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.
Speak unto the children of Israel. The controversy with Moses and Aaron about the priesthood was of such a nature and magnitude as required a decisive and authoritative settlement. For the removal of all doubts, and the silencing of all complaining future regarding the holder of the office, a miracle was performed of a remarkable character and permanent duration, and in the manner of performing it all the people were made to have a direct and special interest.
Take of every one ... princes ... twelve rods. Since the princes, being the oldest sons of the chief family and heads of their tribes, might have advanced the best claims to the priesthood, if that sacred dignity was to be shared among all the tribes, they were therefore selected, and being twelve in number-that of Joseph being counted only one-Moses was ordered to see that the name of each was inscribed upon his rod or wand of office-a practice borrowed from the Egyptians. The Babylonians had the same (Rawlinson's 'Herodotus,' b. 1:, ch. 19:, sec. 5, note 3). х maTeh (H4294) signifies sometimes a tribe; but its primary meaning is a branch or bough: hence, an official rod or staff is an emblem of power.] This inscription of the names of the tribes on the several rods is an additional proof to those already met with, that writing was well known to the Israelites at the time of the Exodus.
The name of Aaron rather than of Levi was used, as the latter name would have opened a door of controversy among the Levites; and as there was to be one rod only for the head of each tribe, the express appointment of a rod for Aaron determined him to be the head of that tribe, as well as that branch or family of the tribe to which the priestly dignity should belong. The rod of Aaron was that which, having belonged to Moses, and been used by him in the performance of so many miracles, acquired a character of sacredness; and on Aaron's appointment to the office of the priesthood it was committed to his care. These rods were to be laid in the tabernacle close to the ark (cf. Numbers 17:10, and Hebrews 9:4), where a divine token was promised that would for all time terminate the dispute.