Aaron's Rod
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AARON’S ROD* Staff belonging to Moses’ brother, Aaron, symbolizing the two brothers’ authority in Israel. When the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, a threat against Moses and Aaron’s leadership was led by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Nm 16:1–40). In spite of the Lord’s destruction of those rebels and their followers, the rest of the people of Israel turned against Moses and Aaron, saying that they had killed the people of the Lord (16:41). In order to restore respect for the divinely appointed leadership, the Lord told Moses to collect a rod from each tribe and have the leader of the tribe write his name on it. Aaron was told to write his name on the rod of Levi. The rods were placed in the inner room of the tabernacle, in front of the ark (of the covenant). In the morning, Aaron’s rod had sprouted blossoms and had produced ripe almonds. The rod was then kept there as a continual sign to Israel that the Lord had established the authority of Moses and Aaron (Nm 17:1–11; cf. Heb 9:4).
Following that incident the people of Israel entered the wilderness of Zin, but there was no water for them and their flocks. Again the people argued with Moses and Aaron. The Lord instructed Moses to get the rod and, in the presence of Aaron and the rest of the people, command a particular rock to bring forth water. Taking the rod, Moses asked dramatically, “Must we bring you water from this rock?” (Nm 20:10, nlt) and struck the rock twice. Water gushed out and the people drank. Yet Moses and Aaron were forbidden to enter the Promised Land because they did not sanctify the Lord in the people’s eyes (Nm 20:12–13). An earlier event had provided evidence that the Lord was able to provide needed water in that manner (Ex 17:1–7).
See also Aaron.
Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). Tyndale Bible dictionary. Tyndale reference library (2). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.
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AARON’S ROD. The rebellion of Korah and his associates (Nu. 16:1ff.) made it clear that the sacral status of the tribe of Levi, and the priestly status of Aaron and his descendants within that tribe, should be publicly established. Accordingly, the leader of each of the tribes had his name written on the rod or sceptre (maṭṭeh) belonging to his tribe—Aaron’s name being written on that of the tribe of Levi—and the twelve rods were placed ‘in the tent of meeting before the testimony’ (i.e. the tables of the law contained in the ark). Next morning the rod bearing Aaron’s name was found to have put forth buds, blossoms and ripe almonds—a token that he was God’s chosen priest. His rod was then put back ‘before the testimony’ as a warning against further rebellion (Nu. 17:1–11). According to Heb. 9:4 it was kept with the ‘tables of the covenant’ inside the ark. It was apparently the same rod that was used to strike the rock in Kadesh (Nu. 20:7–11); cf. the ‘rod of God’ (Ex. 4:20; 17:9). F.F.B.
F.F.B. F. F. Bruce, M.A., D.D., F.B.A., Emeritus Rylands Professor of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis, University of Manchester
Wood, D. R. W., Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996, c1982, c1962). New Bible Dictionary. Includes index. (electronic ed. of 3rd ed.) (1). Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press.
