Numberschapter 7

Speaks with:Numbers 1×13 Numbers 2×12 Numbers 7×6 Numbers 4×3 Numbers 3×3 Exodus 35×2

A.Six wagons for the sons of Levivv. 1–9

1 On the day Moses finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it and all its furnishings, along with the altar and all its utensils.

Numbers 7:1-3

The chapter is dated to the day the tabernacle was fully set up, anointed and sanctified, which Exodus 40:17 puts on the first day of the first month of the second year. The princes bring transport before they bring anything else, six covered wagons and twelve oxen, so the first gift to the sanctuary is the means of moving it. Nothing in the tabernacle instructions had asked for wagons.

2 And the leaders of Israel, the heads of their families, presented an offering. These men were the tribal leaders who had supervised the registration.

3 They brought as their offering before the LORD six covered carts and twelve oxen—an ox from each leader and a cart from every two leaders—and presented them before the tabernacle.

4 And the LORD said to Moses,

Numbers 7:4-9

The wagons are divided by what each Levite family has to carry. Gershon takes two, and Merari, who carry the boards, bars, pillars and sockets, takes four. Kohath is given none, and verse 9 says why, that the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders, so the ark and the holy furniture travel on men and never on wheels. 2 Samuel 6:3-7 is where that rule is set aside and a man dies for it.

5 “Accept these gifts from them, that they may be used in the work of the Tent of Meeting. And give them to the Levites, to each man according to his service.”

6 So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites.

7 He gave the Gershonites two carts and four oxen, as their service required,

8 and he gave the Merarites four carts and eight oxen, as their service required, all under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

9 But he did not give any to the Kohathites, since they were to carry on their shoulders the holy objects for which they were responsible.

B.Twelve princes, twelve identical daysvv. 10–83

10 When the altar was anointed, the leaders approached with their offerings for its dedication and presented them before the altar.

Numbers 7:10-11

Twelve identical offerings could have been brought in one morning, and God orders them spread over twelve days, each prince on his day. The pacing gives every tribe a day of its own for the same gift. What is being dedicated is one altar, and it takes twelve days to dedicate it.

11 And the LORD said to Moses, “Each day one leader is to present his offering for the dedication of the altar.”

12 On the first day Nahshon son of Amminadab from the tribe of Judah drew near with his offering.

Numbers 7:12-17

The first day belongs to Judah, and the order of the twelve days is the order of the camp in Numbers 2 rather than the order of birth. Judah pitched on the east toward the rising of the sun, and Genesis 49:10 is where that precedence comes from. The offering is written out in full here, a silver charger, a silver bowl, a golden spoon of incense and the animals, and the same list is written out eleven more times.

13 His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

14 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

15 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

16 one male goat for a sin offering;

17 and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male 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, the leader of Issachar, drew near.

Numbers 7:18-29

Issachar and Zebulun follow, which completes the east standard of Numbers 2:3-9. Nothing changes between the days except the name of the prince and the name of the tribe. The writer could have said that the other eleven did likewise and he declines to.

19 The offering he presented was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

20 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

21 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

22 one male goat for a sin offering;

23 and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.

24 On the third day Eliab son of Helon, the leader of the Zebulunites, drew near.

25 His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

26 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

27 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

28 one male goat for a sin offering;

29 and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.

30 On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur, the leader of the Reubenites, drew near.

Numbers 7:30-47

Days four to six are Reuben, Simeon and Gad, the south standard of Numbers 2:10-16. Reuben was the firstborn and comes fourth, which Numbers 2 had already settled and Genesis 49:3-4 had explained. The offering does not vary by the size of a tribe or the standing of a man.

31 His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

32 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

33 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

34 one male goat for a sin offering;

35 and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.

36 On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, the leader of the Simeonites, drew near.

37 His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

38 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

39 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

40 one male goat for a sin offering;

41 and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

42 On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel, the leader of the Gadites, drew near.

43 His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

44 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

45 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

46 one male goat for a sin offering;

47 and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

48 On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud, the leader of the Ephraimites, drew near.

Numbers 7:48-65

Days seven to nine are Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin, the west standard of Numbers 2:18-24, and all three descend from Rachel. Ephraim goes before Manasseh here, as Jacob set it with crossed hands at Genesis 48:14-20. Same charger, same bowl, same spoon.

49 His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

50 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

51 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

52 one male goat for a sin offering;

53 and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.

54 On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, the leader of the Manassites, drew near.

55 His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

56 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

57 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

58 one male goat for a sin offering;

59 and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

60 On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni, the leader of the Benjamites, drew near.

61 His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

62 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

63 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

64 one male goat for a sin offering;

65 and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.

66 On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, the leader of the Danites, drew near.

Numbers 7:66-83

Days ten to twelve are Dan, Asher and Naphtali, the north standard of Numbers 2:25-31. The twelfth day closes a sequence that has not varied in a single item since the first. A reader who finds these verses long is reading what the chapter is doing, since the length is the record that every tribe gave the same and none gave less.

67 His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

68 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

69 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

70 one male goat for a sin offering;

71 and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

72 On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Ocran, the leader of the Asherites, drew near.

73 His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

74 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

75 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

76 one male goat for a sin offering;

77 and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Ocran.

78 On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan, the leader of the Naphtalites, drew near.

79 His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

80 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

81 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

82 one male goat for a sin offering;

83 and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.

C.Adding up the whole dedicationvv. 84–88

84 So these were the offerings from the leaders of Israel for the dedication of the altar when it was anointed: twelve silver platters, twelve silver bowls, and twelve gold dishes.

Numbers 7:84-88

Having written each of the twelve out in full, the chapter adds the totals anyway. Twelve chargers, twelve bowls, twelve golden spoons, and the silver weighed at two thousand four hundred shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary. The sums show that nothing in the twelve recitals was rounded or assumed.

85 Each silver platter weighed a hundred and thirty shekels, and each silver bowl seventy shekels. The total weight of the silver articles was two thousand four hundred shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

86 The twelve gold dishes filled with incense weighed ten shekels each, according to the sanctuary shekel. The total weight of the gold dishes was a hundred and twenty shekels.

87 All the livestock for the burnt offering totaled twelve bulls, twelve rams, and twelve male lambs a year old—together with their grain offerings—and twelve male goats for the sin offering.

88 All the livestock sacrificed for the peace offering totaled twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty male lambs a year old. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.

D.A voice from between the cherubimv. 89

89 When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony. Thus the LORD spoke to him.

Numbers 7:89

The longest chapter in the Torah ends in a voice. Moses goes into the tent and hears one speaking to him from off the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims, which is what Exodus 25:22 had promised would happen there. A roll of gifts closes with the giver answering, and the next verse of the book has the LORD speaking to Moses again.

The exposition on this chapter draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Study this chapter

Numbers 112 verses
- Numbers 1:4And one man from each tribe, the head of each family, must be there with you.
- Numbers 1:5These are the names of the men who are to assist you: From the tribe of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;
- Numbers 1:6from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;
- Numbers 1:7from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;
- Numbers 1:8from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar;
- Numbers 1:9from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;
- Read Numbers 1: 6 more there →
Numbers 212 verses
- Numbers 2:1Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron:
- Numbers 2:5The tribe of Issachar will camp next to it. The leader of the Issacharites is Nethanel son of Zuar,
- Numbers 2:7Next will be the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of the Zebulunites is Eliab son of Helon,
- Numbers 2:10On the south side, the divisions of Reuben are to camp under their standard:
- Numbers 2:12The tribe of Simeon will camp next to it. The leader of the Simeonites is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai,
- Numbers 2:14Next will be the tribe of Gad. The leader of the Gadites is Eliasaph son of Deuel,
- Read Numbers 2: 6 more there →
Numbers 74 verses
- Numbers 7:1On the day Moses finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it and all its furnishings, along with the altar and all its utensils.
- Numbers 7:10When the altar was anointed, the leaders approached with their offerings for its dedication and presented them before the altar.
- Numbers 7:13His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
- Numbers 7:84So these were the offerings from the leaders of Israel for the dedication of the altar when it was anointed: twelve silver platters, twelve silver bowls, and twelve gold dishes.
- Read Numbers 7 →
Numbers 43 verses
- Numbers 4:7Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and place the plates and cups on it, along with the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread offering is to remain on it.
- Numbers 4:24This is the service of the Gershonite clans regarding work and transport:
- Numbers 4:28This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the Tent of Meeting, and their duties shall be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
- Read Numbers 4 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Numbers 33 verses
- Numbers 3:25The duties of the Gershonites at the Tent of Meeting were the tabernacle and tent, its covering, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,
- Numbers 3:31Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain—all the service for these items.
- Numbers 3:36The duties assigned to the sons of Merari were the tabernacle’s frames, crossbars, posts, bases, and all its equipment—all the service for these items,
- Read Numbers 3 →
Exodus 352 verses
- Exodus 35:4Moses also told the whole congregation of Israel, “This is what the LORD has commanded:
- Exodus 35:8olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;
- Read Exodus 35 →
2 Chronicles 72 verses
- 2 Chronicles 7:5And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.
- 2 Chronicles 7:9On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for the dedication of the altar had lasted seven days, and the feast seven days more.
- Read 2 Chronicles 7 →
1 Corinthians 142 verses
- 1 Corinthians 14:33For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace—as in all the churches of the saints.
- 1 Corinthians 14:40But everything must be done in a proper and orderly manner.
- Read 1 Corinthians 14 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.

Words in this chapter

Counted by lemma: every form of one word counts as one use. The article, the object marker, the negatives and the common prepositions are left out.

shekel[s]H8255×26 uses
שֶׁ֖קֶלshekel · בְּשֶׁ֣קֶלbeshekel · בְּשֶׁ֥קֶלbeshekel
MerariH4847×1 use
מְרָרִ֑יmerari
GadH1410×1 use
גָ֑דgad
DanH1835×1 use
דָ֑ןdan
AsherH836×1 use
אָשֵׁ֑רʾasher
for oneH259×89 uses
לְאֶחָ֑דleechad · אֶחָ֜דʾechad · אֶחָד֙ʾechad · אַחַ֗תʾachat · אַחַ֛תʾachat · אֶחָ֞דʾechad · אֶחָ֛דʾechad · אֶחָ֥דʾechad · אֶחָ֖דʾechad · הָֽאַחַת֙haachat · הָאֶחָ֑דhaechad
to [the] descendants ofH1121×76 uses
לִבְנֵ֣יlivnei · בֶּֽן־ben- · וְלִבְנֵ֥יvelivnei · בֶּן־ben- · בְּנֵֽי־benei- · בְּנֵי־benei-
and two [plus]H8147×37 uses
וּשְׁנֵ֣יushenei · שְׁנֵ֥יshenei · שְׁתֵּ֣יshetei · שְׁנֵיהֶ֣ם׀sheneihem · שְׁנַיִם֒shenayim · שְׁנֵ֣יםsheneim · שְׁתֵּ֣יםsheteim · שְׁתֵּ֥יםsheteim · שְׁתֵּים־sheteim- · שְׁנֵ֧יםsheneim · שְׁנֵים־sheneim- · שְׁנֵ֥יםsheneim · שְׁנֵ֣יshenei
fiveH2568×36 uses
חֲמִשָּׁה֙chamishah · חֲמִשָּׁ֔הchamishah · חֲמִשָּׁ֑הchamishah
ox[en]H1241×30 uses
בָּקָ֔רbakar · הַבָּקָ֑רhabakar · הַבָּקָ֔רhabakar · בָּקָ֗רbakar · בָּקָ֣רbakar · הַבָּקָ֨רhabakar · בְּקַ֣ר׀bekar
offering theirH7133×28 uses
קָרְבָּנָ֜םkarebanam · קָרְבָּנָ֖םkarebanam · קָרְבָּנָ֔םkarebanam · קָרְבָּנ֑וֹkarebano · וְקָרְבָּנ֞וֹvekarebano · קָרְבַּ֥ןkareban · קָרְבָּנ֜וֹkarebano · קָרְבָּנ֞וֹkarebano
silverH3701×28 uses
כֶּ֣סֶףkesef · כֶּ֔סֶףkesef · כֶּ֜סֶףkesef · כֶ֙סֶף֙khesef
a ramH352×26 uses
אַ֧יִלʾayil · אֵילִ֤םʾeilim
a lambH3532×26 uses
כֶּֽבֶשׂ־keves- · כְּבָשִׂ֥יםkevasim · כְּבָשִׂ֧יםkevasim
year itsH8141×26 uses
שְׁנָת֖וֹshenato · שָׁנָ֖הshanah · שָׁנָ֛הshanah
[were] fullH4392×25 uses
מְלֵאִ֗יםmeleim · מְלֵאָ֥הmeleah · מְלֵאֹ֣תmeleot
on [the] dayH3117×19 uses
בְּיוֹם֩beyom · בְּי֖וֹםbeyom · לַיּ֗וֹםlaiyom · לַיּ֔וֹםlaiyom · בַּיּ֥וֹםbaiyom · בַּיּוֹם֙baiyom · בְּיוֹם֙beyom · י֔וֹםyom
[the] leaders ofH5387×19 uses
נְשִׂיאֵ֣יnesiei · הַנְּשִׂאִ֖יםhanesiim · הַנְּשִׂאִ֗יםhanesiim · הַנְּשִׂיאִ֛םhanesiim · נָשִׂ֨יאnasi' · נָשִׂ֤יאnasi' · נְשִׂ֖יאnesi' · נָשִׂ֖יאnasi'
a panH3709×16 uses
כַּ֥ףkaf · כַּפּ֥וֹתkapot · כַּפּ֨וֹתkapot · הַכַּ֖ףhakaf · הַכַּפּ֖וֹתhakapot
the holy thing[s]H6944×15 uses
הַקֹּ֙דֶשׁ֙hakodesh · הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁhakodesh · הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃hakodesh
and one hundredH3967×15 uses
וּמֵאָה֮umeah · וּמֵאָ֗הumeah · מֵא֖וֹתmeot · וּמֵאָֽה׃umeah
goldH2091×15 uses
זָהָ֖בzahav · זָהָ֤בzahav · זְהַ֥בzehav
[was] a dish ofH7086×14 uses
קַֽעֲרַת־kaarat- · קַֽעֲרַת־kaarat- · קַעֲרֹ֨תkaarot · הַקְּעָרָ֤הhakearah
a bowlH4219×14 uses
מִזְרָ֤קmizrak · מִֽזְרְקֵי־mizrekei- · הַמִּזְרָ֣קhamizrak

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