What number verse is Numbers 7:80 in the Bible?

Numbers 7:80 is the 3,931st verse of the Bible. Counting straight through the King James canon — all 31,102 verses from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 — Numbers 7:80 sits at position 3,931.

Translation

King James Version

One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:

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KJV (with Strong's)

One ^H259 golden ^H2091 spoon ^H3709 of ten ^H6235 shekels, full ^H4392 of incense ^H7004:

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Complete Jewish Bible

one gold pan of ten shekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense;

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Berean Standard Bible

one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

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American Standard Version

one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense;

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World English Bible Messianic

one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense;

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Geneva Bible (1599)

A golden incense cup of ten shekels, ful of incense,

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Young's Literal Translation

one golden spoon of ten shekels , full of perfume;

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In the KJVVerse 3,931 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Numbers 7:80 offers a precise glimpse into the extensive dedicatory offerings presented by the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel for the newly consecrated Tabernacle. This particular verse meticulously describes a golden spoon, weighing ten shekels and filled with sacred incense, contributed by Ahiezer, the leader of the tribe of Dan. It powerfully underscores the immense value, meticulous precision, and profound symbolism inherent in the worship of God in ancient Israel, highlighting the sacredness and intentionality demanded in approaching the divine presence.

CONTEXT

Literary Context: Numbers chapter 7 provides an exceptionally detailed, day-by-day account of the dedication offerings brought by each of the twelve tribal leaders following the completion and anointing of the Tabernacle. This grand dedication, spanning twelve consecutive days, immediately follows the intricate instructions for the Tabernacle's construction and its anointing, as described in Exodus 40. The repetitive nature of the chapter, where each leader's contribution is itemized with identical types and quantities of offerings, serves to emphasize the unity, equality, and shared purpose of the tribes in consecrating this sacred space to God. Numbers 7:80 specifically itemizes one component of the comprehensive offering from Ahiezer, the prince of the children of Dan, presented on the twelfth and final day of this monumental dedication. The meticulous repetition is a literary device that underscores the thoroughness of the offerings and the unwavering obedience of the leaders to divine command.
Historical & Cultural Context: The Tabernacle served as the portable dwelling place for God's manifest presence among the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings, a tangible sign of His covenant faithfulness and a central pillar of their national identity. Its construction and dedication were foundational to establishing the framework for their worship and communion with the divine. While offerings were common in the ancient Near East, Israel's system was unique, being divinely commanded and meticulously detailed, emphasizing holiness, purity, and strict adherence to specific divine instructions. Gold, a universally recognized symbol of immense value, purity, and royalty, was fittingly used in the Tabernacle's most sacred vessels, signifying the dwelling place of the King of the Universe. Incense, a specially compounded, fragrant mixture, was regularly burned on the altar of incense within the Tabernacle, symbolizing the prayers of God's people ascending to Him, as well as a sweet aroma pleasing to the Lord. The precise weight of "ten shekels" further underscored the high value and the exactitude demanded for items used in sacred service, reflecting the absolute holiness of God.
Key Themes: Numbers 7:80, within the broader context of the Tabernacle's dedication, contributes to several significant theological and narrative themes. Foremost among these is the theme of Holiness and Divine Presence, as the meticulous offerings and precious materials underscore the sanctity of God's dwelling place and the reverence required in His presence. The chapter also highlights the theme of Obedience and Fidelity to Divine Command, as the tribal leaders meticulously follow God's precise instructions for the offerings, demonstrating their commitment to the covenant. Furthermore, the recurrent mention of incense throughout the Tabernacle rituals, including in this verse, emphasizes the theme of Prayer and Intercession, illustrating how the physical acts of worship were intrinsically linked to the spiritual communion between God and His people, as seen in passages like Psalm 141:2. Finally, the identical nature of each tribe's offering reinforces the theme of Unity and Equality among God's people in their corporate worship.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

Golden (Hebrew, zâhâb', H2091): Derived from a root meaning "to shimmer," zâhâb refers to gold, a precious metal universally associated with immense value, purity, and royalty. Its specification for the spoon underscores that only the finest and most unblemished materials were deemed worthy for God's service and presence in the Tabernacle. This choice reflects God's inherent perfection and majesty, demanding excellence in all that pertains to His worship.
Spoon (Hebrew, kaph', H3709): While translated "spoon," the Hebrew word kaph literally means "the hollow hand or palm." In this context, it refers to a shallow dish, pan, or censer, specifically designed to hold and offer the fragrant incense. This emphasizes its functional purpose as a vessel for sacred ritual, distinct from an eating utensil, highlighting its role in facilitating the prescribed acts of worship.
Incense (Hebrew, qᵉṭôreth', H7004): From a root meaning "to fumigate," qᵉṭôreth refers to the specially compounded, fragrant mixture burned on the altar of incense. This incense was a vital component of Tabernacle worship, primarily symbolizing the prayers of the saints ascending to God and acting as a sweet aroma pleasing to the Lord. Its presence signifies communion, intercession, and the acceptable worship offered to the Holy One.

Verse Breakdown

"One golden spoon": This phrase immediately establishes the singularity and preciousness of the item. It was not a common utensil, but a specially crafted, valuable vessel made of gold, signifying its sacred purpose and the immense value placed on every detail of the Tabernacle's furnishings and offerings. The "one" emphasizes its distinct contribution within the larger offering.
"of ten [shekels]": This precise measurement specifies the exact weight of the gold, underscoring the substantial value of the offering. A shekel was a standard unit of weight (approximately 11-12 grams or 0.4 ounces), so ten shekels of gold represented a significant and costly contribution. This detail highlights the meticulous adherence to God's detailed instructions and the commitment to offering the very best for divine service, reflecting the high cost of true devotion.
"full of incense": This clause identifies the primary purpose of the golden spoon – to hold the sacred incense. The fact that it was "full" indicates a generous and complete offering, ready for its liturgical function. The incense, a potent symbol of prayer, worship, and intercession, was central to the daily worship in the Tabernacle, signifying the continuous communion between God and His people and the ascending aroma of their devotion.

Literary Devices

Numbers 7:80, situated within the broader context of the chapter, employs several significant literary devices. Symbolism is profoundly evident, with the "golden spoon" representing a vessel of purity, immense value, and dedication to divine service, and the "incense" symbolizing prayer, worship, and the pleasing aroma of communion with God. The meticulous enumeration of each offering throughout Numbers 7, of which verse 80 is an integral part, is a prime example of meticulous detail or hyper-specification. This literary technique serves to emphasize the divine demand for order, precision, and excellence in all matters pertaining to worship and the Tabernacle. It underscores the sacredness of the space and rituals, leaving no room for human improvisation or negligence, thereby reinforcing the absolute holiness of God and the reverence due to Him. The sheer repetition across the twelve days also acts as a form of emphasis, hammering home the importance of obedience and the completeness of the dedication.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Numbers 7:80, as part of the Tabernacle's dedication, powerfully conveys several enduring theological truths. It underscores God's meticulous nature and His unwavering demand for holiness, purity, and excellence in worship. The specific, valuable offerings reflect the profound principle that approaching a holy God requires intentionality, reverence, and the giving of one's very best, not merely what is convenient or leftover. The "incense" motif connects this act of dedication directly to prayer, intercession, and the pleasing aroma of communion, revealing that the physical rituals of the Tabernacle were deeply intertwined with the spiritual communion between God and His people. It teaches us that our worship, whether corporate or individual, should be deliberate, costly, and offered with a heart fully devoted to God, recognizing His supreme worth.

Exodus 30:7-8 - Details the daily burning of incense on the golden altar, highlighting its perpetual nature.
Psalm 141:2 - A prayer likening the lifting of hands in prayer to the evening sacrifice and the ascending aroma of incense.
Revelation 8:3-4 - Depicts an angel offering the prayers of all the saints with much incense before God's throne, showing its ultimate spiritual significance.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The detailed account of the Tabernacle offerings, including the golden spoon full of incense, serves as a profound and enduring reminder of the nature of true worship. It challenges us to consider the quality and intentionality of our own "offerings" to God today. Just as every item for the Tabernacle was specified with immense value and precision, our worship, service, and giving should be characterized by excellence, reverence, and a heart fully devoted to Him, not merely what is convenient or leftover. This calls for a re-evaluation of our priorities and a commitment to offering our very best in every sphere of life. The symbolism of the incense, representing ascending prayers, calls us to prioritize and deepen our prayer lives, recognizing that our communion with God is a "sweet aroma" to Him, a vital aspect of our relationship. This verse encourages us to reflect on whether our spiritual practices truly reflect the same level of dedication and value that the Israelites were commanded to show in their physical offerings, fostering a spirit of wholehearted commitment in every aspect of our walk with God and a desire to honor Him with all that we are and have.

Questions for Reflection

How does the meticulous detail of God's instructions for the Tabernacle offerings inform our approach to worship and service today?
In what ways can we ensure our "offerings" (time, talents, financial resources) to God are of the highest quality, reflecting the "golden" standard seen in Numbers 7:80?
Considering incense as a symbol of prayer, how can we cultivate a deeper, more consistent prayer life that ascends as a "sweet aroma" to God?

FAQ

What was the specific purpose of the "golden spoon" mentioned in Numbers 7:80?

Answer: The "golden spoon" (more accurately understood as a censer or a shallow pan) was a vessel specifically designed to hold and offer the sacred incense. In the Tabernacle rituals, incense was regularly burned on the altar of incense, symbolizing the prayers of the people ascending to God and creating a pleasing aroma in His presence. The spoon's purpose was to facilitate this act of worship and communion, ensuring the precise and reverent handling of the sacred substance.

Why was gold specified, and what was the significance of "ten shekels" for this offering?

Answer: Gold was specified because it universally symbolized purity, holiness, and divine worth, indicating that only the finest and most precious materials were acceptable for God's service in His dwelling place. Its use underscored the absolute majesty of God and the sacredness of His presence. The "ten shekels" refers to the precise weight of the gold, emphasizing the immense value of the offering and the meticulous adherence to God's detailed instructions for the Tabernacle's construction and its rituals. This precision underscored the sacredness of the divine encounter and the importance of exact obedience in worship, reflecting a commitment to offering the very best to the Lord.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The golden spoon full of incense, offered with such precision and immense value, finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The entire Tabernacle system, with all its furnishings, rituals, and offerings, served as a profound shadow pointing to the reality of Christ and His perfect work. The incense, symbolizing the prayers of the saints and a pleasing aroma to God, beautifully foreshadows the perfect intercession and sinless life of Jesus. As our great High Priest, Jesus did not merely offer a symbolic aroma; His entire life, His sacrificial death on the cross, and His glorious resurrection constitute the ultimate, perfect, and fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. He is the one who perfectly fulfilled the law's demands, offering Himself as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Furthermore, just as the incense ascended, Christ now sits at the right hand of God, continually interceding for us (Romans 8:34), making our imperfect prayers acceptable through His perfect righteousness. Through His finished work, believers are now a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9), empowered to offer spiritual sacrifices of praise and prayer that are pleasing to God through Him (Hebrews 13:15). The costly golden spoon, full of incense, thus beautifully prefigures the infinitely more precious and perfect offering of Christ, which truly makes communion with God possible and brings us into His holy presence.

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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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