The Meaning of Numbers 17:6 Explained

Numbers 17:6

KJV: And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

YLT: And Moses speaketh unto the sons of Israel, and all their princes give unto him one rod for a prince, one rod for a prince, for their fathers' house, twelve rods, and the rod of Aaron is in the midst of their rods;

Darby: And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and all their princes gave him a staff, one staff for each prince according to their fathers' houses, twelve staves, and the staff of Aaron was among their staves.

ASV: And Moses spake unto the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Moses  spake  unto the children  of Israel,  and every one of their princes  gave  him a rod  apiece, for each prince  one,  according to their fathers'  houses,  [even] twelve  rods:  and the rod  of Aaron  [was] among  their rods. 

What does Numbers 17:6 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 17:6 mean?

So spoke Moses to the sons of Israel and gave him each of their leaders a rod for leader one apiece for leader one according to houses their fathers' two [and] ten rods and the rod Of Aaron [was] among their rods
וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶל־ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיִּתְּנ֣וּ אֵלָ֣יו ׀ כָּֽל־ נְשִֽׂיאֵיהֶ֡ם מַטֶּה֩ לְנָשִׂ֨יא אֶחָ֜ד מַטֶּ֨ה לְנָשִׂ֤יא אֶחָד֙ לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֔ם שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר מַטּ֑וֹת וּמַטֵּ֥ה אַהֲרֹ֖ן בְּת֥וֹךְ מַטּוֹתָֽם

וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר  So  spoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
מֹשֶׁ֜ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
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.
וַיִּתְּנ֣וּ  and  gave 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
כָּֽל־  each 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
נְשִֽׂיאֵיהֶ֡ם  of  their  leaders 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נָשִׂיא 
Sense: one lifted up, chief, prince, captain, leader.
מַטֶּה֩  a  rod 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
לְנָשִׂ֨יא  for  leader 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָשִׂיא 
Sense: one lifted up, chief, prince, captain, leader.
אֶחָ֜ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
מַטֶּ֨ה  apiece 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
לְנָשִׂ֤יא  for  leader 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָשִׂיא 
Sense: one lifted up, chief, prince, captain, leader.
אֶחָד֙  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
לְבֵ֣ית  according  to  houses 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אֲבֹתָ֔ם  their  fathers' 
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.
וּמַטֵּ֥ה  and  the  rod 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
אַהֲרֹ֖ן  Of  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
בְּת֥וֹךְ  [was]  among 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
מַטּוֹתָֽם  their  rods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.

What are the major concepts related to Numbers 17:6?

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