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Numbers 17:2. Take of every one of them a rod— The minds of a considerable number of the people having been poisoned by the insinuations of Korah and his accomplices, against Aaron and his family upon the account of the priesthood, God is pleased to add another signal miracle, in confirmation of his priest's authority; accordingly, the head of each tribe is ordered to take a rod, and bring it before the Lord. Some have supposed that these were the ordinary rods, or batoons, which the princes of the tribes bore: while, from the 8th verse of this chapter, others infer that these were twigs, or branches, from one and the same almond tree: whichever was the case, the miracle was sufficiently great to demonstrate the extraordinary interposition of Providence.

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Numbers 17:4. Where I will meet with you— Ubi ego vobis praesens adesse soleo, where I am accustomed to meet with you. Horeb.

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Numbers 17:8. Was budded, and brought forth buds, &c.— i.e. as Bishop Patrick ingeniously observes, in some places there was an appearance of buds coming forth: in some, those buds were fully thrust out; in others, they were opened into blossoms; in other parts, knotted and grown into almonds; and all this in the space of one night: a miracle so great and convincing, that we find it had its effect, the authority of Aaron's priesthood never being afterwards (that we hear of) called in question. Grotius has a curious remark here respecting the propriety of producing almonds, in preference to any other fruit. It was intended, says he, to signify the vigilance immediately requisite in the high priest; for the word שׁקד sheked, signifies both that fruit, and this virtue: fructum illum, et hanc virtutem. The almond-tree is so called in the Hebrew, says Parkhurst, because it first of the trees waketh, and riseth from its winter repose: it flowers in the month of January, and by March brings its fruit to maturity; that is, in the warm southern countries. The forwardness of this fruit-bearing tree is intimated to us by the vision of Jeremiah, ch. Num 1:11-12 and also Pliny's Nat. Hist. lib. 16: cap. 25. It would be endless to recount here the fabulous stories respecting the rod of Aaron: those who are inclined to inquiries of this sort, may find their curiosity gratified by referring to Parkhurst and Saurin's 61st Dissertation.

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