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.
My Notes
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Gill's Exposition
And Moses spake unto the children of Israel,.... What the Lord had bid him say unto them concerning the rods, which they hearkened unto and observed:
and everyone of their princes gave him a rod…
Barnes' Notes
The whole number of rods was twelve exclusive of Aaron’s, as the Vulgate expressly states.
Here we have, I. Orders given for the bringing in of a rod for every tribe (which was peculiarly significant, for the word here used for a rod sometimes signifies a tribe, as particularly Num 34:13),…
Cambridge Bible
the staff of Aaron was in the midst of their staves] We are perhaps to think of the thirteen staves as stuck into the ground and standing erect, Aaron's staff being the middle one.