12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
12 The Israelites said to Moses, "We will die! We are lost, we are all lost!
12 And the people of Israel said to Moses, "Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone.
12 The People of Israel said to Moses, "We're as good as dead. This is our death sentence.
12 So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, "Surely we die, we perish, we all perish!
12 Then the people of Israel said to Moses, "Look, we are doomed! We are dead! We are ruined!
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 17:12
Commentary on Numbers 17:8-13
(Read Numbers 17:8-13)
While all the other rods remained as they were. Aaron's rod became a living branch. In some places there were buds, in others blossoms, in others fruit, at the same time; all this was miraculous. Thus Aaron was manifested to be under the special blessing of Heaven. Fruitfulness is the best evidence of a Divine call; and the plants of God's setting, and the boughs cut off them, will flourish. This rod was preserved, to take away the murmurings of the people, that they might not die. The design of God, in all his providences, and in the memorials of them, is to take away sin. Christ was manifested to take away sin. Christ is expressly called a rod out of the stem of Jesse: little prospect was there, according to human views, that he should ever flourish. But the dry rod revived and blossomed to the confusion of his adversaries. The people cry, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish! This was the language of a repining people, quarrelling with the judgments of God, which by their own pride and obstinacy they brought upon themselves. It is very wicked to fret against God when we are in affliction, and in our distress thus to trespass yet more. If we die, if we perish, it is of ourselves, and the blame will be upon our own heads. When God judges, he will overcome, and will oblige the most obstinate gainsayers to confess their folly. And how great are our mercies, that we have a clearer and a better dispensation, established upon better promises!