Skip to main content

Aaron's Rod

Illustration of Aaron's Rod

In the wilderness period following Korahโ€™s rebellion against Moses and Aaronโ€™s leadership, God instructed the heads of Israelโ€™s twelve tribes to deposit their staffs overnight in the Tabernacle before the Ark. The next morning only Aaronโ€™s staff had budded, blossomed, and borne ripe almonds, while the others remained unchanged. This supernatural sign authenticated Aaronโ€™s divine appointment and established the exclusive, hereditary priesthood of the tribe of Levi. The rod was subsequently kept inside the Ark of the Covenant as a perpetual witness to Godโ€™s chosen order of worship and authority.

0:00

Details

Significance
Confirmed God's choice of Aaron's line for the priesthood. Kept inside the Ark of the Covenant as a testimony.
Materials
Almond wood

Key Passages

The Rod Buds

Numbers 17:1-11

A1nd 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 manโ€™s name upon his rod. 3 And thou shalt write Aaronโ€™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 manโ€™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 fathersโ€™ 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. 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 Aaronโ€™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. 11 And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.

Stored in the Ark

Hebrews 9:4

W4hich had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaronโ€™s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

Rod Becomes a Serpent

Exodus 7:10-12

A10nd Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaronโ€™s rod swallowed up their rods.

Did You Know?

1

Aaron's rod budded, blossomed, and produced almonds overnight. Three stages of growth in one night.

2

It was kept inside the Ark of the Covenant as a permanent witness against rebellion.

3

The almond tree blooms first in Israel (January). Its Hebrew name means 'the watcher' or 'the awakener.'

4

The budding rod confirmed God's choice of the Levitical priesthood once and for all.