Home Bible Commentary Numbers Chapter 7Numbers 7:84-88

Numbers 7:84-88 meaning

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Numbers 7:84-88 provides a summary of the gifts that were given during the twelve days of celebrating the dedication of the tabernacle and the brazen altar.

Now that the 12-day dedication ceremony was finished, it was time get the total of the dedication offering for the altar from the leaders of Israel (v. 84). These offerings for the altar were given when it was anointed (see Leviticus 8:11).

The totals of the offerings were as follows:

Twelve silver dishes
Twelve silver bowls
Twelve gold pans
The total amount of silver used for the dishes and bowls was based on each silver dish weighing one hundred and thirty shekels and each bowl seventy (v. 85). Given these numbers, all the silver of the utensils was 2,400 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.
Twelve gold pans (v. 86). All of them were full of incense, and each one weighed ten shekels apiece, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Thus, the total of all the gold of the pans was 120 shekels, or a total of around 3 pounds (1.36 kilograms) of gold.
All the oxen for the burnt offering twelve bulls (v. 87)
All the rams twelve
The male lambs one year old with their grain offering twelve
The male goats for a sin offering twelve
All the oxen for the sacrifice of peace offerings 24 bulls (v. 88)
All the rams 60
Male goats 60
Male lambs one year old 60

It is probable that the source of this large amount of silver and gold was the plundering of the Egyptians that had occurred just prior to Israel leaving Egypt (Exodus 12:35-36).

Numbers 7:84-88

84 This was the dedication offering for the altar from the leaders of Israel when it was anointed: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver bowls, twelve gold pans,

85 each silver dish weighing one hundred and thirty shekels and each bowl seventy; all the silver of the utensils was 2,400 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary;

86 the twelve gold pans, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the pans 120 shekels;

87 all the oxen for the burnt offering twelve bulls, all the rams twelve, the male lambs one year old with their grain offering twelve, and the male goats for a sin offering twelve;

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.