Numbers 7:1-11

1 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it and sanctified it and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them and sanctified them,

2 that the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes and were over those who were numbered, offered.

3 And they brought their offering before the LORD: six covered wagons and twelve oxen -- a wagon for two of the princes and for each one an ox; and they brought them before the tabernacle.

4 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

5 "Take it from them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service."

6 And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.

7 Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service;

8 and four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

9 But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.

10 And the princes offered for the dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes offered their offering before the altar.

11 And the LORD said unto Moses, "They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar."

Numbers 7:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

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.