The Meaning of Numbers 17:10 Explained

Numbers 17:10

KJV: And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

YLT: And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Put back the rod of Aaron, before the testimony, for a charge, for a sign to the sons of rebellion, and thou dost remove their murmurings from off me, and they do not die;'

Darby: And Jehovah said to Moses, Bring Aaron's staff again before the testimony, to be kept as a token for the sons of rebellion, that thou mayest put an end to their murmurings before me, that they may not die.

ASV: And Jehovah said unto Moses, Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that thou mayest make an end of their murmurings against me, that they die not.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  said  unto Moses,  Bring  Aaron's  rod  again  before  the testimony,  to be kept  for a token  against the rebels;  and thou shalt quite take away  their murmurings  from me, that they die  not. 

What does Numbers 17:10 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 17:10 mean?

And said Yahweh to Moses bring back - rod of Aaron before the Testimony to be kept as a sign against the rebels that you may put away their complaints from Me and lest they die
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֗ה הָשֵׁ֞ב אֶת־ מַטֵּ֤ה אַהֲרֹן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָעֵד֔וּת לְמִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת לְא֖וֹת לִבְנֵי־ מֶ֑רִי וּתְכַ֧ל תְּלוּנֹּתָ֛ם מֵעָלַ֖י וְלֹ֥א יָמֻֽתוּ

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מֹשֶׁ֗ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
הָשֵׁ֞ב  bring  back 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
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.
מַטֵּ֤ה  rod 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
אַהֲרֹן֙  of  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הָעֵד֔וּת  the  Testimony 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדוּת  
Sense: testimony.
לְמִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת  to  be  kept 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִשְׁמֶרֶת  
Sense: guard, charge, function, obligation, service, watch.
לְא֖וֹת  as  a  sign 
Parse: Preposition, Noun, common singular
Root: אֹות  
Sense: sign, signal.
לִבְנֵי־  against 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מֶ֑רִי  the  rebels 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְרִי  
Sense: rebellion.
וּתְכַ֧ל  that  you  may  put  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect Jussive, third person feminine singular
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.
תְּלוּנֹּתָ֛ם  their  complaints 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: תְּלֻנּׄות  
Sense: murmuring.
מֵעָלַ֖י  from  Me 
Parse: Preposition-m, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וְלֹ֥א  and  lest 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָמֻֽתוּ  they  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.