Numbers 7:2

2 And the princes of Israel, and the heads of families, that were, by all lineages, the sovereigns of them that were numbered, (And the leaders of Israel, that is, the heads of the families, who were, by all the tribes, the rulers of those who were listed, or were registered,)

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 was done in the day in which Moses fulfilled, or ended, the tabernacle, and areared it, and anointed it, and hallowed it with all the vessels, or instruments, thereof, and the altar he hallowed in like manner, and the vessels thereof. (And it was done on the day in which Moses finished the Tabernacle, and raised it up, that he anointed it, and consecrated it, or dedicated it, and all of its vessels, or its instruments, and the altar, and its vessels.)

2 And the princes of Israel, and the heads of families, that were, by all lineages, the sovereigns of them that were numbered, (And the leaders of Israel, that is, the heads of the families, who were, by all the tribes, the rulers of those who were listed, or were registered,)

3 offered gifts before the Lord, six wains covered, with twelve oxen; two dukes offered one wain, and each offered one ox. And they offered those wains before the tabernacle. (brought their offerings before the Lord, in six covered wagons, with twelve oxen; two leaders, or two chief men, offered one wagon, and each offered one ox. And they brought those wagons to the front of the Tabernacle.)

4 Soothly the Lord said to Moses,

5 Take thou of them, that they serve in the service of the tabernacle, and betake thou those things to the deacons, by the order of their service. (Receive thou these gifts from them, to use in service for the Tabernacle, and give thou them to the Levites, according to the order of their service.)