The Meaning of Numbers 17:8 Explained

Numbers 17:8

KJV: And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

YLT: And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that Moses goeth in unto the tent of the testimony, and lo, the rod of Aaron hath flourished for the house of Levi, and is bringing out flourishing, and doth blossom blossoms, and doth produce almonds;

Darby: And it came to pass, when on the morrow Moses went into the tent of the testimony, behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and ripened almonds.

ASV: And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bare ripe almonds.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass, that on the morrow  Moses  went  into the tabernacle  of witness;  and, behold, the rod  of Aaron  for the house  of Levi  was budded,  and brought forth  buds,  and bloomed  blossoms,  and yielded  almonds. 

What does Numbers 17:8 Mean?

Study Notes

rod of Aaron
Aaron's rod that budded: Type of Christ in resurrection, owned of God as High Priest. Aaron's priesthood had been questioned in the rebellion of Korah, so God Himself will confirm it Numbers 17:5 . Each of the tribe-heads brought a perfectly dead rod; God put life into Aaron's only. So all the authors of religions have died, Christ among them, but only Christ was raised from the dead, and exalted to be a high priest.; Hebrews 4:14 ; Hebrews 5:4-10 .

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 17:8 mean?

And it came to pass that on the next day and went Moses into the tabernacle of witness and behold had sprouted the rod of Aaron of the house of Levi and put forth buds and had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds
וַיְהִ֣י מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗ת וַיָּבֹ֤א מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־ אֹ֣הֶל הָעֵד֔וּת וְהִנֵּ֛ה פָּרַ֥ח מַטֵּֽה־ אַהֲרֹ֖ן לְבֵ֣ית לֵוִ֑י וַיֹּ֤צֵֽא פֶ֙רַח֙ וַיָּ֣צֵֽץ צִ֔יץ וַיִּגְמֹ֖ל שְׁקֵדִֽים

וַיְהִ֣י  And  it  came  to  pass  that 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗ת  on  the  next  day 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מָחֳרָת  
Sense: the morrow, the day after.
וַיָּבֹ֤א  and  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
מֹשֶׁה֙  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֹ֣הֶל  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
הָעֵד֔וּת  of  witness 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדוּת  
Sense: testimony.
וְהִנֵּ֛ה  and  behold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
פָּרַ֥ח  had  sprouted 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּרַח 
Sense: to bud, sprout, shoot, bloom.
מַטֵּֽה־  the  rod 
Parse: 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.
לְבֵ֣ית  of  the  house  of 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
לֵוִ֑י  Levi 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵוִי 
Sense: the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah and progenitor of tribe of Levites.
וַיֹּ֤צֵֽא  and  put  forth 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
פֶ֙רַח֙  buds 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּרַח  
Sense: bud, sprout.
וַיָּ֣צֵֽץ  and  had  produced 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צוּץ 
Sense: to blossom, shine, sparkle.
צִ֔יץ  blossoms 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: צִיץ 
Sense: flower, bloom.
וַיִּגְמֹ֖ל  and  yielded 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּמַל  
Sense: to deal fully with, recompense.
שְׁקֵדִֽים  ripe  almonds 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁקֵד  
Sense: almond tree, almonds.