Charles Ellicott Commentary Numbers 17:2

"Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of them rods, one for each fathers` house, of all their princes according to their fathers` houses, twelve rods: write thou every man`s name upon his rod." — Numbers 17:2 (ASV)

And take of every one of them ... — Better, And take of them a rod for each father’s house.

Twelve rods.— Some suppose that Aaron’s rod was not included among the twelve. Others suppose that one rod only was taken for the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. The latter supposition is more in accordance with the terms used here than the former, and is supported by Deuteronomy 27:12-13, where Joseph stands for the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, and Levi is included among the twelve tribes.

Write thou every man’s name upon his rod.— This was in accordance with an Egyptian custom. (See Wilkinson’s Ancient Egyptians, III. 388.) The prophet Ezekiel received a similar injunction (Ezekiel 37:16).