Num 7.1-89 deals with the dedication of the Mishkan and chronologically it follows Lev 8.10-11, and this portion is read a Chanukah because of the concept of “dedication” (of the Temple). This portion also alludes to the 144,000 because each tribe is represented, and one tribe brought the exact same offerings as each of the other tribes. One would think this chapter would be very boring, but this chapter has more commentary written on it than any other chapter in the Torah. This portion is long because it includes 70 verses on the same gifts over and over. What does that mean?” It means that many of our deeds are “repeats” of all the generations in the past. Many are repeats from yesterday, yet God loves them and cherishes them. He wants us to bring the same acts of Torah observance, of love, mercy, justice, compassion, forgiveness and kindness. This chapter also teaches us to avoid “one upmanship” and trying to “outdo” one another. That is how man thinks, is prideful and boastful. This is about the gifts. What do these gifts mean to “that” tribe? Eschatologically, the dedication of this altar in Num 7 will relate to the altar that is going to up again. Orthodox Jews have said if the Temple and the altar goes up again, they would have to reexamine Judaism because what they do is not according to the teachings of Moses, and they would have to make massive changes.
For example, let’s look at Issachar. Issachar’s blessing from Jacob in Gen 49.14-15 says they could carry “burdens” and were strong in Torah. 1 Chr 12.32 says they had insight into the Torah and were devoted to study. So the silver dish full of flour (bread equals the word) meant something to them Man does not live by bread alone (Deut 8.3).
But to another tribe, the silver bowl with 70 shekels alluded to the 70 souls that went into Egypt in the First Redemption. To another, it was the 70 judges, or the 70 nations of the world. To another it was Abraham’s age at the covenant between the halves in Gen 15. The Torah repeats itself twelve times here once for each tribe. This also teaches that each was stamped with its own speacial meaning.
THe next thing to do is look at the numbers given. They also mean something. For example, twelve is the number of teaching, one hundred and thirty was the age of Jacob when he entered Egypt, ten is the number of judgment, and so on. Another thing we can do is look at what a ram, bull or lamb signified. What did the flour signify? Then look at the metals used. What does gold, silver signify? A gift’s value is determined by the giver. Although there were the same, each had value assigned to it by each tribe individually. One of the hallmarks of spiritual maturity is being able to give, but we must first learn how to receive, and that is hard for some people.
v 1…Now it came about on the day that Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle (not the exact day, but about the time this service was done because the Mishkan was fully set up), he anointed it (with the oil of Exo 30.23)and consecrated it with all its furnishings and the altar and all its utensils; he anointed them and consecrated them also.
v 2…Then the leaders (princes) of Israel, the heads of their father’s household (Num 1.4), made an offering; they were the leaders of the tribes; they were the ones who were over the numbered men (Num 1.19).
v 3…When they brought their offering before the Lord, six covered carts and twelve oxen, a cart for every two of the leaders and an ox for each one, then they presented them before the tabernacle.
v 4…Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
v 5…”Accept these things from them, that they may be used in the service of the tent of meeting, and you shall give them to the Levites, to each man according to his service (see v 7-9).”
v 6…So Moses took the carts and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites.
v 7…Two carts and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service (they carried the lighter things like the curtains and hangings, with the rest on their shoulders);
v 8…and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari (they needed more due to a heavier load, like the boards, pillars with the rest on their shoulders) according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
v 9…But he did not give any to the sons of Kohath because theirs was the service of the holy objects which they carried on their shoulder (the ark, altars, tables, candlestick etc; this is what went wrong in David’s day with Uzzah in 2 Sam 6.6-7).
v 10…And the leaders offered the dedication offering for the altar when it was anointed, so the leaders offered their offering before the Lord (after the carts and oxen had brought the things of the MIshkan, the princes offered further sacrifices for the dedication of the altar).’
v 11…Then the Lord said to Moses, “Let them present their offering, one leader (prince) each day, for the dedication of the altar.”
v 12…Now the one who presented his offering on the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah (Messiah from Judah and he is the first fruits-1 Cor 15.23; this name would be put on all Israel; only Nahshon is not called a Nasi or prince because that title belongs to Yeshua; so that he not be “puffed up” in going first; tradition says Judah was the first to go into the Red Sea; Judah was the first to come to Benjamin’s aid in Gen 44.18; in Rev 7.5 Judah is first again,
v 13…and his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels (about 60 oz), one silver bowl of seventy shekels (about 33 oz), according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the standard that was kept in the sanctuary), both of them full of flour (solet) mixed with oil (shemen) for a grain offering (minchah);
v 14…one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;
v 15…one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering (Korban Olah totally to God);
v 16…one male goat for a sin offering (always reminded of Adam’s sin and their own);
v 17…and for the sacrifice of peace offerings (Korban Shelem which is being thankful that God has forgiven their sins and has shown them mercy), two oxen, five rams, five ale goats, five male lambs one year old (so many were brought because with this a meal consecrated to God was made, not only for the priests but for the princes, friends and others they would invite as well). This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
v 18…On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, leader (“Nasi” or prince) of Issachar, presented an offering;
v 19…he presented as his offering one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty sheleks, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
v 20…one gold pan of ten shekels full of incense,
v 21…one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering;
v 22…one male goat for a sin offering;
v 23…and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar.
v 24…On the third day it was Eliab the son of Helon, leader (prince) of the sons of Zebulon;
v 25…his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
v 26…one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;
v 27…one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
v 28…one male goat for a sin offering;
v 29…and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.
v 30…On the fourth day it was Elizur the son of Shedeur, leader (prince) of the tribe of Reuben,
v 31…his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
v 32…one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;
v 33…one bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
v 34…one male goat for a sin offering,
v 35…and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.
v 36…On fifth day it was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, leader (prince) of the children of Simeon;
v 37…his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
v 38…one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense,
v 39…one bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering,
v 40…one male goat for a sin offering,
v 41…and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
v 42…On the sixth day it was Eliasaph the son of Deuel, the leader (prince) of the sons of Gad;
v 43…his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour wixed with oil for a grain offering;
v 44…one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense,
v 45…one bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering,
v 46…one male goat for a sin offering,
v 47…and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goat, five male lambs one year old. This is the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
v 48…On the seventh day it was Elishama the son of Ammihud, leader (prince) of the sons of Ephraim;
v 49…his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
v 50…one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;
v 51…one bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
v 52…one male goat for a sin offering;
v 53…and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.
v 54…On the eighth day it was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, leader (prince) of the sons of Manasseh;
v 55…his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
v 56…one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;
v 57…one bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
v 58…one male goat for a sin offering;
v 59…and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five ams, five male goats, five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
v 60…On the ninth day it was Abidan the son of Gideoni, the leader (prince) of the sons of Benjamin;
v 61…his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
v 62…one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;
v 63…one bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
v 64…one male goat for a sin offering;
v 65…and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.
v 66…On the tenth day it was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, leader (prince) of the sons of Dan;
v 67…his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
v 68…one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;
v 69…one bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
v 70…one male goat for a sin offering;
v 71…and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
v 72…On the eleventh day it was Pagiel the son of Ochran, the leaader (prince) of the sons of Asher;
v 73…his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
v 74…one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense,
v 75…one bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
v 76…one male goat for a sin offering;
v 77…and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ochran.
v 78…On the twelfth day it was Ahira the son of Enan, leader (prince) of the sons of Naphtali;
v 79…his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flur mixed with oil for a grain offering;
v 80…one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;
v 81…one bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
v 82…one male goat for a sin offering;
v 83…and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs a year old. THis was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.
v 84…This was the dedication (chanukat) offering (the offerings they gave) for the altar from the leaders (princes) of Israel when it was anointed (not the precise day the Mishkan was set up because there were twelve days of offerings; it means about that time): twelve silver dishes, twelve silver bowls, twelve silver pans,
v 85…each silver dish weighing one hundred and thirty shekels and bowl seventy, all the silver of the utensils was 2400 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary,
v 86…twelve gold pans, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the opans 120 shekels,
v 87…all the oxen for the burnt offering twelve bulls, all the rams twelve, the male lambs a year old with their grain offering twelve, and the male goats for a sin offering twelve;
v 88…and all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace offerings 24 bulls, all the rams 60, the male goats 60, the male lambs one year old 60. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed (some time after).
v 89…Now when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with him (Yehovah), he heard the voice speaking to him from above (from off) the mercy seat that was on the ark (Exo 25.20-22) of the testimony, from between the two cherubim, so he spoke to him (it seems that he heard the voice while he was in the Holy Place, not the Holy of Holies).
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