Numbers chapter 17

After reading chapter 17:

*Now, Yahweh tells Moses to get a staff from each of the heads of the twelve tribes. The Levite staff is to be inscribed with Aaron's name. The staffs would be placed in front of the ark of the covenant and the staff of god's chosen person would sprout. So, that was done and the next day, guess whose staff sprouted. Not only had Aaron's staff sprouted, but it had gone through the whole growing cycle in one night, budding, blossoming, and producing almonds! Then Moses came out with all the staffs and showed the leaders of the tribes their staffs.

*Aaron's staff was put back in front of the ark of the covenant as a reminder to the rebellious, so they would not die.  I don't know how it would have been a reminder if they couldn't look at it, because that area of the tabernacle was off limits. It surely wasn't put there so they couldn't examine it and maybe see that it wasn't the same staff as the day before. Moses would never do something like switch the staff for a tree branch in the middle of the night.

*The Israelites were in despair. Can you blame them? They were just as much enslaved now as they had been in Egypt, maybe more. Intellectual and emotional enslavement can be just as devastating as physical enslavement.