Bible Chapter Summary
Numbers 7 Summary
Twelve Princes Dedicate the Altar
On the day Moses finished setting up, anointing, and sanctifying the tabernacle and all its furnishings, the twelve tribal princes brought a joint offering of six covered wagons and twelve oxen, which God directed Moses to distribute among the Levites according to their service — two wagons to the Gershonites, four to the Merarites, and none to the Kohathites, who were required to carry the sanctuary objects on their shoulders. The LORD then commanded that each prince present his individual dedication offering on a separate day, and over twelve consecutive days each prince brought an identical offering: a silver charger and a silver bowl filled with fine flour and oil, a golden spoon of incense, animals for a burnt offering and a sin offering, and two oxen, five rams, five he goats, and five lambs for peace offerings. The chapter closes with a grand total of all dedicated gifts, and a concluding note that when Moses entered the tabernacle to speak with God, he heard the LORD's voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the mercy seat on the ark of testimony.
Key themes
Key verses
Numbers 7:1
“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;”
Numbers 7:5
“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.”
Numbers 7:11
“And the LORD said unto Moses, They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar.”
Numbers 7:89
“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.”
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