The Fourth Book of Moses, called Numbers
Numbers 7
Chapter VII · Vol. I, pp. 425–429
1 The offering of the princes at the dedication of the tabernacle. 10 Their several offerings at the dedication of the altar. 89 God speaketh to Moses from the mercy-seat.
1 AND it came to pass, on the day that Moses had fully a 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 b princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, (who were the princes of the tribes, and were1 over them that were numbered,) c offered.2
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
b ch. 1.5-16; ii. x.
1 Heb. who stood.
c Ex. 35.27. 1 Ch. 29.6-8. Ezr. 2.68,69.
2 The princes set the example of religious devotedness and liberality; yet not for ostentation before the people, but an offering 'before the LORD.'—C.
3 And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered waggons, and twelve oxen; a waggon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle.
4 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
5 Taked 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.
6 And Moses took the waggons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.
7 Twoe waggons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service:3
e ch. 3.25,26; 4.25,26.
3 The Gershonites having charge of the tabernacle, curtains, cords, &c., receive but two waggons, sufficient for service, not for luxury.—C.
8 And f four waggons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service,4 under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
f ch. 3.36,37; 4.31,32.
4 The Merarites had charge of the pillars, boards, and other weightier parts of the tabernacle, and they receive the assistance of four waggons. Providence and grace are hereby exemplified: Providence raising up fitting agents for 'troublous times;' and grace promising and fulfilling—'as thy days, so shall thy strength be,' De. 33.25.—C.
9 But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none; because the g service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was, that they should bear upon their shoulders.5
g 2 Sa. 6.6,13. 1 Ch. 15.3,13.
5 The Kohathites get neither waggon nor ox, their service being to 'bear upon their shoulders.' A wise arrangement. For articles such as the cherubim of the ark, and the golden candlestick, could not have escaped injury by waggon carriage. The emblem of those services of religion which require, in their management, peculiar 'gentleness and meekness.' 2 Co. 10.1. Ga. 6.1. 2 Ti. 2.25. Tit. 3.2. Duties which circumstances peculiarly lay upon individuals, and which never can be done by proxy.—C.
10 And the princes offered for h 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, i each prince on his day,6 for the dedicating of the altar.
6 This made the dedication a very long solemnity, which continued twelve days. When these days began it is not easy to determine, but the computation of Fortunatus Scacchus seems very reasonable. He supposes that the tabernacle being erected on the first day of the first month of the second year after they came out of Egypt, seven days were spent in the consecration of it, and of the altar, &c. On the eighth day Moses began to consecrate Aaron and his sons, which lasted seven days longer. Then the fifteenth day of that month was the first day of unleavened bread, which God commanded (as we read in chap. ix.) to be observed in the first month, and lasted till the two and twentieth. The rest of the month, we may well suppose, was spent in giving, receiving, and delivering the laws mentioned in the book of Leviticus. After this, on the first day of the second month, he began to number the people, according to the command in the beginning of this book, which may be supposed to have lasted three days. Then on the fourth the Levites were numbered. On the next day, we may suppose, they were offered to God, and given unto the priests; and on the sixth day they were expiated and consecrated, as we read in the next chapter. On the seventh day their several charges were parted among them (of which we read in ch. iv.) After which the princes, he supposes, began to offer upon the eighth 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 moved, as we read in ch. 10.11, 12, from Sinai to the wilderness of Paran.—Patrick.
12 And k he that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah:
k Ge. 49.8,10. ch. 2.3; 10.14. Mat. 1.4. Ru. 4.20.
13 And his offering was l one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels[≈ 1.5 kg · 3.3 lb], one silver bowl of seventy shekels[≈ 800 g · 1.8 lb], after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were fullm of fine flour mingled with oil, for a meat-offering:
l 1 Ki. 7.43,45. 2 Ki. 25.14,15. Zec. 14.20. Ex. 25.29; 37.16. The silver charger was in value £14. 16s. 7d.; the silver bowl about £8; and the golden spoon £18, 5s. sterling.
m Le. ii.
14 One spoon of ten shekels of gold[≈ 110 g · 4 oz · gold worth ≈ US$15,000], n full of incense:o
o Charger, bowl, spoon—'platters, sprinkling basins, incense pots,' according to Boothroyd. Of their shape and use we can tell no more than what is in the text. That the word translated spoon should be incense pot, is obvious from its use.—C.
15 Onep young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering:
p Le. i.; 4.23; iii. ch. xv. xxviii. xxix. Jn. 17.19. He. 2.10. Is. 53.4,10,11. Mat. 20.28. Ro. 3.24-26; 5.6-11, 16-21; 8.34; 10.4. 1 Pe. 1.18,19; 2.24; 3.18. 1 Ti. 2.6. Tit. 2.14.
16 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering:
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.
18 On the second day Nethaneel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, did offer.q
q For the honour of each prince, God thus particularly marks their oblations.
19 He offered for his offering one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels[≈ 1.5 kg · 3.3 lb], one silver bowl of seventy shekels[≈ 800 g · 1.8 lb], after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil, for a meat-offering:
20 One spoon of gold of ten shekels[≈ 110 g · 4 oz], full of incense:
21 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering:
22 One kid of the goats, for a sin-offering:
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.
24 On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun, did offer:
25 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels[≈ 1.5 kg · 3.3 lb], one silver bowl of seventy shekels[≈ 800 g · 1.8 lb], after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of r fine flour mingled with oil, for a meat-offering:
26 One golden spoon of ten shekels[≈ 110 g · 4 oz],7 full of incense:
7 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, show that it was for the use of the golden altar in the sanctuary.—I.
27 One young bullock,8 one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering:
8 From the numerous sacrifices, and from the value of the gifts of gold and of silver offered by each of the princes, it has been conjectured that these were not their own private gifts, but rather the contributions of their several tribes. It is not improbable that others may have aided the princes with their contributions.—I.
28 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering:
29 And for a sacrifice of 9 peace-offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs of the first year. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.
9 These sacrifices were much more numerous than the burnt-offering or sin-offering, and for this reason perhaps, that both the princes and people had a share of them, on which they feasted before the Lord.—I.
30 On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben, did offer:
31 His offering was one silver s charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels[≈ 1.5 kg · 3.3 lb], one silver bowl of seventy shekels[≈ 800 g · 1.8 lb], after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil, for a meat-offering:
s ver. 84. Eze. 1.9.
32 One golden spoon of ten shekels[≈ 110 g · 4 oz], full of incense:
33 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering:
34 One kid of the goats for a t sin-offering:
t Ex. 29.14. Ps. 40.6. 2 Co. 5.21.
35 And for a sacrifice of peace-offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs of the first year.1 This was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.
1 God hereby teaches and exemplifies the importance of order in religious services, 1 Co. 14.33; an importance, however, entirely to be derived from God's authority and prescription.—C.
36 On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon, did offer:
37 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels[≈ 1.5 kg · 3.3 lb], one silver bowl of seventy shekels[≈ 800 g · 1.8 lb], after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil, for a meat-offering:
38 One golden spoon of ten shekels[≈ 110 g · 4 oz], full of incense:
39 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering:
40 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering:
41 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 Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
42 On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad, offered:2
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
2 As the offerings proceed from day to day, it is worthy of remark that they never change either by addition or diminution or quality. The prince of the smallest and poorest tribe offers as the prince of the largest and richest. Had it been otherwise, 'emulations,' Ga. 5.20, would have been the immediate result, and the pride of man would soon have mingled in the service, where nought but humility can approach with acceptance, Mat. 18.4. Ja. 4.10.—C.—It is observable that the offerings of all the princes were alike, each presenting the same amount of silver and gold, and an equal number of sacrifices. This equality in their offerings may have been the result either of agreement among themselves, or of the appointment of God, that there might be no unholy emulation, nor any unseemly boasting in so sacred a transaction. In contributing to the work of God, no motive can be more unbecoming than an ostentatious desire of being thought superior to our brethren. We may also observe that Moses, acting under the inspiration of God's Spirit, thought fit to set down distinctly, and at length, the offerings of the princes of every tribe (as he does here and throughout the chapter), though they were the very same, without any difference; that an honourable mention being made of every one apart, none might think themselves neglected. But how consoling is it to reflect that, in God's estimation, the widows mite is as valuable as the rich man's offering.—I.
43 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels[≈ 1.5 kg · 3.3 lb], a silver bowl of seventy shekels[≈ 800 g · 1.8 lb], after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingledu with oil, for a meat-offering:
u Le. 14.10. He. 1.9. 1 Jn. 2.27. Re. 6.6.
44 One golden spoon of ten shekels[≈ 110 g · 4 oz], full of incense:
45 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering:
46 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering:
47 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 Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
48 On the seventh3 day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim, offered:
3 Surprise has been expressed by both Jewish and Christian writers that this work should have gone on upon the seventh day, which they suppose to have been the Sabbath. But there is no proof that this seventh day of offering was a Sabbath-day, or if it had, could the people be better employed than in thus consecrating themselves and this service to the Lord? It has already been remarked, that every act in this matter was a religious act, and we can scarcely suppose any day too holy for the performance of such acts as are here recorded.—I.
49 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels[≈ 1.5 kg · 3.3 lb], one silver bowl of seventy shekels[≈ 800 g · 1.8 lb], after the shekel of the sanctuary;4 both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil, for a v meat-offering:
50 One golden spoon of ten shekels[≈ 110 g · 4 oz], full of incense:
51 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering:
52 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering:
53 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 Elishama the son of Ammihud.
54 On the eighth day5 offered Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of Manasseh:
5 Upon this day the rebellion and death of Nadab and Abihu occurred, Le. 9.1; 10.1. Now the day of this melancholy occurrence is one of the most remarkable in the Jewish dispensation. For example, the eighth was the day of circumcision, Le. 12.3. The eighth was the day of dedicating the first of the young of animals, Ex. 22.30. The eighth was the day for cleansing the leper, Le. 14.10. The eighth was the day of most solemn assembly and peculiar sabbatism, Le. 23.36, 39; and is called the great day of the feast, Jn. 7.37. Yet, on this very day, when so many associations combined to honour it, Satan prevails upon pride to render it dismal and disastrous.—C.
55 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels[≈ 1.5 kg · 3.3 lb], one silver bowl of seventy shekels[≈ 800 g · 1.8 lb], after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil, for a meat-offering:
56 One golden spoon of ten shekels[≈ 110 g · 4 oz], full of incense:
57 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering:
58 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering:
59 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 Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
60 On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin, offered:6
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
6 From the narrative contained in this chapter Scott remarks, that they whom Providence distinguishes as princes, nobles, or wealthy persons, should take the lead and set the example in every good work—with liberal hearts devising liberal things. But a liberal heart should be under the direction of prudence and discretion; and the circumstances of the times, the state of the church and its ministers, and the necessities of those around them, should be considered, that nothing be wasted in useless expense or vain projects.—I.
61 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels[≈ 1.5 kg · 3.3 lb], one silver bowl of seventy shekels[≈ 800 g · 1.8 lb], after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil, for a meat-offering:
62 One golden spoon of ten shekels[≈ 110 g · 4 oz], full of incense:
63 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering:
64 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering:
65 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 Abidan the son of Gideoni.
66 On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince7 of the children of Dan, offered:
7 From the example of these chiefs of Israel, princes and great men, as Conradus Pellicanus remarks, should learn to be devoutly religious, and to possess the fear and reverence of the Lord God in their breasts; to be strong in faith; far from covetousness; unanimous in their endeavours to do honour to God; to give a good example of faith and good works to others; to seek the profit of their subjects; assist the servants of God; lend their helping hand to the proficiency of true piety; provide the ministers of the church with all things necessary, that religion be not neglected and contemned by their poverty; for the sake of God whom they serve, to do them honour by word and deed, and follow their godly admonitions.—I.
67 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels[≈ 1.5 kg · 3.3 lb], one silver bowl of seventy shekels[≈ 800 g · 1.8 lb], after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil, for a meat-offering:
68 One golden spoon of ten shekels[≈ 110 g · 4 oz], full of incense:
69 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering:
70 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering:
71 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 Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
72 On the eleventh day8 Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince of the children of Asher, offered:
8 Heb. on the days of the eleventh day, ver. 78. The Hebrew form of expression here, and in ver. 78, has something curious in it. It may be literally rendered, in the day the first and tenth day, and 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, by which we translate the original, would appear as strange as his, literally translated, would appear to us.—Dr. A. Clarke.
73 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels[≈ 1.5 kg · 3.3 lb], one silver bowl of seventy shekels[≈ 800 g · 1.8 lb], after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil, for a meat-offering:
74 One golden spoon of ten shekels[≈ 110 g · 4 oz], full of incense:
75 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering:
76 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering:9
9 It is instructive to observe the solemn fact so frequently recurring, that, with all his offerings, each brought an offering for sin.—I.
77 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 Pagiel the son of Ocran.
78 On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali, offered:
79 His offering was one silver charger,1 the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels[≈ 1.5 kg · 3.3 lb], one silver bowl of seventy shekels[≈ 800 g · 1.8 lb], after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat-offering:
1 It appears by the metal that these chargers and bowls were of, that they were for the use of the altar of burnt-offerings, in the outward court; for all the vessels of the sanctuary were of gold. And I take the chargers to have been offered, for receiving the flesh of the sacrifices when the priests feasted upon it.—Scott.
80 One golden spoon of ten shekels[≈ 110 g · 4 oz], full of incense:
81 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering:
82 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering:
83 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 Ahira the son of Enan.
84 This was the x dedication of the altar (in the day when it was anointed)2 by the princes of Israel: twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold;
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
x 1 Ch. 29.6-8. Ezr. 2.68,69. Ne.7.70-72. Is. 60.6-10. Re.21.24.
2 The words 'in the day when it was anointed' are a parenthesis, referring to the anointing by Moses, recorded Le. 8.10,11. The dedication was by the princes, as representatives of the people, acknowledging in their name their national covenant with God. See ver.88.—C.
85 Each charger of silver weighing an hundred and thirty shekels[≈ 1.5 kg · 3.3 lb], each bowl seventy: all the silver vessels weighed two thousand and four hundred shekels[≈ 27 kg · 60 lb], after the shekel of the sanctuary:3
3 The whole value of the silver vessels was £273, 15s. sterling; and of the golden spoons about £199 sterling.—[A more accurate estimate, based upon a fuller knowledge of the Jewish weights, gives the value of the silver offerings at about £380, and the gold at £320, or about £700 in all.—P.]
86 The golden spoons were twelve, full of incense, weighing ten shekels[≈ 110 g · 4 oz] apiece, after the shekel of the sanctuary: all the gold of the spoons was an hundred and twenty shekels[≈ 1.4 kg · 3 lb].4
4 The silver chargers and bowls weigh 2400 shekels, which, at 5s. per oz., amounts to £388, 1s. 8½d.; the twelve golden spoons, weighing 120 shekels, and estimated at £4 per oz., would make £320, 14s. 10½d., without calculating workmanship, which might vary according to the figuring and finish, from £50 to £200 or even £300 per cent.—C.
87 All the oxen for the burnt-offering were twelve bullocks, the rams twelve, the lambs of the first year twelve, with their meat-offering; and the kids of the goats for sin-offering twelve:
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.5 This was the dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed.
5 The burnt-offerings are by twelves, representing the tribes seeking and obtaining national reconciliation with God, Le.1.3-17. The sin-offerings, by twelves, acknowledging in name of the tribes the national rebellions and guilt. The peace-offerings are first by twice twelve, which, according to the rule of duplication, Ge. 41.32, represents a thing firmly established, and speedily to be accomplished. Then they are by sixties, that is, five twelves. Now this peculiarity is not without its signification. For five is the average representation of a family (see note on Ex.13.18), and the fives by which the twelves are multiplied represent the families of which the tribes are composed.—C.
89 And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with Him,6 then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the y mercy-seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he7 spake unto Him.8
6 That is, God.
y Ex. 15.22. 1 Ki. 6.23. Le.1.1. ch.1.1.
7 Moses.
8 Moses went merely into the outer tabernacle or holy place; the voice of Jehovah came from the inner, or most holy place, within the veil. This was a gracious acknowledgment of the acceptance of the offerings, and of the immediate presence of God in the sanctuary.—P.
Notes
Reflections.—Necessary observances in religion must always be preferred to what is merely voluntary. But the more honour and wealth persons have, the more exemplary they ought to be in laying out themselves and their substance for the Lord. Christ's ministers and people never need to be discouraged by the hard service allotted them; for by their often repeated exercises, or remarkable comfort therein, God can render his ministers expert in their work, or can quickly bring them unexpected assistance in it; and we can scarcely enter on his service without receiving hints of changes and removals death noi excepted. Liberal hearts devise liberal things, and are never weary of giving to the Lord. But in our dedications to God we ought carefully to consider what is like to be most useful in his service; and, amidst all, to implore pardon through Jesus our sin-offering. And while every one is careful to do that which is proper in his station, God honourably records the good deeds of his people in the most particular manner, and takes pleasure in manifesting his gracious acceptance thereof. But might not these twelve solemn days prefigure the apostolic and spiritual periods, in which princes and nations did, or shall, dedicate themselves and substance to Jesus Christ, our great tabernacle and altar; yea, the glorious fulfiller of all the Levitical dispensation?
Measures in square brackets are modern equivalents added for this edition. They are not in the King James text or in Brown’s notes. They use common scholarly estimates: a cubit is about 45.7 cm (18 in), a shekel about 11.4 g (0.4 oz), an ephah about 22 litres. Money values give the worth of the silver or gold at spot prices on 28 October 2026, not what the sum would buy in the ancient world.