Aaron's rod, among all the rods of the tribes, only flourishes, 1-9. It is left for a monument against the rebels, 10-13.
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Speak to the children of Israel and take from each 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 every man's name upon his rod. 3 And you shall write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi, for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. 4 And you shall lay them in the Tabernacle of the Congregation before the testimony where I will meet with you. 5 And it shall come to pass, that the rod of the man whom I choose shall blossom. And I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, by which they murmur against you." 6 And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and each of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods. And the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 7 And Moses laid the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.
8 And it came to pass, that on the next day Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had budded, and brought forth buds and bloomed blossoms and yielded almonds. 9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the children of Israel, and they looked, and each took his rod. 10 And the LORD said to Moses, "Bring Aaron's rod back before the testimony to be kept for a token against the rebels, and you shall quite take away their murmurings from me so that they do not die." 11 And Moses did so. As the LORD commanded him, so he did.
12 And the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, "Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. 13 Whoever approaches the tabernacle of the LORD shall die. Shall we be consumed with dying?"
Matthew Henry Commentary - Numbers, Chapter 17[➚]