Numbers 7

The Leaders Make Offerings

1 On the day Moses finished setting up the tabernacle and appointed and consecrated it and all its vessels, and the altar and its vessels, and he appointed them and consecrated them,
2 the leaders of Israel, the heads of {the families}, presented an offering; they [were] the leaders of the tribes and [were] the ones in charge of the counting.
3 They brought their offering before the presence of Yahweh, six covered utility carts and twelve cattle, a utility cart for two of the leaders, and a bull for each; and they presented them {before} the tabernacle.
4 Yahweh said to Moses, saying,
5 "{Take them}, and they will be [used] to do the work of the tent of the assembly; and you will give them to the Levites, each {according to his required service}."
6 So Moses took the utility carts and the cattle, and he gave them to the Levites.
7 Two utility carts and four cattle he gave to the descendants of Gershon {according to their required service};
8 and four utility carts and eight cattle he gave to the descendants of Merari {according to their required service}, {under the authority of} Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
9 But to the descendants of Kohath he did not give [anything] because the work of the sanctuary they carried upon them on their shoulders.
10 The leaders presented offerings for the dedication of the altar on [the] day of its anointing, and the leaders presented their offerings {before} the altar.
11 Yahweh said to Moses, "{One leader for each day} will present their offering for the dedication of the altar."
12 And it happened, the one who presented his offering on the first day [was] Nahshon son of Amminadab from the tribe of Judah.
13 His offering [was] one plate of silver--its weight was one hundred and thirty shekels--[and] one silver bowl [weighing] seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, {both of them} filled [with] finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
14 one golden dish weighing ten shekels filled [with] incense;
15 {one young bull}, one ram, one male lamb {in its first year} as a burnt offering;
16 one he-goat as a sin offering;
17 and as a sacrifice of the fellowship offering, two cattle, five rams, five he-goats, and five male lambs {a year old}. This [was] the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.
18 On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar, leader of Issachar, presented an offering.
19 He presented [as] his offering one silver plate--its weight one hundred and thirty [shekels]--[and] one silver bowl for drinking wine [weighing] seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, {both of them} filled [with] finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering.
20 One dish weighing ten shekels filled [with] incense;
21 one {young } bull, one ram, a male lamb {in its first year} as a burnt offering;
22 one he-goat as a sin offering;
23 and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering, two cattle, five rams, five he-goats, [and] five male lambs {in their first year}. This [was] the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.
24 On the third day Eliab son of Helon, leader of the descendants of Zebulun:
25 his offering [was] one silver plate--its weight one hundred and thirty [shekels]--[and] one silver bowl for drinking wine [weighing] seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, {both of them} filled [with] finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
26 {one golden dish weighing ten shekels} filled [with] incense;
27 one {young} bull, one ram, a male lamb {in its first year} as a burnt offering;
28 one he-goat as a sin offering;
29 and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering, two cattle, five rams, five he-goats, [and] five male lambs {in their first year}. This [was] the offering of Eliab son of Helon.
30 On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur, leader of the descendants of Reuben:
31 his offering [was] one silver plate--its weight one hundred and thirty [shekels]--[and] one silver bowl for drinking [weighing] seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, {both of them} filled [with] finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
32 {one golden dish weighing ten shekels} filled [with] incense;
33 one {young} bull, one ram, a male lamb {in its first year} as a burnt offering;
34 one he-goat as a sin offering;
35 and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering, two cattle, five rams, five he-goats, [and] five male lambs {in their first year}. This [was] the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.
36 On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, leader of the descendants of Simeon:
37 his offering [was] one silver plate--its weight one hundred and thirty [shekels]--[and] one silver bowl for drinking [weighing] seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, {both of them} filled [with] finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
38 {one golden dish weighing ten shekels} filled [with] incense;
39 one {young} bull, one ram, a male lamb {in its first year} as a burnt offering;
40 one he-goat as a sin offering;
41 and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering, two cattle, five rams, five he-goats, [and] five male lambs {in their first year}. This [was] the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
42 On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel, leader of the descendants of Gad:
43 his offering [was] one silver plate--its weight one hundred and thirty [shekels]--[and] one silver bowl for drinking [weighing] seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, {both of them} filled [with] finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
44 {one golden dish weighing ten shekels} filled [with] incense;
45 one {young} bull, one ram, a male lamb {in its first year} as a burnt offering;
46 one he-goat as a sin offering;
47 and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering, two cattle, five rams, five he-goats, [and] five male lambs {in their first year}. This [was] the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.
48 On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud, leader of the descendants of Ephraim:
49 his offering [was] one silver plate--its weight one hundred and thirty [shekels]--[and] one silver bowl for drinking [weighing] seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, {both of them} filled [with] finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
50 {one golden dish weighing ten shekels} filled [with] incense;
51 one {young} bull, one ram, a male lamb {in its first year} as a burnt offering;
52 one he-goat as a sin offering;
53 and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering, two cattle, five rams, five he-goats, [and] five male lambs {in their first year}. This [was] the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.
54 On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, leader of the descendants of Manasseh:
55 his offering [was] one silver plate--its weight one hundred and thirty [shekels]--[and] one silver bowl for drinking [weighing] seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, {both of them} filled [with] finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
56 {one golden dish weighing ten shekels} filled [with] incense;
57 one {young} bull, one ram, a male lamb {in its first year} as a burnt offering;
58 one he-goat as a sin offering;
59 and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering, two cattle, five rams, five he-goats, [and] five male lambs {in their first year}. This [was] the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.
60 On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni, leader of the descendants of Benjamin:
61 his offering [was] one silver plate--its weight one hundred and thirty [shekels]--[and] one silver bowl for drinking [weighing] seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, {both of them} filled [with] finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
62 {one golden dish weighing ten shekels} filled [with] incense;
63 one {young} bull, one ram, a male lamb {in its first year} as a burnt offering;
64 one he-goat as a sin offering;
65 and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering, two cattle, five rams, five he-goats, [and] five male lambs {in their first year}. This [was] the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.
66 On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, leader of the descendants of Dan:
67 his offering [was] one silver plate--its weight one hundred and thirty [shekels]--[and] one silver bowl for drinking [weighing] seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, {both of them} filled [with] finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
68 {one golden dish weighing ten shekels} filled [with] incense;
69 one {young} bull, one ram, a male lamb {in its first year} as a burnt offering;
70 one he-goat as a sin offering;
71 and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering, two cattle, five rams, five he-goats, [and] five male lambs {in their first year}. This [was] the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
72 On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Ocran, leader of the descendants of Asher:
73 his offering [was] one silver plate--its weight one hundred and thirty [shekels]--[and] one silver bowl for drinking [weighing] seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, {both of them} filled [with] finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
74 {one golden dish weighing ten shekels} filled [with] incense;
75 one {young} bull, one ram, a male lamb {in its first year} as a burnt offering;
76 one he-goat as a sin offering;
77 and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering, two cattle, five rams, five he-goats, [and] five male lambs {in their first year}. This [was] the offering of Pagiel son of Ocran.
78 On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan, leader of the descendants of Naphtali:
79 his offering [was] one silver plate--its weight one hundred and thirty [shekels]--[and] one silver bowl for drinking [weighing] seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, {both of them} filled [with] finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
80 {one golden dish weighing ten shekels} filled [with] incense;
81 one {young} bull, one ram, a male lamb {in its first year} as a burnt offering;
82 one he-goat as a sin offering;
83 and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering, two cattle, five rams, five he-goats, [and] five male lambs {in their first year}. This [was] the offering of Ahira son of Enan.
84 This [was] the dedication of the altar on [the] day of anointing it, from the leaders of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver bowls for drinking wine, twelve golden dishes;
85 each plate of silver [weighed] one hundred and thirty [shekels], and each bowl for drinking seventy, all the silver of the vessels two thousand four hundred [shekels], according to the sanctuary shekel;
86 the twelve golden dishes filled [with] incense, each dish [weighing] ten shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, all the gold of the dishes one hundred and twenty;
87 all the cattle for the burnt offering twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs {in their first year}, and their grain offering; and twelve he-goats as a sin offering;
88 and all the cattle of the sacrifice of the fellowship offering twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty he-goats, sixty male lambs {in their first year}. These [were] the dedication of the altar after its anointing.
89 And when Moses came to the tent of assembly to speak with him, he would hear the voice speaking to him from the atonement cover, which [is] on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim, and he would speak to him.

Numbers 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

The offerings of the princes at the dedication of the tabernacle. (1-9) The offerings of the princes at the dedication of the altar. (10-89)

Verses 1-9 The offering of the princes to the service of the tabernacle was not made till it was fully set up. Necessary observances must always take place of free-will offerings. The more any are advanced, the greater opportunity they have of serving God and their generation. No sooner was the tabernacle set up, than provision is made for the removal of it. Even when but just settled in the world, we must be preparing for changes and removes, especially for the great change.

Verses 10-89 The princes and great men were most forward in the service of God. Here is an example to those in authority, and of the highest rank; they ought to use their honour and power, their estate and interest, to promote religion and the service of God in the places where they live. Though it was a time of joy and rejoicing, yet still, in the midst of their sacrifices, we find a sin-offering. As, in our best services, we are conscious that there is sin, there should be repentance, even in our most joyful services. In all approaches to God we must by faith look to Christ as the Sin-offering. They brought their offerings each on a day. God's work should not be done confusedly, or in a hurry; take time, and we shall have done the sooner, or, at least, we shall have done the better. If services are to be done for twelve days together, we must not call it a task and a burden. All their offerings were the same; all the tribes of Israel had an equal share in the altar, and an equal interest in the sacrifices offered upon it. He who now spake to Moses, as the Shechinah or Divine Majesty, from between the Cherubim, was the Eternal Word, the second Person in the Trinity; for all God's communion with man is by his Son, by whom he made the world, and rules the church, who is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.

Footnotes 96

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 7

This chapter gives an account of the presents brought, by the princes of the twelve tribes at the setting up of the tabernacle, for the use of it, Nu 7:1-9; and at the dedication of the altar, and the service of that, Nu 7:10,11; first of the prince of the tribe of Judah, Nu 7:12-17; then of the prince of Issachar, Nu 7:18-23; of the prince of Zebulun, Nu 7:24-29; of the prince of Reuben, Nu 7:30-35; of the prince of Simeon, Nu 7:36-41; of the prince of Gad, Nu 7:42-47; of the prince of Ephraim, Nu 7:48-53; of the prince of Manasseh, Nu 7:54-59; of the prince of Benjamin, Nu 7:60-65; of the prince of Dan, Nu 7:66-71; of the prince of Asher, Nu 7:72-77; of the prince of Naphtali, Nu 7:78-83; the sum of all which follows, Nu 7:84-88; and the chapter is concluded with a token of God's approbation and acceptance of the whole, Nu 7:89.

Numbers 7 Commentaries

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