Numbers 7:89
in Numbers 7When 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with him, then he heard the Voice speaking unto him from above the mercy-seat that was upon the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim: and he spake unto him.
KJV
And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.
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This verse in Numbers 7
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
With him - i. e. as marginal, “with God,” not (as some) with himself. He heard the voice of one speaking - Rather, he heard the voice speaking, or conversing. The effect was as though Moses was audibly addressed by another person: how this effect was produced we are not told. Thus was the promise of Exo 25:20-22 fulfilled; and that as an immediate response on the part of God to the cheerful readiness with which the tribes had made their offerings, and supplied everything needful for the Holy place and its service.
This site's exposition
when Moses was gone into the tabernacle
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 record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
What does it mean that Moses often enters the tabernacle and comes out, except that he, whose mind is raised up in contemplation, must go out to deal with the affairs of the weak? Inside he contemplates the mysteries of God. Outside he bears the …
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
PateriusEXPOSITION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT, NUMBERS 2 · Written before 606.
proposed
What does it mean that Moses often enters the tabernacle and comes out, except that he, whose mind is raised up in contemplation, must go out to deal with the affairs of the weak? Inside he contemplates the mysteries of God. Outside he bears the …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The Offerings of the Princes. 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;
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:98%@v1-2
8 ); and in speaking to him he did in effect speak to all Israel, showing them this token for good, Ps. ciii. Note, By this we may know that God hears and accepts our prayers if he gives us grace to hear and receive his word, for thus our communion with him is maintained and kept up.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
To speak with him - To consult God upon occasion. The mercy-seat - Which Moses standing without the veil could easily hear. And this seems to be added in this place, to shew that when men had done their part, God was not wanting in the performance of his part, and promise.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation, to speak with him,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
It was the reward of Moses' zeal and obedience; and, in like manner, to all who love Him and keep His commandments He will manifest Himself (Joh 14:21).
To speak with him - To confer with God, and to receive farther discoveries of his will. He heard the voice of one speaking unto him - Though Moses saw no similitude, but only heard a voice, yet he had the fullest proof of the presence as well as of the being of the Almighty. In this way God chose to manifest himself during that dispensation, till the fullness of the time came, in which the Word was made flesh, and Dwelt Among Us. No man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. The mercy-seat - See the note on Exo 25:17. As God gave oracular answers from this place, and spoke to Moses as it were face to face, hence the place was called the Oracle, דביר debir, or speaking place, from דבר dabar, he spoke, 1Ki 6:23. And as this mercy-seat represented our blessed Redeemer, so the apostle says that God, who had at sundry times, and in divers manners, Spoken in time past to the fathers by the prophets, hath, in these last days, Spoken unto us by his Son. Heb 1:1, Heb 1:2. Hence the incarnated Christ is the true דביר debir or oracle, in and by whom God speaks unto man. On this occasion we find there were offered 12 silver chargers each weighing 130 shekels. 12 silver bowls, each 70 shekels. Total amount of silver vessels 2,400 shekels. 12 golden spoons, each weighing 10 shekels. Total amount of golden vessels 120 shekels. oz. dwts. gr. A silver charger at 130 shekels reduced to troy weight makes 75 9 16 8/31 A silver bowl at 70 shekels amounts to 40 12 21 21/31 Total weight of the 12 chargers. 905 16 3 3/31 Total weight of the 12 bowls 487 14 20 4/31 Total 1393 10 23 7/31 Which, at 5s. per oz., is equal to £348 7s. […]
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּבְבֹ֨א | uvevo' | and when went | H935 → | 2568 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֜ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | into | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֹ֣הֶל | ʾohel | [the] tent of | H168 → | 345 times |
| מוֹעֵד֮ | moed | meeting | H4150 → | 223 times |
| לְדַבֵּ֣ר | ledaber | to speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אִתּוֹ֒ | ʾito | with him | H854 → | 929 times |
| וַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע | vaiyishma' | and he heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַקּ֜וֹל | hakol | the voice | H6963 → | 506 times |
| מִדַּבֵּ֣ר | midaber | speaking | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֵלָ֗יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מֵעַ֤ל | meal | from above | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַכַּפֹּ֙רֶת֙ | hakaporet | the atonement cover | H3727 → | |
| אֲשֶׁר֙ | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [was] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אֲרֹ֣ן | ʾaron | [the] ark of | H727 → | 202 times |
| הָעֵדֻ֔ת | haedut | the testimony | H5715 → | 59 times |
| מִבֵּ֖ין | mibein | from between | H996 → | 407 times |
| שְׁנֵ֣י | shenei | [the] two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| הַכְּרֻבִ֑ים | hakeruvim | the cherubim | H3742 → | |
| וַיְדַבֵּ֖ר | vaydaber | and he spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֵלָֽיו׃ פ | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
וּבְבֹ֨אand when went
uvevo'H935 →2568 times
מֹשֶׁ֜הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
אֶל־into
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אֹ֣הֶל[the] tent of
ʾohelH168 →345 times
מוֹעֵד֮meeting
moedH4150 →223 times
לְדַבֵּ֣רto speak
ledaberH1696 →1141 times
אִתּוֹ֒with him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
וַיִּשְׁמַ֨עand he heard
vaiyishma'H8085 →1159 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַקּ֜וֹלthe voice
hakolH6963 →506 times
מִדַּבֵּ֣רspeaking
midaberH1696 →1141 times
אֵלָ֗יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
מֵעַ֤לfrom above
mealH5921 →5755 times
הַכַּפֹּ֙רֶת֙the atonement cover
hakaporetH3727 →
אֲשֶׁר֙which
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עַל־[was] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
אֲרֹ֣ן[the] ark of
ʾaronH727 →202 times
הָעֵדֻ֔תthe testimony
haedutH5715 →59 times
מִבֵּ֖יןfrom between
mibeinH996 →407 times
שְׁנֵ֣י[the] two
sheneiH8147 →768 times
הַכְּרֻבִ֑יםthe cherubim
hakeruvimH3742 →
וַיְדַבֵּ֖רand he spoke
vaydaberH1696 →1141 times
אֵלָֽיו׃ פto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 4:16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
it leads to
- Ephesians 3:12
In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.
- Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
- Hebrews 10:19–23
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
- Hebrews 13:6
So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
- Philippians 4:6–7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- Ephesians 3:12
Through
Psalms 80:1Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth
it leads to
- Revelation 21:23
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.
- Psalms 77:20
You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
- Revelation 21:23
Through
Psalms 99:1The LORD reigns; let the nations tremble! He is enthroned above the cherubim; let the earth quake!
it leads to
- Psalms 97:1
The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the distant shores be glad.
- Psalms 97:1
About Numbers
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Pacian of Barcelona, Commentary (church-history corpus) and Paterius, EXPOSITION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT, NUMBERS 2.