Part 169

16:44. And the Lord said to Moses:

16:45. Get you out from the midst of this multitude, this moment will I destroy them. And as they were lying on the ground,

16:46. Moses said to Aaron: Take the censer, and putting fire in it from the altar, put incense upon it, and go quickly to the people to pray for them: for already wrath is gone out from the Lord, and the plague rageth.

16:47. When Aaron had done this, and had run to the midst of the multitude which the burning fire was now destroying, he offered the incense:

16:48. And standing between the dead and the living, he prayed for the people, and the plague ceased.

16:49. And the number of them that were slain was fourteen thousand and seven hundred men, besides them that had perished in the sedition of Core.

16:50. And Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the tabernacle of the covenant after the destruction was over.

Numbers Chapter 17

The priesthood is confirmed to Aaron by the miracle of the blooming of his rod, which is kept for a monument in the tabernacle.

17:1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

17:2. Speak to the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod by their kindreds, of all the princes of the tribes, twelve rods, and write the name of every man upon his rod.

17:3. And the name of Aaron shall be for the tribe of Levi, and one rod shall contain all their families:

17:4. And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the covenant before the testimony, where I will speak to thee.

17:5. Whomsoever of these I shall choose, his rod shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, wherewith they murmur against you.

17:6. And Moses spoke to the children of Israel: and all the princes gave him rods one for every tribe: and there were twelve rods besides the rod of Aaron.

17:7. And when Moses had Laid them up before the Lord in the tabernacle of the testimony:

17:8. He returned on the following day, and found that the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi, was budded: and that the buds swelling it had bloomed blossoms, which spreading the leaves, were formed into almonds.

The rod of Aaron for the house of Levi, was budded, etc.... This rod of Aaron which thus miraculously brought forth fruit, was a figure of the blessed Virgin conceiving and bringing forth her Son without any prejudice to her virginity.

17:9. Moses therefore brought out all the rods from before the Lord to all the children of Israel: and they saw, and every one received their rods.

17:10. And the Lord said to Moses: Carry back the rod of Aaron into the tabernacle of the testimony, that it may be kept there for a token of the rebellious children of Israel, and that their complaints may cease from me lest they die.

17:11. And Moses did as the Lord had commanded.

17:12. And the children of Israel said to Moses: Behold we are consumed, we all perish.

17:13. Whosoever approacheth to the tabernacle of the Lord, he dieth. Are we all to a man to be utterly destroyed?

Numbers Chapter 18

The charge of the priests and of the Levites, and their portion.

18:1. And the Lord said to Aaron: Thou, and thy sons, and thy father’s house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the sins of your priesthood.

Thou, and thy father’s house with thee, shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary.... That is, you shall be punished if, through negligence or want of due attention, you err in the discharge of the sacred functions for which you were ordained.

18:2. And take with thee thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, and the sceptre of thy father, and let them be ready in hand, and minister to thee: but thou and thy sons shall minister in the tabernacle of the testimony.