Numbers 7:13

Num 7:13-14. One silver charger — This charger, or broad dish, appears to have been for the use of the altar of burnt-offering in the court of the tabernacle; for all the vessels of the sanctuary were of gold. The use of it seems to have been for receiving the flesh which was offered at the altar, or the fine flour for the meat-offering. Its weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, or about sixty-five ounces. The bowl, again, was for receiving the blood, and it weighed seventy shekels, or about thirty-five ounces. One spoon often shekels of gold — Both the metal and what was in it show this spoon to have been for the use of the golden altar.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 13. One silver charger] קערת kaarath, a dish, or deep bowl, in which they kneaded the paste. See Ex 25:29.

One silver bowl] מזרק mizrak, a bason, to receive the blood of the sacrifice in. See Clarke on Ex 27:3.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13. charger] a dish. Cf. Exo_25:29; Exo_37:16.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And his offering was one silver charger,.... Or dish, like one of those used in the shewbread table to hold the bread in, only they were of gold, this of silver, and belonged to the altar of burnt offering; the use of which might be to hold the meat offering in, as it may seem from the latter part of the verse, or the wave breast or heave shoulder, which belonged to the priest:

the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels; which were sixty one ounces, four drachms, one scruple, and seventeen grains (h), worth about sixteen pounds and five shillings of our money:

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; the standard that was kept in the sanctuary; this was a lesser vessel, and was either for holding the drink offering, or receiving the blood of the sacrifices; its weight was thirty three ounces, five drachms, and three grains, and was worth about eight pounds and fifteen shillings of our money:

both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering; which always attended other sacrifices after mentioned, part of which was burnt on the altar of burnt offering, and the rest were the perquisites of the priests.

(h) Vid. Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 2. p. 366.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Dish, (acetabulum.) Hebrew kaharath. See Exodus xxv. 29. This present of the prince of Juda weighed five Roman pounds. It was of silver, and consequently could not be used in the sanctuary, but in the court, (Calmet) at the altar of holocausts. (Tirinus)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

One silver charger, a large dish or platter; of which see Exo 25:29, to be employed about the altar of burnt-offering, or in the court, not in the sanctuary, for all its vessels were of gold.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13. Charger — Rather, a dish or bowl for receiving water or blood. Throughout this chapter, and nowhere else, it is incorrectly translated charger; but in Num_4:7; Exo_25:29; Exo_37:16, it is rendered dish. The Arabic indicates that it was a deep dish. It is not probable that a mixture of flour and oil would have been brought in a platter.

Bowl — Or basin, as in Num_4:14; Exo_27:3; Exo_38:3. Between the various vessels bearing the name of basin, bowl, charger, cup, and dish, it is impossible now to ascertain the precise distinction, as very few, if any, remains of early Jewish metal-ware are known to exist. The tabernacle must have been well supplied with basins or bowls of large capacity for receiving the blood of the sacrifices. Lev_1:5.

Shekel of the sanctuary — See Num_3:47, note.

Meat offering — See Leviticus ii, notes.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

His offering was. And exactly the same was the offering of each of the rest. This was right and good, because it showed an equal zeal and thankfulness and forwardness to give unto the Lord, and it took away all occasion for jealousy or boasting. One silver charger, or dish. Hebrew, kearah, a deep vessel. (Exo_25:9) Septuagint, trublion . (cf. Mat_26:23) A hundred and thirty shekels weighing about as much as 325 shillings. One silver bowl. Hebrew, mizrak, from zarak, to scatter; a bowl for pouring; translated bason Exo_27:3. Septuagint, fialh . (cf. Rev_5:8 Rev_15:7) After the shekel of the sanctuary. According to the standard weight kept in the tabernacle. (see Exo_30:13) It seems to have weighed about as much as half-a-crown. Full of fine flour mingled with oil. This was for a present meat offering to accompany the animal sacrifices, and also to intimate the future use of the vessels the larger as a measure for the fine flour, the smaller as a measure for the oil.

The shekel of the sanctuary.

Mentioned several times in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. Was there a different standard for the sanctuary from that used in ordinary trade? or was the sanctuary shekel the standard to which all were supposed to conform? The very uncertainty teaches a lesson. One cannot err in being on the right side and taking the sanctuary shekel as a standard. The mention of this weight may be taken to illustrate the following line of thought. The fixed standard of God as contrasted with the fluctuating standards of men.

We should have a fixed standard

I IN DEALING WITH GOD. His claims are first. He took the first born and the first fruit. The great exactness that was required in all offerings as to quality and quantity. These sacrifices, perfect after their fashion, were only valuable as symbolizing the entire consecration and genuine penitence of those who brought them. Worship must be according to the shekel of the sanctuary. We must have a full sense of the reality of his existence, and adequate conceptions of all that belongs to his glory and sovereignty over creation. Also correct notions of ourselves as worshippers. Not with the humility of sinless angels who veil their faces, but as the polluted children of men, with their hands on their mouths, and their mouths in the dust. Our praise must be especially for his love, wisdom, and power in our redemption. Our expectations from God must be according to the shekel of the sanctuary. We must not lust for the comforts of Egypt. We must have expectations that correspond with the greatness of our redemption. Our Father in heaven treats us to an exhibition of the good and perfect gifts be ours the desire for them. To look for temporal comforts is to look for trifles, things not promised, things that come without prayer and seeking, if we would only look for such things as God would have us seek. Ask for God"s Spirit you are then supplicating according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Seek for the kingdom of God and his righteousness you are then seeking according to the shekel of the sanctuary. The sanctuary measure of expectation is in the Lord"s prayer. The daily conduct of life must be according tot he shekel of the sanctuary. Everything in which our voluntary powers are concerned should be done as for God. The world is hard to please, but even when it is pleased, it is with a low standard. We are careful when the eyes of men are upon us, for that means reputation; let us be careful also when no human eye can see, for that means character. Each daily presentation of the living sacrifice should make that sacrifice holier, more acceptable to God.

II IN DEALING WITH MEN. The Israelites were to do no unrighteousness in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. They were not to have divers weights and measures, great and small. Solomon tells us all the weights of the bag are the Lord"s work. Amos spoke of the wickedness of the people who waited for the Sabbath to be gone that they might sell their corn, making the ephah small and the shekel great. The Almighty is just as particular about our work as our worship. Trade customs are no excuse in his sight. The eye that never misses anything or mistakes anything is on the weights and measures of all dishonest traffickers. God is just as angry when a man defrauds his neighbour as when he breaks the Sabbath. How many have been hindered in their religion, lost their peace of mind, and finally backslidden from the ways of God, because all was not right in their daily business. Remember also all the other relations. Commercial relations only a small part of human intercourse. Husband and wife, parents and children, brothers and sisters, friends and neighbours, rulers and subjects, debtor and creditor, rich and poor, well and sick, young and old, believer and unbeliever: the shekel of the sanctuary has its place in all such intercourse. We need then to live in continual watchfulness and prayer, to have everything agreeable to this standard. One set of principles we should have, and one only, got from the teaching and example of our Divine Master. We must deal with one another as God has dealt with us, he who so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to redeem it. The actions of the Almighty himself are weighed according to the shekel of the sanctuary. Y.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Charger - A large dish or platter; to be employed about the altar of burnt-offering, or in the court; not in the sanctuary, for all its vessels were of gold.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

שניהם מלאים סלת BOTH OF THEM WERE FULL OF FINE FLOUR — for a free-will meal-offering.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

FINE FLOUR (MINGLED) WITH OIL FOR A MEAL-OFFERING. The princes dedicated the altar with all the kinds of offerings that can be brought upon it. Therefore they brought a meal-offering, incense, a burnt-offering, a sin-offering, and a peace-offering. Now the incense and the sin-offering were [permitted to be brought by] a special temporary decree, since they cannot usually be brought as freewill offerings. But [this exception was made] in order to complete the dedication with all kinds of offerings, for no other offerings can be brought in Israel except for these offerings [mentioned here], the sin-offering and the guilt-offering being the same thing and having the same name, and there is one law for them.. Hence although no guilt-offering was brought as part of the dedication-offerings, it may yet be said that all kinds of offerings were brought on these days of dedication, since the sin-offering was brought.Now the Glorious G-d agreed to the intention of the princes and commanded, they shall present their offering, each prince on his day. Therefore it is possible that this is a commandment for all generations, that the Sanctuary and the altar should always be dedicated [with special offerings upon their completion]. It is for this reason that Solomon made a dedication of the House [of G-d], as it is written, So the king and all the people dedicated the House of G-d. Similarly the men of the Great Assembly dedicated [the Second Temple], as it is written, And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of captivity, kept the dedication of this House of G-d with joy. And so [will it be also] in the days of the Messiah, as it is said in the Book of Ezekiel, Seven days shall they make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; so shall they consecrate it. And when they have accomplished the days, it shall be that upon the eighth day, and forward, the priests shall make your burnt-offerings upon the altar, and your peace-offerings, this being the dedication of the altar with offerings to consecrate it. Thus the subject of this commandment is similar to that of the section about the impure people on Passover, and the section concerning the sons of Joseph, Chapter 36. See also in Seder Korach, Note 67. whose opinion coincided with the opinion on High, and which we were commanded to observe in all subsequent generations.Beha’alothcha

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

His offering was one silver tray. Each one of them brought all types of offerings — burnt-offering, meal-offering, sin-offering, peace-offering, and incense — to inaugurate the Altar and its servants with all types of offering. The guilt-offering was excluded, though, because the sin-offering and the guilt-offering have the same law. The Torah relates the offering of each one of the leaders by itself because each leader had special intentions to atone for the particular sins prevalent in his tribe. This intention was in each of the details of his offering, to be acceptable before Hashem. The leader rested his hands on the offerings and stood by them on behalf of his tribe, just as the people of Israel would do for public offerings.

Sforno on the Tanakh — English translation: “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.