Numbers 7
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 7
Tribal Offerings.[a] 1 The day that Moses completed setting up the tabernacle, he anointed it and consecrated it and all of its furnishings, including the altar and all of its utensils. He anointed and consecrated them. 2 The leaders of Israel, the heads of the clans, and the leaders of the tribes that had been counted in the census, made their offerings. 3 They brought their offerings before the Lord: six covered wagons and twelve oxen. There was a wagon for each two leaders, and an oxen for each of them. They brought them before the tabernacle.
4 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 5 “Accept these things from them so that they might be used in the service of the tent of meeting. Give them to the Levites, each according to his responsibility.” 6 Moses took the wagons and the oxen and gave them to the Levites. 7 He gave two wagons and four oxen to the Gershonites for their responsibilities. 8 He also gave four wagons and eight oxen to the Merarites for their responsibilities. They were under the direction of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest. 9 None of them were given to the Kohathites, for it was their job to carry their portion of the tabernacle upon their shoulders.
10 The leaders also presented offerings to commemorate the dedication of the altar on the day that it was anointed. The leaders placed their offerings before the altar. 11 The Lord said to Moses, “Let each of the leaders present his offering for the dedication of the altar on successive days.”
12 Nahshon, the son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah, presented his offering on the first day. 13 His offering was one silver dish that weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and one bowl weighing seventy shekels, both calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Both vessels were filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering. 14 He also brought one gold pan weighing ten shekels, filled with incense, 15 one young bull, one young ram, one year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 16 one male goat for a sin offering, 17 and two oxen, five rams, and five year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab.
18 Nethanel, the son of Zuar, the leader of the people of Issachar, brought his offering on the second day. 19 His offering was one silver dish that weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and one bowl weighing seventy shekels, both calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Both vessels were filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering. 20 He also brought one gold pan weighing ten shekels, filled with incense, 21 one young bull, one young ram, one year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 22 one male goat for a sin offering, 23 and two oxen, five rams, and five year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering of Nethanel, the son of Zuar.
24 Eliab, the son of Helon, the leader of the people of Zebulun, presented on the third day 25 his offering of one silver dish that weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and one bowl weighing seventy shekels, both calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Both vessels were filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering. 26 He also brought one gold pan weighing ten shekels, filled with incense, 27 one young bull, one young ram, one year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 28 one male goat for a sin offering, 29 and two oxen, five rams, and five year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering of Eliab, the son of Helon.
30 Elizur, the son of Shedeur, the leader of the people of Reuben, presented on the fourth day 31 his offering of one silver dish that weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and one bowl weighing seventy shekels, both calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Both vessels were filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering. 32 He also brought one gold pan weighing ten shekels, filled with incense, 33 one young bull, one young ram, one year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 34 one male goat for a sin offering, 35 and two oxen, five rams, and five year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering of Elizur, the son of Shedeur.
36 Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai, the leader of the people of Simeon, presented on the fifth day 37 his offering of one silver dish that weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and one bowl weighing seventy shekels, both calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Both vessels were filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering. 38 He also brought one gold pan weighing ten shekels, filled with incense, 39 one young bull, one young ram, one year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 40 one male goat for a sin offering, 41 and two oxen, five rams, and five year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering of Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai.
42 Eliasaph, the son of Reuel, the leader of the people of Gad, presented on the sixth day 43 his offering of one silver dish that weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and one bowl weighing seventy shekels, both calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Both vessels were filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering. 44 He also brought one gold pan weighing ten shekels, filled with incense, 45 one young bull, one young ram, one year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 46 one male goat for a sin offering, 47 and two oxen, five rams, and five year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering of Eliasaph, the son of Reuel.
48 Elishama, the son of Ammihud, the leader of the people of Ephraim, presented on the seventh day 49 his offering of one silver dish that weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and one bowl weighing seventy shekels, both calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Both vessels were filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering. 50 He also brought one gold pan weighing ten shekels, filled with incense, 51 one young bull, one young ram, one year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 52 one male goat for a sin offering, 53 and two oxen, five rams, and five year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering of Elishama, the son of Ammihud.
54 Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur, the leader of the people of Manasseh, presented on the eighth day 55 his offering of one silver dish that weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and one bowl weighing seventy shekels, both calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Both vessels were filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering. 56 He also brought one gold pan weighing ten shekels, filled with incense, 57 one young bull, one young ram, one year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 58 one male goat for a sin offering, 59 and two oxen, five rams, and five year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering of Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur.
60 Abidan, the son of Gideoni, the leader of the people of Benjamin, presented on the ninth day 61 his offering of one silver dish that weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and one bowl weighing seventy shekels, both calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Both vessels were filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering. 62 He also brought one gold pan weighing ten shekels, filled with incense, 63 one young bull, one young ram, one year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 64 one male goat for a sin offering, 65 and two oxen, five rams, and five year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering of Abidan, the son of Gideoni.
66 Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai, the leader of the people of Dan, presented on the tenth day 67 his offering of one silver dish that weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and one bowl weighing seventy shekels, both calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Both vessels were filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering. 68 He also brought one gold pan weighing ten shekels, filled with incense, 69 one young bull, one young ram, one year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 70 one male goat for a sin offering, 71 and two oxen, five rams, and five year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering of Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai.
72 Pagiel, the son of Ochran, the leader of the people of Asher, presented on the eleventh day 73 his offering of one silver dish that weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and one bowl weighing seventy shekels, both calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Both vessels were filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering. 74 He also brought one gold pan weighing ten shekels, filled with incense, 75 one young bull, one young ram, one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 76 one male goat for a sin offering, 77 and two oxen, five rams, and five year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering of Pagiel, the son of Ochran.
78 Ahira, the son of Enan, the leader of the people of Naphtali, presented on the twelfth day 79 his offering of one silver dish that weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and one bowl weighing seventy shekels, both calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Both vessels were filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering. 80 He also brought one gold pan weighing ten shekels, filled with incense, 81 one young bull, one young ram, one year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, 82 one male goat for a sin offering, 83 and two oxen, five rams, and five year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering of Ahira, the son of Enan.
84 This was the dedication offering from the leaders of Israel for the altar on the day that it was anointed: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver bowls and twelve gold pans. 85 Each silver dish weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and each silver bowl seventy shekels. All the silver vessels together weighed two thousand and four hundred shekels, calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 86 The twelve gold pans full of incense weighed ten shekels each, calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. All together the gold pans weighed one hundred and twenty shekels. 87 There were twelve bull oxen for the burnt offering as well as twelve rams and twelve year-old male lambs with their grain offering, and there were twelve rams for the sin offering. 88 There were twenty-four bull oxen for the peace offering as well as sixty rams and sixty year-old male lambs. This was the dedication offering after it was anointed.
89 When Moses had gone into the tent of meeting to speak with him, he heard a voice coming from above the mercy seat and between the two cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant speaking to him. So he spoke to him.[b]
Footnotes
- Numbers 7:1 According to the Book of Exodus (Ex 40:17), these preparations were made a month before the census that is recorded at the beginning of the Book of Numbers. Evidently, the biblical author makes free use, in accordance with his own perspective, of the records available to him in the various traditions.
- Numbers 7:89 After a lengthy and repetitious listing of the precious gifts from the leaders of the 12 tribes, the chapter concludes with a highpoint: the presence of the Lord filling the tabernacle.
Numbers 7
Living Bible
7 Moses anointed and sanctified each part of the Tabernacle, including the altar and its utensils, on the day he finished setting it up. 2 Then the leaders of Israel—the chiefs of the tribes, the men who had organized the census—brought their offerings. 3 They brought six covered wagons, each drawn by two oxen—a wagon for every two leaders and an ox for each one; and they presented them to the Lord in front of the Tabernacle.
4-5 “Accept their gifts,” the Lord told Moses, “and use these wagons for the work of the Tabernacle. Give them to the Levites for whatever needs they may have.”
6 So Moses presented the wagons and the oxen to the Levites. 7 Two wagons and four oxen were given to the Gershon division for their use, 8 and four wagons and eight oxen were given to the Merari division, which was under the leadership of Ithamar, Aaron’s son. 9 None of the wagons or teams was given to the Kohath division, for they were required to carry their portion of the Tabernacle upon their shoulders.
10 The leaders also presented dedication gifts on the day the altar was anointed, placing them before the altar. 11 The Lord said to Moses, “Let each of them bring his gift on a different day for the dedication of the altar.”
12 So Nahshon, the son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah, brought his gift the first day. 13 It consisted of a silver platter weighing three pounds and a silver bowl of about two pounds, both filled with grain offerings of fine flour mixed with oil. 14 He also brought a tiny[a] gold box of incense which weighed only about four ounces. 15 He brought a young bull, a ram, and a male yearling lamb as burnt offerings; 16 a male goat for a sin offering; 17 and for the peace offerings two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male yearling lambs.
18-23 The next day Nethanel, the son of Zuar, chief of the tribe of Issachar, brought his gifts and offerings. They were exactly the same as Nahshon had presented on the previous day.[b]
24-29 On the third day Eliab, the son of Helon, chief of the tribe of Zebulun, came with his offerings—the same as those presented on the previous days.
30-35 On the fourth day the gifts were presented by Elizur, son of Shedeur, chief of the tribe of Reuben; his gifts and offerings were the same as those given on the previous days.
36-41 On the fifth day came Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai, chief of the tribe of Simeon, with the same gifts.
42-47 The next day it was Eliasaph’s turn, son of Deuel, chief of the tribe of Gad. He, too, offered the same gifts and sacrifices.
48-53 On the seventh day, Elishama, the son of Ammihud, chief of the tribe of Ephraim, brought his gifts, the same as those presented on the previous days.
54-59 Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur, prince of the tribe of Manasseh, came the eighth day with the same offerings.
60-65 On the ninth day it was Abidan the son of Gideoni, chief of the tribe of Benjamin, with his gifts, the same as those offered by the others.
66-71 Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai, brought his gifts on the tenth day. He was the chief of the tribe of Dan and his offerings were the same as those on the previous days.
72-77 Pagiel, son of Ochran, chief of the tribe of Asher, brought his gifts on the eleventh day—the same gifts and offerings as the others.
78-83 On the twelfth day came Ahira, son of Enan, chief of the tribe of Naphtali, with his offerings; they were identical to those brought by the others.
84-86 So, beginning the day the altar was anointed, it was dedicated by these gifts from the chiefs of the tribes of Israel. Their combined offerings were as follows:
12 silver platters (each weighing about three pounds);
12 silver bowls (each weighing about two pounds); (so the total weight of the silver was about sixty pounds);
12 gold trays (the trays weighing about four ounces apiece); (so the total weight of gold was about three pounds).
87 For the burnt offerings they brought:
12 bulls, 12 rams,
12 yearling male goats (with the grain offerings that accompanied them).
For sin offerings they brought:
12 male goats.
88 For the peace offerings they brought:
24 young bulls,
60 rams, 60 male goats,
60 male lambs one year old.
89 When Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with God, he heard the Voice speaking to him from above the place of mercy over the Ark, between the statues of the two Guardian Angels.
Footnotes
- Numbers 7:14 tiny, implied.
- Numbers 7:18 The original text repeats the lists of the offerings recorded in vv. 13-17.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.