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The Fourth Book of Moses, called Numbers,
Chapter Seven
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Offerings at the Dedication of the Tabernacle
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1. What did Moses do after he finished setting
up the tabernacle, what else did he anointed and consecrate, who made offerings, what did they bring as their gifts before the
LORD,
and where were they presented?
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With much repetition of language, chapter 7 records the
magnificent (and identical) gifts given to the Lord for tabernacle service by
the leaders of each of the Twelve Tribes. It is wonderfully fitting that the
record of these gifts follows the Aaronic Benediction (6:24-26): in response to
God's solemn promise to bless his people, they bring their blessing to him -
magnificent gifts in twelve sequential days of celebrative pageantry.
The focus in the chapter is on the tabernacle, the "dwelling place
of God," and the altar, the point of approach to God's dwelling. After Moses had
completed supervising the construction and erection of the sacred tent and its
altar, he "anointed" and "consecrated" them for the Lord's special services.
"Anoint" is the same term used for the anointing of special persons.
"Consecrate" means that those present recognize that the tabernacle and its
furnishings and the altar and its implements are no longer common items but are
now marked out as special, distinct, and other - set apart to the worship of
God.
Then the leaders of the tribes (cross-reference chapters 1-2) come
forward with their first gifts. There are six carts, each drawn by a pair of
oxen, for the special use of the priests in transporting the elements of the
sacred tent and its furnishings when the people set out on their march toward
Canaan. The Hebrew used here has traditionally been understood to describe a
covered wagon, which would certainly be appropriate for transporting the sacred
items.
2. Why did the LORD
tell Moses to accept the offering that were made by the
leaders and the heads of the families,
whom did the LORD
tell Moses he was to give these offerings to as each man's work requires, what did Moses give to the Gershonites, as
their work required, what did Moses give to the Merarites, as their
work required, who were they all under the direction of, and why didn't Moses give any to the
Kohathites?
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Following the command of God, Moses takes these six covered
carts and their pairs of oxen and distributes them to the three Levitical
families based on their need and their particular responsibilities. Two of the
carts and their four oxen he gives to the families of Gershon for their work in
transporting the varied curtains of the tabernacle and the courtyard (see
4:24-28); the other four carts and their pairs of oxen go to the families of
Merari for their work in transporting the frames, crossbars, etc., of the
tabernacle and the courtyard (see 4:29-33). The Kohathites are not given any
carts; they must carry the holy things on their shoulders, with staves placed
through the carrying loops (see 4:4-20; esp. verses 6, 8, 11-12, 14). This
prohibition of the use of carts for the holiest objects was not followed by
David (see 2nd Samuel 6:3-13).
3. What did the leaders do when the altar was
anointed, and what did the LORD say
to Moses?
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The literal Hebrew reads "one leader for one day, one leader for
one day." The repetition shows the pacing that God required. Each leader's gift
was worth a day's celebration. None of the gifts were to be grouped, none of the
leaders bunched. Each leader, and the people he represented, was to have his day
of approach with significant gifts to the presence of the Lord.
4. What did Nahshon son of Amminadab of the
tribe of Judah, bring for his fellowship offering on the first day, what did
Nethanel son of Zuar, the leader of Issachar, bring for his fellowship offering
on the second day, what did Eliab son of Helon, the leader of the people of
Zebulun, bring for his fellowship offering on the third day, what did Elizur son
of Shedeur, the leader of the people of Reuben, bring for his fellowship
offering on the fourth day, what did Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, the leader of
the people of Simeon, bring for his fellowship offering on the fifth day, what
did Eliasaph son of Deuel, the leader of the people of Gad, bring for his
fellowship offering on the sixth day, what did Elishama son of Ammihud, the
leader of the people of Ephraim, bring for his offering on the seventh day, what
did Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, the leader of the people of Manasseh, bring for
his fellowship offering on the eighth day, what did Abidan son of Gideoni, the
leader of the people of Benjamin, bring for his fellowship offering on the ninth
day, what did Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, the leader of the people of Dan, bring
for his fellowship offering on the tenth day, what did Pagiel son of Ocran, the
leader of te people of Asher, bring for his fellowship offering on the eleventh
day, and what did Ahira son of Enan, the leader of
the people of Naphtali, bring for his fellowship offering on the twelfth day?
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The leaders of the Twelve Tribes have already been named in
1:5-15 and 2:3-32. The order of the presentation is the same as the order of
march: first the tribes camped to the east of the tabernacle; then those to the
south; then those on the west; finally those on the north.
The gifts of each of the twelve worthies were the same:
one silver platter
weighing about 1.5 kilograms
one silver sprinkling
bowl weighing about 0.8 kilogram
one gold ladle weighing
about 110 grams the plate and bowl containing flour mixed
with oil for a grain offering
the ladle filled with
incense
one young bull, one ram,
and one male lamb
for a burnt offering
one buck goat for a sin
offering
two oxen, five rams, five
buck goats, and five male lambs for a fellowship offering
These gifts were to be used in the worship patterns of the
temple service. The "silver plate" may have been used in association with the
bread of the Presence. The sprinkling bowls were for the blood that would be
sprinkled on the altar. The gold "dish" might have been used for incense, as
this is the way it was presented to the Lord. The shekel used to weigh the
silver and gold gifts is termed the "sanctuary shekel," as against the
half-value shekel sometimes used. The weight of the sanctuary shekel was
established in Exodus 30:13 as "twenty gerahs" (= .403 ounce or 11.4 grams).
Certainly these gifts were regarded as substantial, particularly coming from a
people so recently slaves. They had despoiled the Egyptians (Exodus 12:35-36) to
enrich the worship of their God. The incense that filled the dishes was the
prescribed, fragrant incense of Exodus 30:34.
Obviously the writer might more easily have said that each of the
twelve leaders brought the same magnificent offerings to the Lord on his
appointed day during the twelve-day celebrative period. How are we to regard his
seeming excess of repetitive detail throughout the long chapter? Is it not
possible that in this listing we catch a glimpse of the magnificent pomp and
ceremony attending these gifts? Do we not see the genuine spirit of worship of
each of the successive tribes as their turn came to bring gifts to the Lord? And
finally, do we not see the joy of the Lord in his reception of these gifts? This
chapter has a stately charm, a leisurely pace, and a studied sense of
magnificence as each tribe in its turn was able to make gifts to God that he
received with pleasure.
5. What were the offerings of the Israelite
leaders for the dedication of the altar when it was anointed, how much did each silver plate weigh,
according to the sanctuary shekel, how much did each sprinkling bowl weigh,
according to the sanctuary shekel, how much did the silver dishes weigh
altogether, how much did the twelve gold dishes filled with incense weigh, how
much did the gold dishes weigh altogether, what was the total number of animals
used for the burnt and grain offerings come to, what was the total number of
animals used for the sin offering, and what was the total number of animals used
for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering come to?
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At long last the twelve-day procession of givers and gifts came to its
conclusion. Each tribal leader had his moment, each tribe its opportunity, and
on each day there was experienced the smile of the Lord. In characteristic
Hebrew style, this paragraph gives the sums of the twelve sets of gifts, a
further witness to the opulence of the offerings, the festive nature of the
ritual of presentation, and the sense of celebration each tribe had in its part.
6. What did Moses hear when he went into the
Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD,
where was it coming from, and what did Moses do?
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The climax is Moses' hearing the voice of the Lord speaking to him from the
central shrine, amid the cherubim and over the atonement cover. Communion is
established between the Lord and his prophet; the people have an advocate with
the Lord.
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Answers to Numbers seven
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1. He anointed it and
consecrated it and all its furnishings...the altar and all its
utensils...the leaders of Israel, the
heads of families who were the tribal leaders in charge of those who were
counted...six covered carts and
twelve oxen - an ox from each leader and a cart from every two...before the tabernacle
2. So that they may be used
in the work at the Tent of Meetings...the Levites...two carts and four oxen...four carts and eight
oxen...Ithamar son of Aaron, the
priest...because they were to carry
on their shoulders the holy things, for which they were responsible
3. They brought their
offerings for its dedication and presented them before the altar..."Each day one leader is to
bring his offering for the dedication of the altar."
4.
One silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver
sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary
shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; one gold
dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one
male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering;
and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be
sacrificed as a fellowship offering...one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty
shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according
to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain
offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young
bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat
for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs
a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering...one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty
shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according
to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain
offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young
bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat
for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs
a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering...one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty
shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according
to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain
offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young
bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat
for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs
a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering...one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty
shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according
to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain
offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young
bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat
for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs
a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering...one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty
shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according
to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain
offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young
bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
58 one male goat for a sin offering;
and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be
sacrificed as a fellowship offering...one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty
shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according
to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain
offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young
bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat
for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs
a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering...one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty
shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according
to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain
offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young
bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat
for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs
a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering...one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty
shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according
to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain
offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young
bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat
for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs
a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering...one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty
shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according
to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain
offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young
bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat
for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs
a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering...one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty
shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according
to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain
offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young
bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat
for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs
a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering...one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty
shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according
to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain
offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young
bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat
for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs
a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering
5. Twelve silver plates, twelve silver sprinkling
bowls and twelve gold dishes...a hundred and thirty shekels...seventy shekels...two
thousand four hundred...ten shekels each...a hundred and twenty shekels...twelve
young bulls, twelve rams and twelve male lambs a year old, together with their
grain offering...twelve male goats...twenty-four oxen, sixty rams, sixty male
goats and sixty male lambs a year old
6. The voice (Lord) speaking to him...between the two cherubim above the
atonement cover on the ark of the Testimony...he spoke with him (the Lord)
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The NIV Commentary - Zondervan
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