🔢WEB · Numbers 7:31
What does Numbers 7:31 mean?
"gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;"
— Numbers 7:31 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
one male goat for a sin offering;
and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two head of cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.
On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben
gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;
one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense;
one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
one male goat for a sin offering;
Explanation
Numbers 7:31 is a small piece within a much longer passage (Numbers 7:1-89) that describes the gifts brought by the twelve tribal leaders of Israel when the tabernacle was dedicated and its altar consecrated. This particular verse records the offering of one specific leader — Nethanel son of Zuar, chief of the tribe of Issachar (named in verse 18). He presented a silver platter weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels, both measured by the official "shekel of the sanctuary" (a standardized weight used for sacred purposes), and both vessels were filled with fine flour mixed with oil, which constituted a grain offering, or meal offering.
The context is important: after Moses finished setting up the tabernacle (Numbers 7:1), the leaders of each of the twelve tribes brought offerings for its dedication. Remarkably, each of the twelve leaders brought the exact same gifts — down to the precise weight of silver and the exact contents — and the text repeats this list twelve times, once for each tribe (Numbers 7:12-83). Nethanel's offering in verse 31 is identical to what every other tribal leader gave. This repetition is not accidental filler; it is a deliberate literary structure emphasizing that no tribe was greater or lesser in this dedication. Each tribe, regardless of size or status, gave equally and fully
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