Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.

YLT: 'Speak unto the sons of Israel, and take from them each a rod, for a father's house, from all their princes, for the house of their fathers, twelve rods; the name of each thou dost write on his rod,

Darby: Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of them a staff, a staff for each father's house, of all their princes according to the houses of their fathers, twelve staves: thou shalt write each one's name upon his staff.

ASV: Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of them rods, one for each fathers house, of all their princes according to their fathers houses, twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Speak  unto the children  of Israel,  and take  of every one of them a rod  according to the house  of [their] fathers,  of all their princes  according to the house  of their fathers  twelve  rods:  write  thou every man's  name  upon his rod. 

What does Numbers 17:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 17:1-13 - The Budding Of Aaron's Rod
The controversy about the priesthood needed authoritative settlement, and to remove all grounds of dissension a notable sign was wrought on Aaron's rod. "The man whom I shall choose, his rod shall bud." This is an eternal principle. There is an indissoluble connection between God's choice and our fruitfulness. "I have chosen you and ordained you," said our Lord, "that ye should go and bring forth fruit."
In the Epistle to the Hebrews we learn that Aaron's budding rod symbolized our Lord's unwithering priesthood. See Hebrews 7:24. He seemed as a root out of the dry ground; but in the grave the rod of Jesse began to bud and blossom and bear fruit. We may seem to be mere bare rods, but if we become united to Christ by a living faith we shall partake of His strength and beauty. "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." "From me is thy fruit found," Hosea 14:8. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 17

1  Aaron's rod, among all the rods of the tribes, only flourishes
10  It is left for a monument against the rebels

What do the individual words in Numbers 17:2 mean?

speak to the sons of Israel and get from them a staff a rod from each house fathers' - all their leaders according to houses of their father two [and] ten rods Of each man - name Write on his rod
דַּבֵּ֣ר ׀ אֶל־ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְקַ֣ח מֵֽאִתָּ֡ם מַטֶּ֣ה מַטֶּה֩ לְבֵ֨ית אָ֜ב מֵאֵ֤ת כָּל־ נְשִֽׂיאֵהֶם֙ לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֔ם שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר מַטּ֑וֹת אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־ שְׁמ֔וֹ תִּכְתֹּ֖ב עַל־ מַטֵּֽהוּ

דַּבֵּ֣ר ׀  speak 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וְקַ֣ח  and  get 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
מֵֽאִתָּ֡ם  from  them 
Parse: Preposition-m, Direct object marker, third person masculine plural
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מַטֶּ֣ה  a  staff 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
מַטֶּה֩  a  rod 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
לְבֵ֨ית  from  each  house 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אָ֜ב  fathers' 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
מֵאֵ֤ת  - 
Parse: Preposition-m, Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
נְשִֽׂיאֵהֶם֙  their  leaders 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נָשִׂיא 
Sense: one lifted up, chief, prince, captain, leader.
לְבֵ֣ית  according  to  houses 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אֲבֹתָ֔ם  of  their  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
שְׁנֵ֥ים  two 
Parse: Number, md
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
עָשָׂ֖ר  [and]  ten 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂר 
Sense: ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers).
מַטּ֑וֹת  rods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
אִ֣ישׁ  Of  each  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שְׁמ֔וֹ  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
תִּכְתֹּ֖ב  Write 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
מַטֵּֽהוּ  his  rod 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.