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Numbers 17 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Numbers 17 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

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King James Version

SAB comment

My comment


1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod.

3 And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.

4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.

5 And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.

6 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.

7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.

8 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.

(17:8) "Behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds." Aaron's rod buds, blooms, and yield almonds. (He's getting better at his magic tricks.)
This was another miracle where God demonstrated that yes, He, God himself, had chosen Aaron to be his priest, and that Aaron had not taken this office himself, but was appointed by the Almighty.
And this was not a magic trick: no one can make a dead tree blossom except God.

9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.

10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

(17:10) "Thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not."
God threatens to kill those who murmur.
The reason Aaron's staff blossomed, was to convince the Israelites. Their murmurings were not just words, but it would have led them to killing Moses and Aaron (Num. 16:41). So God's intent here is not to kill them, but to prevent that they would receive what would have been the dues of their rebellion, exactly opposite of what the author of the SAB has.

11 And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.

12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.

(17:12-13) "And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish .... Shall we be consumed with dying?"
Here the Israelites recognise that they cannot rebel against God, because no one can stand against Him. And God was not unjust to punish rebellion, but just. If you didn't like Aaron's position, you could simply leave. But punishing those that threaten to kill Aaron or were falsely claiming that God chose them as well as Aaron is injustice?

13 Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?

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