What number verse is Numbers 7:28 in the Bible?

Numbers 7:28 is the 3,879th verse of the Bible. Counting straight through the King James canon — all 31,102 verses from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 — Numbers 7:28 sits at position 3,879.

Translation

King James Version

One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

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KJV (with Strong's)

One ^H259 kid ^H8163 of the goats ^H5795 for a sin offering ^H2403:

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Complete Jewish Bible

one male goat as a sin offering,

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Berean Standard Bible

one male goat for a sin offering;

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American Standard Version

one male of the goats for a sin-offering;

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World English Bible Messianic

one male goat for a sin offering;

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Geneva Bible (1599)

An hee goate for a sinne offring,

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Young's Literal Translation

one kid of the goats for a sin-offering;

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In the KJVVerse 3,879 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Numbers 7:28 records a specific detail from the extensive dedication ceremony of the Tabernacle: "One kid of the goats for a sin offering." This seemingly minor entry is part of a meticulously repeated account in Numbers chapter 7, which chronicles the identical, lavish offerings presented by the leaders of each of the twelve tribes of Israel over twelve consecutive days. This particular offering, brought by Shelumiel, the prince of the tribe of Simeon, on the fifth day, underscores the essential role of purification and atonement in consecrating God's dwelling place and preparing His people for holy fellowship.

CONTEXT

Literary Context: Numbers 7:28 is intricately woven into the lengthy and highly repetitive narrative of Numbers 7:10-88, which meticulously details the dedication offerings for the newly consecrated Tabernacle. This chapter immediately follows the completion of the Tabernacle's construction and anointing (as described in Exodus 40) and the establishment of the Levitical order and tribal arrangements in Numbers 1-6. God commanded specific, identical gifts from each tribal leader to equip the Tabernacle for service and worship. Each day, a different tribal leader presented an identical array of valuable items, including silver dishes, golden spoons, flour, oil, and various animals for burnt, sin, and peace offerings. The pervasive repetition serves not as redundancy, but as a powerful literary device emphasizing the unified obedience of the tribes and the comprehensive, thorough nature of the Tabernacle's dedication. Shelumiel's offering on the fifth day is a precise mirror of the offerings made by the preceding and subsequent princes, highlighting a communal act of worship and consecration.
Historical & Cultural Context: The dedication of the Tabernacle marked a monumental moment in Israel's wilderness journey, signifying God's tangible, portable presence dwelling among His people. In ancient Israelite culture, offerings were far more than mere gifts; they were profound acts of worship, atonement, covenant renewal, and expressions of devotion. The "kid of the goats," specifically mentioned for a sin offering in Numbers 7:28, was a common and prescribed animal for this type of sacrifice, particularly for unintentional sins or ritual impurities. These offerings were crucial for purifying both the Tabernacle and the people, making them ritually clean and fit to approach a holy God. The act of offering symbolized substitutionary atonement, necessary to restore ritual purity and maintain the vital covenant relationship between God and Israel. This period solidified the communal identity of Israel as a people set apart, whose life and worship were centered around God's sacred dwelling place.
Key Themes: The verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes within Numbers and the Pentateuch. Firstly, it underscores the theme of God's Holiness and Purity, emphasizing that a holy God demands purity from His people and His dwelling place. Secondly, it highlights the Necessity of Atonement and Purification, revealing that even in celebratory moments, sin and impurity must be addressed for fellowship with God to be maintained. The sin offering is a foundational element in God's gracious provision for dealing with human sin. Thirdly, the context of the dedication reinforces the theme of Obedience and Order, as the meticulous repetition of offerings demonstrates Israel's faithful adherence to God's precise commands, establishing the structured worship life of the community. Finally, it points to Communal Worship and Unity, as all tribes participate equally in this vital act of consecration, signifying their collective identity and shared commitment to God.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

Kid (Hebrew, sâʻîyr', H8163): This term (H8163) refers to a young goat, specifically a male goat, often characterized as "hairy" or "shaggy." In the context of the sin offering, the "kid of the goats" (combining sâʻîyr with ʻêz, H5795, for "goat") was a common and prescribed animal, particularly for the offerings of the community or its leaders. Its significance lay in its purity and its designated role as a representative substitute, bearing the ritual impurity or unintentional sin of the offerer or community, thereby facilitating cleansing and restoration.
Sin Offering (Hebrew, chaṭṭâʼâh', H2403): The Hebrew word (H2403) literally means "offence" or "sin" but in a sacrificial context, it specifically refers to the "sin offering." This offering was primarily for unintentional sins, ritual impurities, or transgressions of God's commands that rendered an individual or the community ritually unclean or broke fellowship. The purpose of the chaṭṭâʼâh was to purify, to cleanse, and to make atonement, thereby restoring the offerer to a state of ritual purity and right relationship with God and the community. It was absolutely essential for maintaining the holiness of the Tabernacle and the camp, ensuring God's continued presence among His people.

Verse Breakdown

"One kid of the goats": This phrase precisely specifies the animal required for the sin offering. The numeral "one" (H259, ʼechâd) emphasizes the singular, sufficient nature of the designated animal, highlighting the divine precision in the sacrificial system. The "kid of the goats" was a standard, unblemished animal for this type of offering, signifying its role as a pure substitute in bearing the impurity or sin of the offerer.
"for a sin offering": This clause explicitly states the purpose and function of offering the kid of the goats. It was not for a burnt offering (symbolizing total dedication) or a peace offering (celebrating fellowship), but specifically for a chaṭṭâʼâh, or sin offering. This highlights the foundational and continuous need for atonement and purification, even at the grand dedication of the Tabernacle, acknowledging the inherent sinfulness and impurity of humanity in the presence of a holy God. It underscores the necessity of dealing with sin and ritual impurity before full fellowship and access to God's presence could be enjoyed.

Literary Devices

The most pervasive literary device in Numbers 7, of which Numbers 7:28 is an integral part, is Repetition. The identical listing of offerings for each of the twelve tribal princes creates a powerful sense of unity, obedience, and thoroughness. This meticulous repetition is not redundant but serves to emphasize the precision of God's commands, the communal nature of Israel's worship, and the comprehensive dedication of the Tabernacle. Furthermore, Symbolism is inherent in the "kid of the goats" itself, as it represents the necessary sacrifice for atonement, pointing to the transfer of impurity and the restoration of purity. The entire act of offering is a profound Symbol of dedication, purification, and the establishment of a holy space for God's presence, preparing the way for the divine-human encounter.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

The inclusion of a sin offering, even amidst the celebratory dedication of the Tabernacle, profoundly underscores the pervasive reality of sin and the absolute necessity of atonement in the presence of a holy God. It teaches that access to God and the maintenance of a covenant relationship are predicated upon the cleansing of sin. This meticulous provision for sin, even unintentional sin, reveals God's intrinsic holiness, His unwavering justice, and His gracious provision for reconciliation, ensuring that His dwelling place could remain among an imperfect people. The sin offering was a constant, tangible reminder of humanity's fallen state and God's divinely ordained pathway to restoration, demonstrating that while sin separates, God provides the means to bridge that chasm.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Numbers 7:28, though a seemingly minor detail within a lengthy list, serves as a profound reminder of the unchanging nature of God's holiness and humanity's persistent need for atonement. The ancient ritual of the sin offering, meticulously prescribed and faithfully executed, points us to the foundational truth that reconciliation with God requires a perfect sacrifice. For us today, this verse deepens our appreciation for the ultimate "sin offering" provided in Jesus Christ, who perfectly fulfilled all the requirements of the Law, offering Himself as the once-for-all sacrifice. It calls us to reflect on the seriousness of sin, even unintentional sin, and to live in continuous gratitude for the complete and final cleansing we receive through Christ's sacrifice. Furthermore, the communal aspect of the Tabernacle's dedication reminds us of our collective responsibility as believers to contribute to the purity and mission of the church, God's dwelling place today, through our faithful participation, dedication, and pursuit of holiness.

Questions for Reflection

How does the Old Testament concept of a "sin offering" deepen your understanding and appreciation of Jesus Christ's perfect and sufficient sacrifice?
What does God's meticulous attention to detail in the Tabernacle offerings teach us about the importance of intentionality, reverence, and obedience in our worship today?
In what ways can we, as a community of believers, participate in a "communal dedication" to God's presence and purposes in our contemporary world, reflecting the unity and purpose seen in Numbers 7?

FAQ

Why was a "sin offering" necessary even during the dedication of the Tabernacle, a joyous event?

Answer: The inclusion of a sin offering, like the one mentioned in Numbers 7:28, during the dedication of the Tabernacle highlights a crucial theological principle: the pervasive reality of sin and the absolute holiness of God. Even in moments of great joy and consecration, the presence of sinful humanity necessitated a means of purification. The Tabernacle was to be God's dwelling place among His people, and for a holy God to dwell among an unholy people, atonement was continuously required. The sin offering served to cleanse ritual impurity and atone for unintentional sins, ensuring that the people and the sacred space remained ritually pure and acceptable for God's presence. It underscored that access to God was always by His gracious provision for dealing with sin, not by human merit or inherent purity.

What is the significance of the repetition of the offerings in Numbers chapter 7?

Answer: The extensive repetition of the identical offerings brought by each tribal prince in Numbers chapter 7 serves several significant purposes. First, it emphasizes the unity and solidarity of the twelve tribes in their collective dedication to the Tabernacle and to God. Each tribe, through its leader, participated equally in this foundational act of worship. Second, it highlights the meticulousness and precision of God's commands, demonstrating that obedience was to be exact and thorough. Third, the repetition underscores the comprehensive nature of the dedication, ensuring that every aspect of the Tabernacle's service was consecrated through the prescribed offerings, including the essential sin offering. Finally, it may also serve as a literary device to underscore the importance and weight of this event, cementing its significance in the historical and theological narrative of Israel and impressing upon the readers the magnitude of this communal act of worship.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The "one kid of the goats for a sin offering" in Numbers 7:28 finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament sin offerings, though divinely commanded and temporarily effective for ritual purification, were inherently temporary and incomplete; they had to be repeated continually because the blood of animals could not truly take away sin (Hebrews 10:4). They served as types and shadows, pointing forward to the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice. Jesus, as the unblemished Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, offered Himself "once for all" as the perfect, unblemished sin offering (Hebrews 9:26). Through His shed blood, He fully atoned for the sins of humanity, not just unintentional sins, but all sins, providing complete purification and eternal redemption (1 Peter 3:18). Thus, the meticulous ritual in Numbers foreshadows the glorious reality that in Christ, we have a permanent, effective means of reconciliation with a holy God, allowing us to draw near with confidence to the throne of grace because our "sin offering" has been perfectly rendered by our Great High Priest.

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Commentary on Numbers 7 verses 10–89

10 ¶ And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes offered their offering before the altar.

11 And the LORD said unto Moses, They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar.

12 And he that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah:

13 And his offering was one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

14 One spoon of ten shekels of gold, full of incense:

15 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

16 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

17 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

18 On the second day Nethaneel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, did offer:

19 He offered for his offering one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

20 One spoon of gold of ten shekels, full of incense:

21 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

22 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

23 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nethaneel the son of Zuar.

24 On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun, did offer:

25 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

26 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:

27 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

28 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

29 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.

30 On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben, did offer:

31 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

32 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:

33 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

34 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

35 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.

36 On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon, did offer:

37 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

38 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:

39 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

40 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

41 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

42 On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad, offered:

43 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, a silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

44 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:

45 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

46 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

47 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

48 On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim, offered:

49 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

50 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:

51 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

52 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

53 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.

54 On the eighth day offered Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of Manasseh:

55 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

56 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:

57 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

58 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

59 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

60 On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin, offered:

61 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

62 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:

63 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

64 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

65 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.

66 On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince of the children of Dan, offered:

67 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

68 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:

69 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

70 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

71 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

72 On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince of the children of Asher, offered:

73 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

74 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:

75 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

76 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

77 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ocran.

78 On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali, offered:

79 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

80 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:

81 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

82 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

83 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.

84 This was the dedication of the altar, in the day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel: twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold:

85 Each charger of silver weighing an hundred and thirty shekels, each bowl seventy: all the silver vessels weighed two thousand and four hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

86 The golden spoons were twelve, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of the sanctuary: all the gold of the spoons was an hundred and twenty shekels.

87 All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve bullocks, the rams twelve, the lambs of the first year twelve, with their meat offering: and the kids of the goats for sin offering twelve.

88 And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed.

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.

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

We have here an account of the great solemnity of dedicating the altars, both that of burnt-offerings and that of incense; they had been sanctified before, when they were anointed (Lev 8:10, Lev 8:11), but now they were handselled, as it were, by the princes, with their free-will offerings. They began the use of them with rich presents, great expressions of joy and gladness, and extraordinary respect to those tokens of God's presence with them. Now observe here,

I. That the princes and great men were first and forwardest in the service of God. Those that are entitled to precedency should go before in good works, and that is true honour. Here is an example to the nobility and gentry, those that are in authority and of the first rank in their country; they ought to improve their honour and power, their estate and interest, for the promoting of religion, and the service of God, in the places where they live. It is justly expected that those who have more than others should do more good than others with what they have, else they are unfaithful stewards, and will not make up their account with joy. Nay, great men must not only with their wealth and power assist and protect those that serve God, but they must make conscience of being devout and religious themselves, and employing themselves in the exercises of piety, which will greatly redound to the honour of God (Psa 138:4, Psa 138:5), and have a good influence upon others, who will be the more easily persuaded to acts of devotion when they see them thus brought into reputation. It is certain that the greatest of men is less than the least of the ordinances of God; nor are the meanest services of religion any disparagement to those that make the greatest figure in the world.

II. The offerings they brought were very rich and valuable, so rich that some think there was not so great a difference in estate between them and others as that they were able to bear the expense of them themselves, but that the heads of each tribe contributed to the offering which their prince brought.

1.They brought some things to remain for standing service, twelve large silver dishes, each about sixty ounces weight, as many large silver cups, or bowls, of about thirty-five ounces - the former to be used for the meat-offerings, the latter for the drink-offerings - the former for the flesh of the sacrifices, the latter for the blood. The latter was God's table (as it were), and it was fit that so great a King should be served in plate. The golden spoons being filled with incense were intended, it is probable, for the service of the golden altar, for both the altars were anointed at the same time. Note, In works of piety and charity we ought to be generous according as our ability is. He that is the best should be served with the best we have. The Israelites indeed might well afford to part with their gold and silver in abundance to the service of the sanctuary, for they needed it not to buy meat and victual their camp, being daily fed with bread from heaven; nor did they need it to buy land, or pay their army, for they were shortly to be put in possession of Canaan.

2.They brought some things to be used immediately, offerings of each sort, burnt-offerings, sin-offerings, and a great many peace-offerings (on part of which they were to feast with their friends), and the meat-offerings that were to be annexed to them. Hereby they signified their thankful acceptance of, and cheerful submission to, all those laws concerning the sacrifices which God had lately by Moses delivered to them. And, though it was a time of joy and rejoicing, yet it is observable that still in the midst of their sacrifices we find a sin-offering. Since in our best services we are conscious to ourselves that there is a mixture of sin, it is fit that there should be even in our most joyful services a mixture of repentance. In all our approaches to God, we must by faith have an eye to Christ as the great sin-offering, and make mention of him.

3.They brought their offerings each on a separate day, in the order that they had been lately put into, so that the solemnity lasted twelve days. So God appointed (Num 7:11): They shall bring their offering, each prince on his day, and so they did. One sabbath must needs fall within the twelve days, if not two, but it should seem they did not intermit on the sabbath, for it was holy work, proper enough for a holy day. God appointed that it should thus be done on several days, (1.) That solemnity might be prolonged, and so might be universally taken notice of by all Israel, and the remembrance of it more effectually preserved. (2.) That an equal honour might thereby be put upon each tribe respectively; in Aaron's breast-plate each had his precious stone, so in this offering each had his day. (3.) Thus it would be done more decently and in order; God's work should not be done confusedly, and in a hurry; take time, and we shall have done the sooner, or at least we shall have done the better. (4.) God hereby signified how much pleased he is, and how much pleased we should be, with the exercises of piety and devotion. The repetition of them should be a continual pleasure to us, and we must not be weary of well doing. If extraordinary service be required to be done for twelve days together, we must not shrink from it, nor call it a task and a burden. (5.) The priests and Levites, having this occasion to offer the same sacrifices, and those some of every sort, every day, for so many days together, would have their hands well set in, and would be well versed in the laws concerning them. (6.) The peace-offerings were all to be eaten the same day they were offered, and two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs, were enough for one day's festival; had there been more, especially if all had been brought on one day, there might have been danger of excess. The virtue of temperance must not be left, under pretence of the religion of feasting.

4.All their offerings were exactly the same, without any variation, though it is probable that neither the princes nor the tribes were all alike rich; but thus it was intimated that all the tribes of Israel had an equal share in the altar, and an equal interest in the sacrifices that were offered upon it. Though one tribe was posted more honourably in the camp than another, yet they and their services were all alike acceptable to God. Nor must we have faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect to persons, Jam 2:1.

5.Nahshon, the prince of the tribe of Judah, offered first, because God had given that tribe the first post of honour in the camp; and the rest of the tribes acquiesced, and offered in the same order in which God had appointed them to encamp. Judah, of which tribe Christ came, first, and then the rest; thus, in the dedication of souls to God, every man is presented in his own order, Christ the first-fruits, Co1 15:23. Some observe that Nahshon is the only one that is not expressly called a prince (Num 7:12), which the Jews give this account of: he is not called a prince, that he might not be puffed up because he offered first; and all the others are called princes because they (though some of them of the elder house) submitted, and offered after him. Or, because the title of prince of Judah did more properly belong to Christ, for unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

6.Though the offerings were all the same, yet the account of them is repeated at large for each tribe, in the same words. We are sure there are no vain repetitions in scripture; what then shall we make of these repetitions? Might it not have served to say of this noble jury that the same offering which their foreman brought each on his day brought likewise? No, God would have it specified for each tribe: and why so? (1.) It was for the encouragement of these princes, and of their respective tribes, that each of their offerings being recorded at large no slight might seem to be put upon them; for rich and poor meet together before God. (2.) It was for the encouragement of all generous acts of piety and charity, by letting us know that what is so given is lent to the Lord, and he carefully records it, with every one's name prefixed to his gift, because what is so given he will pay again, and even a cup of cold water shall have its reward. He is not unrighteous, to forget either the cost or the labour of love, Heb 6:10. We find Christ taking particular notice of what was cast into the treasury, Mar 12:41. Though what is offered be but little, though it be a contribution to the charity of others, yet if it be according to our ability it shall be recorded, that it may be recompensed in the resurrection of the just.

7.The sum total is added at the foot of the account (Num 7:84-88), to show how much God was pleased with the mention of his freewill-offerings, and what a great deal they amounted to in the whole, when every prince brought in his quota! How greatly would the sanctuary of God be enriched and beautified if all would in their places do their part towards it, by exemplary purity and devotion, extensive charity, and universal usefulness!

8.God signified his gracious acceptance of these presents that were brought him, by speaking familiarly to Moses, as a man speaks to his friend, from off the mercy-seat (Num 7:89, Num 12:8); and in speaking to him he did in effect speak to all Israel, showing them this token for good, Psa 103:7. Note, By this we may know that God hears and accepts our prayers if he gives us grace to hear and receive his word, for thus our communion with him is maintained and kept up. I know not why we may not suppose that upon each of the days on which these offerings were brought (probably while the priests and offerers were feasting upon the peace-offerings) Moses was in the tabernacle, receiving some of those laws and orders which we have already met with in this and the foregoing book. And here the excellent bishop Patrick observes that God's speaking to Moses thus by an audible articulate voice, as if he had been clothed with a holy body, might be looked upon as an earnest of the incarnation of the Son of God in the fulness of time, when the Word should be made flesh, and speak in the language of the sons of men. For, however God at sundry times and in divers manners spoke unto the fathers, he has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. And that he who now spoke to Moses, as the shechinah or divine Majesty, from between the cherubim, was the eternal Word, the second person in the Trinity, was the pious conjecture of many of the ancients; for all God's communion with man is by his Son, by whom he made the world, and rules the church, and who is the same yesterday, today, and for ever.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–89. Public domain.

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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.

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