Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Numbers 7

Introduction

1  The offering of the princes at the dedication of the tabernacle.
10  Their several offerings at the dedication of the altar.
89  God speaks to Moses from the mercy seat.

Verse 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;
had fully
Exodus 40:17-19
anointed it
Exodus 30:23-30, Leviticus 8:10,11, 9:1-24
sanctified them
Genesis 2:3, Exodus 13:2, 1 Kings 8:64, Matthew 23:19

Verse 2

That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered:
the princes
1:4-16, 2:1-34, 10:1-36
and were over, etc
Heb. who stood. offered.
Exodus 35:27, 1 Chronicles 29:6-8, 2 Chronicles 35:8, Ezra 2:68,69, Nehemiah 7:70-72

Verse 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.
covered waggons
The Hebrew egloth tzav, signifies "tilted wagons;" so LXX. [hamaxas lampénikas] with which the Coptic agrees. These were given for the more convenient exporting of the heavier parts of the tabernacle.

Verse 5

Take it of 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.
Take it
Exodus 25:1-11, 35:4-10, Psalms 16:2,3, Isaiah 42:1-7, 49:1-8, Ephesians 4:11-13, Titus 3:8
give them
i.e. distribute them among the Levites as they need them; giving most to those who have the heaviest burdens to bear.

Verse 7

Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service:
Two wagons
3:25,26, 4:24-28
sons of Gershon
The Gershonites being fewest in number of able men, had the less burdensome things to carry; for they carried only the curtains, coverings, and hangings, (ch. 4:25, 40.) And although this was a cumbersome carriage, and they needed waggons, yet it was not a heavy one, and they needed few.

Verse 8

And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
four wagons
3:36,37, 4:28-33
the sons
Though the Merarites were the most numerous, yet they had the greatest burden, namely, the boards, bars, pillars, and sockets, to carry, (ch. 4:31, 32, 48.) Therefore they had double the number of waggons to what the Gershonites had assigned them.

Verse 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.
unto the
Because they had the charge of the ark, table, candlestick, altars, etc. (ch. 4:4-15,) which were to be carried upon their shoulders: for those sacred things must not be drawn by beasts.
because
3:31, 4:4-16, 2 Samuel 6:6,13, 1 Chronicles 15:3,13, 23:26

Verse 10

And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes offered their offering before the altar.
princes
Every prince, or chief, offered in the behalf, and doubtless at the expense, of his whole tribe.
dedicating
Deuteronomy 20:5, 1 Kings 8:63, 2 Chronicles 7:5,9, Ezra 6:16,17, Nehemiah 12:27,43, Psalms 30:1, Joh:

Verse 11

And the LORD said unto Moses, They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar.
1 Corinthians 14:33,40, Colossians 2:5

Verse 12

And he that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah:
1:7, 2:3, 10:14, Genesis 49:8,10, Ruth 4:20, Matthew 1:4, Luke 3:32
Naasson

Verse 13

And his offering was one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
charger
Exodus 25:29, 37:16, 1 Kings 7:43,45, 2 Kings 25:14,15, Ezra 1:9,10, 8:25, Jeremiah 52:19, Daniel 5:2, Zechariah 14:20, Matthew 14:8,11
the shekel
Exodus 30:13, Leviticus 27:3,25
a meat offering
Leviticus 2:1

Verse 14

One spoon of ten shekels of gold, full of incense:
spoon
4:7, Exodus 37:16, 1 Kings 7:50, 2 Kings 25:14,15, 2 Chronicles 4:22, 24:14
incense
Exodus 30:7,8,34-38, 35:8

Verse 15

One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
25:1-18, 28:1-29, Leviticus 1:1-17, Isaiah 53:4,10,11, Matthew 20:28, John 17:19, Romans 3:24-26, 5:6-11,16-21, 8:34, 10:4, 1 Timothy 2:6, Titus 2:14, Hebrews 2:10, 1 Peter 1:18,19, 2:24, 3:18

Verse 16

One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
Leviticus 4:23,25

Verse 17

And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
peace
Leviticus 3:1-17, 2 Corinthians 5:19-21
this was the offering
It is worthy of remark, that the different tribes are represented here as bringing their offerings precisely in the same order in which they encamped about the tabernacle, (see ch. 2; 10;) beginning at the East, then proceeding to the South, then to the West, and ending with the North, according to the course of the sun. Their order may be thus viewed:

Verse 18

On the second day Nethaneel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, did offer:
1:8, 2:5

Verse 19

Numbers 7:12-17


Verse 21

One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
Genesis 8:20, Romans 12:1, Ephesians 5:2

Verse 23

And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nethaneel the son of Zuar.
Leviticus 7:11-13, 1 Kings 8:63, Proverbs 7:14, Colossians 1:1

Verse 24

On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun, did offer:
1:9, 2:7

Verse 27

One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
Psalms 50:8-14, 51:16, Isaiah 1:11, Jeremiah 7:22, Amos 5:22

Verse 30

On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben, did offer:
1:5, 2:10

Verse 31

His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
offering
charger
Käârah, in Arabic, kâran, from küâra, to be deep, a large deep dish or bowl. It appears by the metal of which this charger and bowl were made, that they were for the use of the altar of burnt offerings in the outer court; for all the vessels of the sanctuary were of gold. It was probably used for receiving the flesh of the sacrifices upon which the priests feasted, or the fine flour for the meat offerings.
Bowl
Mizrak, from zarak, to sprinkle, a bowl or bason, used in sprinkling the blood of the sacrifice. (Ex 27:23.)

Verse 32

One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
spoon
Kaph, in Syriac, kaphtho, a pan or censer, on which the incense was put. Both the metal of which it was made, and that which it contained, shew that it was for the use of the golden altar in the sanctuary.
incense
Psalms 66:15, Malachi 1:11, Luke 1:10, Revelation 8:3

Verse 35

And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.
And for a sacrifice
These sacrifices were more numerous than the burnt offering or the sin offering; because the priests, the princes, and as many of the people as they invited, had a share of them, and feasted, with great rejoicing, before the Lord. This custom, as Mr. Shelden observes, seems to have been imitated by the heathen, who dedicated their altars, temples, statues, etc., with much ceremony.

Verse 36

On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon, did offer:
1:6, 2:12

Verse 37

Numbers 7:13-89


Verse 39

One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
Exodus 12:5, John 1:29, Acts 8:32, 1 Peter 1:19, Revelation 5:6

Verse 42

On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad, offered:
1:14, 2:14
Son of Reuel

Verse 43

His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, a silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
offering
mingled with oil
Leviticus 2:5, 14:10, Hebrews 1:9, 1 John 2:27

Verse 45

One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
Psalms 66:15, Isaiah 53:4, 2 Corinthians 5:21

Verse 48

On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim, offered:
On the seventh
Both Jewish and Christian writers have been surprised that this work of offering went forward on the seventh day (which they suppose to have been a sabbath), as well as on the other days. But, 1. there is no absolute proof that this seventh day of offering was a sabbath. 2. Were it even so, could the people be better employed than in thus consecrating themselves and their services to the Lord? We have already seen that every act was a religious act; and we may rest assured, that no day was too holy for the performance of such acts as are here recorded. Here it may be observed, that Moses has thought fit to set down distinctly, and at full length, the offerings of the princes of each tribe, though, as we have already observed, they were the very same, both in quantity and quality, that an honourable mention might be made of every one apart, and that none might think himself in the least neglected.
Elishama
1:10, 2:18

Verse 49

Numbers 7:13-89


Verse 51

Whether there were any prayers made for the gracious acceptance of the sacrifices which should be hereafter offered on the altar, we are not informed; but the sacrifices themselves were of the nature of supplications, and it is probable, that they who offered them, made humble petitions along with them.


Verse 54

On the eighth day offered Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of Manasseh:
1:10, 2:20

Verse 55

Numbers 7:13-89


Verse 60

On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin, offered:
1:11, 2:22

Verse 61

Numbers 7:13-89


Verse 62

One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
Psalms 112:2, Isaiah 66:20, Daniel 9:27, Romans 15:16, Philippians 4:18, Hebrews 13:15

Verse 66

On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince of the children of Dan, offered:
On the tenth day
When the twelve days of the dedication commenced cannot be easily determined; but the computation of F. Scacchus seems highly probable. He supposes, that the tabernacle being erected the first day of the first month of the second year after the departure from Egypt, seven days were spent in the consecration of it, and the altar, etc.; and that on the eight day, Moses began to consecrate Aaron and his sons, which lasted seven days more. Then, on the fourteenth day of that month, was the feast day of unleavened bread; which God commanded to be observed in the first month (ch. 9), and which lasted till the 22nd. The rest of the month, we may well suppose, was spent in giving, receiving, and delivering the laws contained in the book of Leviticus; after which, on the first day of the second month, Moses began to number the people, according to the command in the beginning of this book; which may be supposed to have lasted three days. On the fourth, the Levites were numbered; on the next day we may suppose they were offered to God, and given to the Priests; and on the sixth, they were expiated and consecrated, as we read in the following chapter. On the seventh day, their several charges were assigned them, (ch. 4;) after which, he supposes the princes began to offer, on the eight day of the second month, for the dedication of the altar, which lasted till the nineteenth day inclusively; and on the twentieth day of this month, they removed from Sinai to the wilderness of Paran. (ch. 10:11, 12.)
Ahiezer
1:12, 2:25

Verse 67

Numbers 7:13-89


Verse 72

On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince of the children of Asher, offered:
eleventh day
Dr. Adam Clarke remarks, that the Hebrew form of expression here, and in the 78th verse, has something curious in it; beyom âshtey âsar yom, "in the day, the first and tenth day;" beyom shenim âsar yom, "in the day, two and tenth day." But this is the idiom of the language; and to an original Hebrew, our almost anomalous words eleventh and twelfth, would appear as strange.
Pagiel
1:13, 2:27

Verse 73

His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
13-89, The oblations and sacrifices enumerated in verses 13, to 88, were simple and plain, though costly and magnificent. On this occasion we find there were offered 12, silver chargers, each weighing 130; shekels; 12, silver bowls, each 70; shekels; 12, golden spoons, each 10; shekels; making the total amount of silver vessels 2,400, shekels, and that of golden vessels, 120, shekels. A silver charger, at 130, shekels, reduced to troy weight, makes 75, oz. 9, dwts. 16, 8/31; gr.; and a silver bowl, at 70, shekels, amounts to 40, oz. 12, dwts. 21, 21/31, gr. The total weight of the 12, chargers is therefore 905, oz. 16, dwts. 3, 3/31; gr.; and that of the 12, bowls, 487, oz. 14, dwts. 20, 4/31; gr.; making the total weight of silver vessels 1,393, oz. 10, dwts. 23, 7/31, gr. The golden spoons, allowing each to be 5, oz. 16, dwts. 3, 3/31, gr., amount to 69, oz. 3, dwts. 13, 5/31; gr. Besides these, there were for sacrifice--

Verse 78

On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali, offered:
1:15, 2:29

Verse 79

Numbers 7:13-89


Verse 84

This was the dedication of the altar, in the day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel: twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold:
the dedication
10, 1 Chronicles 29:6-8, Ezra 2:68,69, Nehemiah 7:70-72, Isaiah 60:6-10, Hebrews 13:10, Revelation 21:14
the princes

Verse 85

Each charger of silver weighing an hundred and thirty shekels, each bowl seventy: all the silver vessels weighed two thousand and four hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
two thousand
1 Chronicles 22:14, 29:4,7, Ezra 8:25,26
after the shekel

Verse 88

And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed.
that it was anointed
1,10,84

Verse 89

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.
to speak
12:8, Exodus 33:9-11
him
that is, God. he heard.
1:1, Exodus 25:22, Leviticus 1:1, Hebrews 4:16
two cherubims
Exodus 25:18-21, 1 Samuel 4:4, 1 Kings 6:23, Psalms 80:1, 1 Peter 1:12

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