Numbers 7:2

2 The princes of Israel and the heads of the families, in every tribe, who were the rulers of them who had been numbered, offered

Numbers 7:2 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 7:2

That the princes of Israel
The princes of the twelve tribes of Israel:

heads of the house of their fathers;
of the each of the houses and families the tribes were divided into, and took their name from each of their ancestors, as is next explained:

who were princes of the tribes;
the twelve tribes, as before observed, ( Numbers 1:4-16 ) ;

and were over them that were numbered;
over the children of Israel that were numbered, ( Numbers 1:19-46 ) ; by which it that these princes are the very same persons that are mentioned by name there, as they are here afterwards; and were with Moses and Aaron, and assisting to them when they took the number of them; but according to the Targum of Jonathan, and Jarchi, these were appointed over them in Egypt; but the former is right: these now

offered
not sacrifices but gifts; they brought their presents to the Lord for the service of his sanctuary, and set them before him, as follows.

Numbers 7:2 In-Context

1 And it came to pass in the day that Moses had finished the tabernacle, and set it up, and had anointed and sanctified it with all its vessels, the altar likewise and all the vessels thereof,

2 The princes of Israel and the heads of the families, in every tribe, who were the rulers of them who had been numbered, offered

3 Their gifts before the Lord, six wagons covered, and twelve oxen. Two princes offered one wagon, and each one an ox, and they offered them before the tabernacle.

4 And the Lord said to Moses:

5 Receive them from them to serve in the ministry of the tabernacle, and thou shalt deliver them to the Levites according to the order of their ministry.