Numbers 7:84

7:84-88 The gifts and offerings of each tribe having been described, this paragraph tabulates these expensive containers, their offerings and incense, and the sacrificial animals. These large and costly gifts and sacrifices drew attention to the importance of the altar, the Tabernacle, and the God who was served there. The sacrifices were required by law; the Hebrews presented the special gifts with a generous spirit.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

This was the offering of the princes, when Aaron did dedicate the Altar.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

This was the dedication of the altar--The inspired historian here sums up the separate items detailed in the preceding narrative, and the aggregate amount is as follows: 12 silver chargers, each weighing 130 shekels equals 1560; 12 silver bowls, each 70 shekels equals 840: total weight. A silver charger at 130 shekels, reduced to troy weight, made 75 ounces, 9 pennyweights, 168.31 grains; and a silver bowl at 70 shekels amounts to 40 ounces, 12 pennyweights, 2121.31 grains. The total weight of the 12 chargers is therefore 905 ounces, 16 pennyweights, 33.11 grains; and that of the 12 bowls 487 ounces, 14 pennyweights, 204.31 grains; making the total weight of silver vessels 1393 ounces, 10 pennyweights, 237.31 grains; which at 5s. per ounce, is equal to £383 1s. 81/2d. The 12 golden spoons, allowing each to be 5 ounces, 16 pennyweights, 3.31 grains, amount to 69 ounces, 3 pennyweights, 135.31 grains, which, at £4 per ounce, is equal to £320 14s. 101/2d., and added to the amount of the silver, makes a total of £703 16s. 61/2d. Besides these the offerings comprised twelve bullocks, twelve rams, twelve lambs, twenty-four goats, sixty rams, sixty he-goats, sixty lambs--amounting in all to 240. So large a collection of cattle offered for sacrifice on one occasion proves both the large flocks of the Israelites and the abundance of pastures which were then, and still are, found in the valleys that lie between the Sinaitic Mountains. All travellers attest the luxuriant verdure of those extensive wadies; and that they were equally or still more rich in pasture anciently, is confirmed by the numerous flocks of the Amalekites, as well as of Nabal, which were fed in the wilderness of Paran (Sa1 15:9).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 84. This was the dedication of the altar, in the day, c.] Meaning here the time in which it was dedicated for as each tribe had a whole day for its representative or prince to present the offerings it had provided, consequently the dedication, in which each had his day, must have lasted twelve days: the words therefore, in this text, refer to the last day or twelfth, in which this dedication was completed.

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

The aggregate worth, by weight, of the whole of the offerings was about 438 British pounds: But the real worth of such a sum, when measured by the prices of clothing and food at that time, must have been vastly greater.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

When it was anointed: this is again repeated, to show why it is called the dedication of the altar. because it was the first offering made by any particular persons or tribes.

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

This was the dedication of the altar. The sacrificial gifts for present sacrifice, and for the use of the altar, were its dedication.

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

set all these apart

The phrase "set apart" means to be dedicated to a specific purpose. In this case, the offerings were dedicated to Yahweh. (See: Idiom)

on the day that Moses anointed the altar

Here the word "day" refers to a general period of time. The leaders of Israel dedicated these things over the course of 12 days. AT: "when Moses anointed the altar"

Each silver platter weighed 130 shekels

If necessary, these weights can be written in modern measurements. See how you translated this same weight in Numbers 7:13. AT: "each silver platter weighed nearly one and a half kilograms" or "each silver platter weighed one kilogram and 430 grams" (See: Biblical Weight and Numbers)

each bowl weighed seventy shekels

"each bowl weighted 70 shekels." If necessary, these weight can be written in modern measurements. See how you translated this same weight in Numbers 7:13. AT: "each bowl weighed nearly eight tenths of a kilogram" or "each bowl weighed 770 grams" (See: Biblical Weight and Numbers)

2,400 shekels

"two thousand four hundred shekels" or "twenty-four hundred shekels" (See: Numbers)

by the standard weight of the sanctuary shekel

There were shekels of different weights. This is the one that people had to use in the sanctuary of the sacred tent. See how you translated this phrase in Numbers 7:13. AT: "measured by the standard weights used in the sanctuary" (See: Biblical Weight)

All the silver vessels weighed ... All the gold dishes weighed

"All the silver vessels together weighed ... All the gold dishes together weighed"

the silver vessels

This refers to all of the offerings that were made of silver, both the platters and the bowls.

Each of the twelve gold dishes ... weighed ten shekels

"Each of the 12 gold dishes ... weighed 10 shekels." If necessary, this can be written in modern measurements. See how you translated these same weights in Numbers 7:14. AT: "Each of the 12 gold dishes ... weighed one tenth of a kilogram" or "Each of the 12 gold dishes ... weighed 110 grams" (See: Biblical Weight and Numbers)

120 shekels

"one hundred and twenty shekels" (See: Numbers)

translationWords

Israel

day

Moses

anoint

altar

silver

gold

sanctuary

incense

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

ביום המשח אתו [THIS WAS THE DEDICATION OFFERING OF THE ALTAR] IN THE DAY WHEN IT WAS ANOINTED — This implies that on the very same day that it was anointed an offering was brought; but how, then, can I explain, (v. 88) “[This was dedication of the altar] after that it was anointed”? As intimating that it was first anointed and afterwards — but still on the same day — the offering was brought. Or, perhaps, these words אחרי המשח mean “some time (i.e. many days) after it was anointed”, and the phrase here ביום המשח אתו is merely intended to intimate that it was anointed during the day-time (and not at night)! This cannot be so, because when it states, (Leviticus 7:36) “In the day that he anointed them (Aaron and his sons)” we learn that it (the altar) was anointed during the day-time. What, then, must be the meaning of ביום המשח here? What we first suggested — that on the very same day that it was anointed the offering was brought (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 53).

קערת כסף שתים עשרה TWELVE CHARGERS OF SILVER — This intimates: these are the same chargers which they had brought as free-will gifts and nothing to disqualify them had happened to them in the meantime (Sifrei Bamidbar 53).

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.