Numbers 7-10

New International Version

Offerings at the Dedication of the Tabernacle

7 When Moses finished setting up the tabernacle,^(A) he anointed^(B) and consecrated it and all its furnishings.^(C) He also anointed and consecrated the altar and all its utensils.^(D) ²Then the leaders of Israel,^(E) the heads of families who were the tribal leaders in charge of those who were counted,^(F) made offerings. ³They brought as their gifts before the Lord six covered carts^(G) and twelve oxen—an ox from each leader and a cart from every two. These they presented before the tabernacle.

⁴The Lord said to Moses, ⁵“Accept these from them, that they may be used in the work at the tent of meeting. Give them to the Levites as each man’s work requires.”

⁶So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites. ⁷He gave two carts and four oxen to the Gershonites,^(H) as their work required, ⁸and he gave four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites,^(I) as their work required. They were all under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest. ⁹But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites,^(J) because they were to carry on their shoulders^(K) the holy things, for which they were responsible.

¹⁰When the altar was anointed,^(L) the leaders brought their offerings for its dedication^(M) and presented them before the altar. ¹¹For the Lord had said to Moses, “Each day one leader is to bring his offering for the dedication of the altar.”

¹²The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nahshon^(N) son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah.

¹³His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels^[a] and one silver sprinkling bowl^(O) weighing seventy shekels,^[b]^(P) both according to the sanctuary shekel,^(Q) each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering;^(R) ¹⁴one gold dish^(S) weighing ten shekels,^[c]^(T) filled with incense;^(U) ¹⁵one young bull,^(V) one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;^(W) ¹⁶one male goat for a sin offering^[d];^(X) ¹⁷and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.^(Y) This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.^(Z)

¹⁸On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar,^(AA) the leader of Issachar, brought his offering.

¹⁹The offering he brought was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ²⁰one gold dish^(AB) weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ²¹one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ²²one male goat for a sin offering; ²³and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.

²⁴On the third day, Eliab son of Helon,^(AC) the leader of the people of Zebulun, brought his offering.

²⁵His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ²⁶one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ²⁷one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ²⁸one male goat for a sin offering; ²⁹and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.

³⁰On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur,^(AD) the leader of the people of Reuben, brought his offering.

³¹His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ³²one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ³³one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ³⁴one male goat for a sin offering; ³⁵and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.

³⁶On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai,^(AE) the leader of the people of Simeon, brought his offering.

³⁷His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ³⁸one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ³⁹one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁴⁰one male goat for a sin offering; ⁴¹and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

⁴²On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel,^(AF) the leader of the people of Gad, brought his offering.

⁴³His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ⁴⁴one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁴⁵one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁴⁶one male goat for a sin offering; ⁴⁷and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

⁴⁸On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud,^(AG) the leader of the people of Ephraim, brought his offering.

⁴⁹His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ⁵⁰one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁵¹one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁵²one male goat for a sin offering; ⁵³and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.^(AH)

⁵⁴On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur,^(AI) the leader of the people of Manasseh, brought his offering.

⁵⁵His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ⁵⁶one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁵⁷one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁵⁸one male goat for a sin offering; ⁵⁹and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

⁶⁰On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni,^(AJ) the leader of the people of Benjamin, brought his offering.

⁶¹His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ⁶²one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁶³one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁶⁴one male goat for a sin offering; ⁶⁵and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.

⁶⁶On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai,^(AK) the leader of the people of Dan, brought his offering.

⁶⁷His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ⁶⁸one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁶⁹one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁷⁰one male goat for a sin offering; ⁷¹and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

⁷²On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Okran,^(AL) the leader of the people of Asher, brought his offering.

⁷³His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ⁷⁴one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁷⁵one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁷⁶one male goat for a sin offering; ⁷⁷and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Okran.

⁷⁸On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan,^(AM) the leader of the people of Naphtali, brought his offering.

⁷⁹His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ⁸⁰one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁸¹one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁸²one male goat for a sin offering; ⁸³and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.

⁸⁴These were the offerings of the Israelite leaders for the dedication of the altar when it was anointed:^(AN) twelve silver plates, twelve silver sprinkling bowls^(AO) and twelve gold dishes.^(AP) ⁸⁵Each silver plate weighed a hundred and thirty shekels, and each sprinkling bowl seventy shekels. Altogether, the silver dishes weighed two thousand four hundred shekels,^[e] according to the sanctuary shekel.^(AQ) ⁸⁶The twelve gold dishes filled with incense weighed ten shekels each, according to the sanctuary shekel.^(AR) Altogether, the gold dishes weighed a hundred and twenty shekels.^[f] ⁸⁷The total number of animals for the burnt offering^(AS) came to twelve young bulls, twelve rams and twelve male lambs a year old, together with their grain offering.^(AT) Twelve male goats were used for the sin offering.^(AU) ⁸⁸The total number of animals for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering^(AV) came to twenty-four oxen, sixty rams, sixty male goats and sixty male lambs^(AW) a year old. These were the offerings for the dedication of the altar after it was anointed.^(AX)

⁸⁹When Moses entered the tent of meeting^(AY) to speak with the Lord,^(AZ) he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover^(BA) on the ark of the covenant law.^(BB) In this way the Lord spoke to him.

Setting Up the Lamps

8 The Lord said to Moses, ²“Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you set up the lamps, see that all seven light up the area in front of the lampstand.^(BC)’”

³Aaron did so; he set up the lamps so that they faced forward on the lampstand, just as the Lord commanded Moses. ⁴This is how the lampstand was made: It was made of hammered gold^(BD)—from its base to its blossoms. The lampstand was made exactly like the pattern^(BE) the Lord had shown Moses.

The Setting Apart of the Levites

⁵The Lord said to Moses: ⁶“Take the Levites from among all the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.^(BF) ⁷To purify them, do this: Sprinkle the water of cleansing^(BG) on them; then have them shave their whole bodies^(BH) and wash their clothes.^(BI) And so they will purify themselves.^(BJ) ⁸Have them take a young bull with its grain offering of the finest flour mixed with olive oil;^(BK) then you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.^[g]^(BL) ⁹Bring the Levites to the front of the tent of meeting^(BM) and assemble the whole Israelite community.^(BN) ¹⁰You are to bring the Levites before the Lord, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on them.^(BO) ¹¹Aaron is to present the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering^(BP) from the Israelites, so that they may be ready to do the work of the Lord.

¹²“Then the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls,^(BQ) using one for a sin offering^(BR) to the Lord and the other for a burnt offering,^(BS) to make atonement^(BT) for the Levites. ¹³Have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons and then present them as a wave offering^(BU) to the Lord. ¹⁴In this way you are to set the Levites apart from the other Israelites, and the Levites will be mine.^(BV)

¹⁵“After you have purified the Levites and presented them as a wave offering,^(BW) they are to come to do their work at the tent of meeting.^(BX) ¹⁶They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place of the firstborn,^(BY) the first male offspring^(BZ) from every Israelite woman. ¹⁷Every firstborn male in Israel, whether human or animal,^(CA) is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself.^(CB) ¹⁸And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons in Israel.^(CC) ¹⁹From among all the Israelites, I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons^(CD) to do the work at the tent of meeting on behalf of the Israelites^(CE) and to make atonement for them^(CF) so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the sanctuary.”

²⁰Moses, Aaron and the whole Israelite community did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses. ²¹The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes.^(CG) Then Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the Lord and made atonement^(CH) for them to purify them.^(CI) ²²After that, the Levites came to do their work^(CJ) at the tent of meeting under the supervision of Aaron and his sons. They did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses.

²³The Lord said to Moses, ²⁴“This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more^(CK) shall come to take part in the work at the tent of meeting,^(CL) ²⁵but at the age of fifty,^(CM) they must retire from their regular service and work no longer. ²⁶They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting, but they themselves must not do the work.^(CN) This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.”

The Passover

9 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month^(CO) of the second year after they came out of Egypt.^(CP) He said, ²“Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover^(CQ) at the appointed time.^(CR) ³Celebrate it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month,^(CS) in accordance with all its rules and regulations.^(CT)”

⁴So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover,^(CU) ⁵and they did so in the Desert of Sinai^(CV) at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.^(CW) The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.^(CX)

⁶But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were ceremonially unclean^(CY) on account of a dead body.^(CZ) So they came to Moses and Aaron^(DA) that same day ⁷and said to Moses, “We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?^(DB)”

⁸Moses answered them, “Wait until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you.”^(DC)

⁹Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹⁰“Tell the Israelites: ‘When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body^(DD) or are away on a journey, they are still to celebrate^(DE) the Lord’s Passover, ¹¹but they are to do it on the fourteenth day of the second month^(DF) at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.^(DG) ¹²They must not leave any of it till morning^(DH) or break any of its bones.^(DI) When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations.^(DJ) ¹³But if anyone who is ceremonially clean and not on a journey fails to celebrate the Passover, they must be cut off from their people^(DK) for not presenting the Lord’s offering at the appointed time. They will bear the consequences of their sin.

¹⁴“‘A foreigner^(DL) residing among you is also to celebrate the Lord’s Passover in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for both the foreigner and the native-born.’”

The Cloud Above the Tabernacle

¹⁵On the day the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant law,^(DM) was set up,^(DN) the cloud^(DO) covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire.^(DP) ¹⁶That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire.^(DQ) ¹⁷Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out;^(DR) wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.^(DS) ¹⁸At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained^(DT) in camp. ¹⁹When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s order^(DU) and did not set out.^(DV) ²⁰Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the Lord’s command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. ²¹Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. ²²Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. ²³At the Lord’s command they encamped, and at the Lord’s command they set out. They obeyed the Lord’s order, in accordance with his command through Moses.

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord said to Moses: ²“Make two trumpets^(DW) of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community^(DX) together and for having the camps set out.^(DY) ³When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁴If only one is sounded, the leaders^(DZ)—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you. ⁵When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out.^(EA) ⁶At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out.^(EB) The blast will be the signal for setting out. ⁷To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets,^(EC) but not with the signal for setting out.^(ED)

⁸“The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come.^(EE) ⁹When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you,^(EF) sound a blast on the trumpets.^(EG) Then you will be remembered^(EH) by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies.^(EI) ¹⁰Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts^(EJ)—you are to sound the trumpets^(EK) over your burnt offerings^(EL) and fellowship offerings,^(EM) and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.^(EN)”

The Israelites Leave Sinai

¹¹On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year,^(EO) the cloud lifted^(EP) from above the tabernacle of the covenant law.^(EQ) ¹²Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran.^(ER) ¹³They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses.^(ES)

¹⁴The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard.^(ET) Nahshon son of Amminadab^(EU) was in command. ¹⁵Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe^(EV) of Issachar,^(EW) ¹⁶and Eliab son of Helon^(EX) was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.^(EY) ¹⁷Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out.^(EZ)

¹⁸The divisions of the camp of Reuben^(FA) went next, under their standard.^(FB) Elizur son of Shedeur^(FC) was in command. ¹⁹Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon,^(FD) ²⁰and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.^(FE) ²¹Then the Kohathites^(FF) set out, carrying the holy things.^(FG) The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived.^(FH)

²²The divisions of the camp of Ephraim^(FI) went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud^(FJ) was in command. ²³Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,^(FK) ²⁴and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.^(FL)

²⁵Finally, as the rear guard^(FM) for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai^(FN) was in command. ²⁶Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,^(FO) ²⁷and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.^(FP) ²⁸This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.

²⁹Now Moses said to Hobab^(FQ) son of Reuel^(FR) the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law,^(FS) “We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’^(FT) Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”

³⁰He answered, “No, I will not go;^(FU) I am going back to my own land and my own people.^(FV)”

³¹But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.^(FW) ³²If you come with us, we will share with you^(FX) whatever good things the Lord gives us.^(FY)”

³³So they set out^(FZ) from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord^(GA) went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.^(GB) ³⁴The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.^(GC)

³⁵Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,

“Rise up,^(GD) Lord!
May your enemies be scattered;^(GE)
may your foes flee before you.^(GF)”^(GG)

³⁶Whenever it came to rest, he said,

“Return,^(GH) Lord,
to the countless thousands of Israel.^(GI)”

Footnotes

Numbers 7:13 That is, about 3 1/4 pounds or about 1.5 kilograms; also elsewhere in this chapter
Numbers 7:13 That is, about 1 3/4 pounds or about 800 grams; also elsewhere in this chapter
Numbers 7:14 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams; also elsewhere in this chapter
Numbers 7:16 Or purification offering; also elsewhere in this chapter
Numbers 7:85 That is, about 60 pounds or about 28 kilograms
Numbers 7:86 That is, about 3 pounds or about 1.4 kilograms
Numbers 8:8 Or purification offering; also in verse 12