God Speaks
On the day Moses set up the Tabernacle, he anointed it and set it apart as holy. He also anointed and set apart all its furnishings and the altar with its utensils. 2 Then the leaders of Israel—the tribal leaders who had registered the troops—came and brought their offerings. 3 Together they brought six large wagons and twelve oxen. There was a wagon for every two leaders and an ox for each leader. They presented these to the Lord in front of the Tabernacle.
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, 5 “Receive their gifts, and use these oxen and wagons for transporting the Tabernacle. Distribute them among the Levites according to the work they have to do.” 6 So Moses took the wagons and oxen and presented them to the Levites. 7 He gave two wagons and four oxen to the Gershonite division for their work, 8 and he gave four wagons and eight oxen to the Merarite division for their work. All their work was done under the leadership of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. 9 But he gave none of the wagons or oxen to the Kohathite division, since they were required to carry the sacred objects of the Tabernacle on their shoulders.
10 The leaders also presented dedication gifts for the altar at the time it was anointed. They each placed their gifts before the altar. 11 The Lord said to Moses, “Let one leader bring his gift each day for the dedication of the altar.”
12 On the first day Nahshon son of Amminadab, leader of the tribe of Judah, presented his offering.
13 His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. 14 He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. 15 He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 16 and a male goat for a sin offering. 17 For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Nahshon son of Amminadab.
18 On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar, leader of the tribe of Issachar, presented his offering.
19 His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. 20 He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. 21 He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 22 and a male goat for a sin offering. 23 For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Nethanel son of Zuar.
24 On the third day Eliab son of Helon, leader of the tribe of Zebulun, presented his offering.
25 His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. 26 He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. 27 He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 28 and a male goat for a sin offering. 29 For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Eliab son of Helon.
30 On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur, leader of the tribe of Reuben, presented his offering.
31 His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. 32 He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. 33 He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 34 and a male goat for a sin offering. 35 For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Elizur son of Shedeur.
36 On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, leader of the tribe of Simeon, presented his offering.
37 His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. 38 He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. 39 He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 40 and a male goat for a sin offering. 41 For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
42 On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel, leader of the tribe of Gad, presented his offering.
43 His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. 44 He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. 45 He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 46 and a male goat for a sin offering. 47 For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Eliasaph son of Deuel.
48 On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud, leader of the tribe of Ephraim, presented his offering.
49 His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. 50 He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. 51 He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 52 and a male goat for a sin offering. 53 For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Elishama son of Ammihud.
54 On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, leader of the tribe of Manasseh, presented his offering.
55 His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. 56 He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. 57 He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 58 and a male goat for a sin offering. 59 For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.
60 On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni, leader of the tribe of Benjamin, presented his offering.
61 His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. 62 He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. 63 He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 64 and a male goat for a sin offering. 65 For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Abidan son of Gideoni.
66 On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, leader of the tribe of Dan, presented his offering.
67 His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. 68 He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. 69 He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 70 and a male goat for a sin offering. 71 For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
72 On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Ocran, leader of the tribe of Asher, presented his offering.
73 His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. 74 He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. 75 He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 76 and a male goat for a sin offering. 77 For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Pagiel son of Ocran.
78 On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan, leader of the tribe of Naphtali, presented his offering.
79 His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. 80 He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. 81 He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 82 and a male goat for a sin offering. 83 For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Ahira son of Enan.
84 So this was the dedication offering brought by the leaders of Israel at the time the altar was anointed: twelve silver platters, twelve silver basins, and twelve gold incense containers. 85 Each silver platter weighed 3 1⁄4 pounds, and each silver basin weighed 1 3⁄4 pounds. The total weight of the silver was 60 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). 86 Each of the twelve gold containers that was filled with incense weighed four ounces (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). The total weight of the gold was three pounds. 87 Twelve young bulls, twelve rams, and twelve one-year-old male lambs were donated for the burnt offerings, along with their prescribed grain offerings. Twelve male goats were brought for the sin offerings. 88 Twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty one-year-old male lambs were donated for the peace offerings. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.
89 Whenever Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—that rests on the Ark of the Covenant. The Lord spoke to him from there.
Source: New Living Translation: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
[TBR-146: Psalms 131, 138-139, 143-145 (May 26, 2023) Prayers and action points for these psalms are covered in the PTTB archives. Therefore, we will go back and present prayers and action points for Numbers 7 TBR-057.]
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Numbers 7:
1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
1. God treats people groups equally. Each tribal leader brought the same offerings to Moses to be used in the service of the Tabernacle.
2. Leaders should be consistent and responsible in their service to the people, seeking their constituents’ best interests, not the leaders’ political agenda. In Numbers 7, these leaders represented their people well by bringing their tribes’ offerings to the Tabernacle.
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Numbers 7?
Thank You, LORD God, that You give people the privilege of giving back to You (in tangible ways) for all You have given to and for us. In this case, it was whole tribes that gave exactly the same offerings collectively instead of as individuals, which You also accept in other situations. Help me to participate in both ways of giving out of my love for You. Am I right to think that the carts, oxen, and other animals represented the livelihoods of common people in this agrarian society? If so, I would thank them for their sacrifice and their example. Did the silver for the platters and basins come from the wealthier folks among the tribes? Again, thanks for their unselfish actions. What an orderly presentation, without competition. In other places in Your scriptures, golden containers and incense represent the prayers of Your faithful ones. Is that the case here as well? O LORD that I love, please grant me the privilege of speaking with You in Your presence as You did with Moses in the Tabernacle. Jesus’ blood, death, and resurrection did more than cover my sins. Thank You for all that they accomplished on behalf of me and all believers. We all desire to bring You glory, LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Numbers 7? With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will support the leaders of my local congregation with my time, talents, and treasures.
- I will participate in the services of my local congregation at least weekly.
- Besides my regular offerings, I will join (to the best of my ability) in group financial giving, for example, a building fund drive.
- I will pray daily for members and regular attenders of my local congregation.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.