Matthew Poole and continuators on Numbers 17:2

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 mans name upon his rod.

That I may fully and finally satisfie all their scruples and take away all pretence and cause of murmuring

Not of every person, but of every Tribe, as it follows.

Either an ordinary walking staff: or rather, that staff or rod, which the Princes carried in their hands as tokens of their dignity and authority, as may be gathered from Numb. 21. 18. compared with Psal. 110. 2. Ier. 48. 16, 17.

(i. e.) According to each family proceeding from the Patriarch or father of that tribe.

(i. e.) Every princes: for they being the first-born and the chief of their tribes might above all others pretend to the Priesthood, if it was communicable to any of their tribes, and besides each Prince represented and acted for all his tribe: so that this was a full decision of the whole question. And this place seems to confirm, what was before observed, that not onely Korah and the Levites, but also those of other Tribes contested with Moses and Aaron about the Priesthood, as that which belonged to all the congregation, they being all holy, as they said, Numb. 16. 3.