Of every one — Not of every person, but of every tribe. A rod — That staff, or rod, which the princes carried in their hands as tokens of their dignity and authority. Every man's name — Every prince's: for they being the first — born, and the chief of their tribes might above all others pretend to t... [ Continue Reading ]
Aaron's name — Rather than Levi's, for that would have left the controversy undecided between Aaron and the other Levites, whereas this would justify the appropriation of the priesthood to Aaron's family. One rod — There shall be in this, as there is in all the other tribes, only one rod, and that f... [ Continue Reading ]
Before the testimony — That is, before the ark of the testimony, close by the ark. I will meet with you — And manifest my mind to you, for the ending of this dispute.... [ Continue Reading ]
Among their rods — Was laid up with the rest, being either one of the twelve, as the Hebrews affirm, or the thirteenth, as others think.... [ Continue Reading ]
Into the tabernacle — Into the most holy place, which he might safely do under the protection of God's command, though otherwise none but the high — priest might enter there, and that once in a year.... [ Continue Reading ]
To be kept for a token — it is probable, the buds and blossoms and fruit, all which could never have grown together, but by miracle, continued fresh, the same which produced them in a night preserving them for ages.... [ Continue Reading ]
We perish — Words of consternation, arising from the remembrance of these severe and repeated judgments, from the threatening of death upon any succeeding murmurings, and from the sense of their own guilt and weakness, which made them fear lest they should relapse into the same miscarriages, and the... [ Continue Reading ]
Near — Nearer than be should do; an error which we may easily commit. Will God proceed with us according to his strict justice, till all the people be cut off?... [ Continue Reading ]