Place the staffs in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where I meet with you.
Parallel translations
- WEB You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you.
- KJV And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
- NKJV Then you shall place them in the tabernacle of meeting before the Testimony, where I meet with you.
- NASB You shall then leave them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony, where I meet with you.
- NLT Place these staffs in the Tabernacle in front of the Ark containing the tablets of the Covenant, where I meet with you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The rods were to be placed in the Tent of Meeting before the testimony, where God meets His people, so the sign would come from His presence.
Overview
Laying the rods before the ark of the testimony placed the test in the most holy setting, directly before God's presence. This ensured the outcome would be understood as God's own verdict. The location underscores that genuine authority is conferred in God's presence, not seized by men.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Exod 30:36Grind some of it into fine powder and place it in front of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you.
- Num 17:7Then Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the Tent of the Testimony.
- Exod 30:6Place the altar in front of the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony—before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony—where I will meet with you.
- Exod 29:42–43For the generations to come, this burnt offering shall be made regularly at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD, where I will meet you to speak with you.
- Exod 25:16–22And place inside the ark the Testimony, which I will give you.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 17:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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