Numbers 7 6

Numbers 7:6 kjv

And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.

Numbers 7:6 nkjv

So Moses took the carts and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites.

Numbers 7:6 niv

So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites.

Numbers 7:6 esv

So Moses took the wagons and the oxen and gave them to the Levites.

Numbers 7:6 nlt

So Moses took the wagons and oxen and presented them to the Levites.

Numbers 7 verses

Numbers 7 6 Meaning

Numbers 7:6 details the direct action of Moses in taking the wagons and oxen provided by the tribal leaders and distributing them to the Levites. This verse establishes a crucial logistical arrangement for the transportation of the Tabernacle during Israel's journey in the wilderness. It signifies God's divine provision for His sacred service, implemented through the obedience of His chosen leader, Moses, to equip those entrusted with His dwelling place.

Numbers 7 6 Context

Numbers chapter 7 unfolds immediately following the completion and anointing of the Tabernacle and its furnishings (Num 7:1). This chapter details the lavish and structured offerings presented by the leaders of each of the twelve tribes over twelve successive days. These offerings include animals for sacrifices, and significantly for this verse, "six covered carts and twelve oxen" (Num 7:3). These wagons and oxen are gifts specifically designated for assisting the Levites in the practical burden of transporting the heavy components of the newly dedicated Tabernacle as the Israelites prepared to resume their journey. This passage emphasizes the meticulous order and organization established by God for the worship and movement of His holy dwelling place amidst the nomadic desert environment. Historically, for a nomadic people, moving such a complex and heavy structure like the Tabernacle would have presented immense logistical challenges. The provision of these carts and oxen demonstrates God's forethought and provision for His people's needs, facilitated through the leaders' generosity.

Numbers 7 6 Word analysis

• So Moses (וַיִּקַּ֤ח מֹשֶׁה֙ - wayyiqaḥ Moshe):

  • wayyiqaḥ: "And he took" or "And he received." This verb indicates Moses' active and immediate compliance with God's directive. It highlights his role not merely as a passive recipient, but as the one responsible for the execution of the divine command and the management of resources. His actions here underscore his consistent obedience in establishing God's order.
  • Mosheh: Moses, God's chosen leader and mediator for Israel. His name, associated with being drawn out of water (Exod 2:10), marks him as a deliverer and the one through whom the Law was given. His leadership is critical in administrating divine commands.

• took the wagons (אֶת־הָעֲגָלֹ֣ת - ʾet-hāʿagālōṯ):

  • ʿagālōṯ: "Wagons" or "carts." These were practical means of transport for heavy loads, specifically adapted for moving the framework and coverings of the Tabernacle (Num 4:31-32, Num 7:8). Their mention highlights the practical reality of desert travel and God's consideration of logistical challenges. Prior to this, no carts were mentioned for Tabernacle components; items were carried. This demonstrates divine adaptation to Israel's needs on the move.

• and the oxen (וְאֶת־הַבָּקָ֔ר - wəʾet-haBāqār):

  • bāqār: "Oxen" or "cattle." Oxen were the primary beasts of burden in the ancient Near East, symbolizing strength, endurance, and utility in agriculture and transport. They provided the motive power for the wagons, crucial for moving the cumbersome parts of the Tabernacle. The number of oxen correlates with the number of wagons provided (12 oxen for 6 carts), ensuring efficient pulling power.

• and gave them (וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אוֹתָ֖ם - wayyittēn ʾōṯām):

  • wayyittēn: "And he gave." This verb reinforces Moses' authoritative distribution. The wagons and oxen, initially gifts from the leaders to the LORD (Num 7:3), are now allocated by divine decree through Moses to their intended users among the Levites.
  • ʾōṯām: "Them" (referring to the wagons and oxen).

• to the Levites (אֶל־הַלְוִיִּֽם׃ - ʾel-haLewīyyim):

  • haLewīyyim: "The Levites," the tribe chosen by God for specific service in relation to the Tabernacle. This included disassembling, transporting, and reassembling the holy dwelling (Num 1:50-53, Num 4). Crucially, the subsequent verses (Num 7:7-8) clarify that the distribution was not to all Levites but specifically to the Gershonites and Merarites, who were responsible for the coverings, framework, and heavy components, differentiating them from the Kohathites, who carried the most holy items by hand (Num 7:9). This precise allocation of resources to specific Levitical duties emphasizes God's meticulous order and wisdom in structuring His service, contrasting sharply with the often chaotic or ad-hoc practices in pagan worship, which might transport cult images on carts but without a comparable divine decree or sanctity of process.

• Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites: This entire phrase showcases divine order and practical logistics. God's plan accounts for every detail, including the heavy manual labor involved in His service. It demonstrates God's providence, allowing for technological solutions (wagons and oxen) to aid in sacred tasks, yet setting boundaries for their use (not for the holiest objects). It reinforces the structured and differentiated service within the Levitical priesthood.

Numbers 7 6 Bonus section

The giving of wagons and oxen here highlights a significant departure from common assumptions that everything in the wilderness was purely miraculous. While God provided manna and water supernaturally, He also allowed and indeed commanded the use of human skill, organizational structure, and appropriate technology (like wagons) where beneficial and necessary for His purposes. This blend of divine miracle and human practical application underscores God's wisdom. The distinction between the components carried by the Kohathites (the Ark, table, lampstand, altars – considered holiest, carried by human shoulder) and those transported by wagon (Tabernacle coverings, frames, curtains, and pillars – still sacred but more cumbersome) reflects a theological understanding of holiness and physical proximity, where direct human carriage signifies greater sanctity and direct encounter with the most sacred elements of God's presence.

Numbers 7 6 Commentary

Numbers 7:6 serves as a concise statement of Moses' obedience and God's practical provision for the demanding task of Tabernacle transportation. After the elaborate dedicatory offerings by the tribal leaders, Moses, acting as God's faithful administrator, meticulously allocates the physical resources—the wagons and oxen—directly to the Levites. This wasn't merely a random distribution but a strategic empowerment. The fact that wagons and oxen were provided points to God's foresight and practicality, understanding the significant weight and bulk of the Tabernacle components (e.g., frames, bars, posts, curtains). This divine provision underscores that even the logistical burdens of sacred service are considered and supplied for by the Almighty. Furthermore, it foreshadows God's care for those who serve Him, providing resources necessary for their work.

This verse sets the stage for the specific distribution detailed in the following verses (Num 7:7-8), distinguishing the roles of the Gershonites and Merarites (who received the transport) from the Kohathites (who, by divine command, were to carry the holiest items on their shoulders, as explicitly stated in Num 7:9, ensuring reverence and personal engagement with the most sacred). Thus, the verse emphasizes divine order, differentiated service within the Levitical ministry, Moses' obedience as a faithful servant, and the comprehensive provision of God for His people and their service.