Numbers 7 60

Numbers 7:60 kjv

On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin, offered:

Numbers 7:60 nkjv

On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, leader of the children of Benjamin, presented an offering.

Numbers 7:60 niv

On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni, the leader of the people of Benjamin, brought his offering.

Numbers 7:60 esv

On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, the chief of the people of Benjamin:

Numbers 7:60 nlt

On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni, leader of the tribe of Benjamin, presented his offering.

Numbers 7 verses

Numbers 7 60 Meaning

Numbers 7:60 states that on the ninth day of the Tabernacle dedication ceremony, Abidan, the son of Gideoni, who was the leader of the tribe of Benjamin, presented his specific offering. This verse is part of a repetitive yet significant record detailing the identical contributions made by each of the twelve tribal leaders for the newly consecrated Tabernacle and its altar. It underscores the precise and orderly adherence to God's instructions regarding Israel's communal worship and dedication.

Numbers 7 60 Context

h2ContextNumbers chapter 7 provides a detailed account of the dedication of the Tabernacle and its altar after their completion according to God's exact specifications (Exodus 40). Moses had anointed the Tabernacle, its furnishings, and the altar. The dedication ceremony lasted twelve days, with one tribal leader presenting offerings each day. The offerings for each leader were precisely identical: one silver plate (130 shekels), one silver basin (70 shekels), one gold pan (10 shekels), all full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering, one male goat for a sin offering, and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old for a peace offering. This specific verse, Numbers 7:60, focuses on the ninth day and highlights Abidan, the leader of the tribe of Benjamin, performing his part in this grand, communal act of worship. The meticulously enumerated items and the daily repetition emphasize God's demand for order, obedience, and the unified participation of all Israel in establishing His dwelling place among them. Historically, such an elaborate dedication would signify the covenant relationship and Israel's transition into a formalized system of worship guided by divine law.

Numbers 7 60 Word analysis

h2Word analysis

• On the ninth day:
  • Original Context: Hebrew ba-yom ha-təshiʿi (בַּיּוֹם הַתְּשִׁיעִי). Yom means day, təshiʿi means ninth. This precisely timestamps the offering, emphasizing the structured, chronological sequence of the dedication ceremony, which spans twelve days, one for each tribe. The deliberate repetition of "on the X day" reinforces God's ordered nature and Israel's obedience to a precise divine schedule.
• Abidan:
  • Original Name: ʼĂḇîḏān (אֲבִידָן). Derived from av (father) and dan (judge), meaning "My Father is Judge" or "Father of judgment."
  • Significance: This name reflects the Israelite understanding of God's sovereign justice or the idea of an authoritative leader embodying wisdom. The role of the nāśîʼ (leader) would involve judicial functions, thus the name is fitting. He is not merely a figurehead but a person representing his tribe before God.
• the son of Gideoni:
  • Original Name: Giḏʻōnî (גִּדְעֹנִי). From Gidʻôn, meaning "hewer" or "feller." While a common Hebrew root, in this context, it simply establishes Abidan's lineage, providing identity and tribal affiliation. Genealogies were crucial for tribal structure and inheritance in ancient Israel.
• leader:
  • Original Word: nāśîʼ (נָשִׂיא). Meaning "prince," "chief," "leader."
  • Significance: This title denotes a specific and significant office within the tribal structure of Israel. The nāśîʼ was the official representative and head of his tribe, chosen or acknowledged by God, responsible for its governance, legal matters, and representation before Moses and the tabernacle. Their participation emphasizes the entire tribe's commitment through its designated authority figure, ensuring official representation. These leaders played a vital role in the census (Numbers 1), organizing the camp (Numbers 2), and bringing these dedication offerings.
• of the people of Benjamin:
  • Original Tribe Name: Bin yā min (בִּנְיָמִין). Meaning "son of the right hand" or "son of my right hand."
  • Original Context: Benjamin was the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel, initially named Ben-oni ("son of my sorrow") by Rachel but renamed by Jacob (Gen 35:16-18). The tribe of Benjamin held a strategic position in the promised land, located between Judah and Ephraim. Historically, the first king of Israel, Saul, came from this tribe, highlighting its future significance despite being a smaller tribe. Here, Benjamin is presented as an equal participant among the twelve tribes in the act of corporate worship, underscoring tribal unity under God's covenant.
• brought his offering:
  • Original Verbs: hiqriḇ qorbānô (הִקְרִיב קָרְבָּנוֹ). Hiqriḇ is the Hiphil form of qarab, meaning "to bring near, to cause to approach, to present." Qorbānô (from qorban) is "his offering."
  • Significance: Qorban is a general term for any offering brought near to God, signifying dedication or gift to deity. The verb hiqriḇ implies bringing something to a holy place or person for acceptance, underscoring the purpose of drawing near to God through the prescribed rituals. It represents the personal and corporate act of devotion and atonement, making communion possible with a holy God. The identical nature of the offerings highlights equality among the tribes and the consistent divine standard.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Abidan the son of Gideoni, leader of the people of Benjamin": This full identification emphasizes not only the individual's role but also his ancestral legitimacy and the corporate identity he represents. It is a formal, specific designation crucial for documenting tribal actions in Israel's early history, emphasizing order and clear representation. Each tribal leader represents his entire lineage and people group in this communal act of worship and dedication.
• "brought his offering": This phrase, repeated verbatim for each tribal leader throughout Numbers 7, underscores the obedient execution of divine command and the uniform commitment from all parts of Israel. It shows their active participation in the newly inaugurated worship system, recognizing God's authority and provision for drawing near to Him through sacrifices. This repetition demonstrates equality in access to God and unity in worship across diverse tribal groups.

Numbers 7 60 Bonus section

h2Bonus sectionThe systematic nature of the offerings in Numbers 7, with each tribe presenting the identical set of gifts, points to several layers of theological significance:

• Equality Among Tribes: Despite differing populations, historical significance, or assigned locations in the camp, each tribe provided the exact same value and type of offering. This demonstrated a principle of equality before God; all His people had an equal share and responsibility in establishing His sanctuary and approaching Him.
• Completeness and Wholeness: The twelve-day cycle, one for each tribe, ensures a comprehensive and holistic dedication from the entire Israelite confederation. It symbolically represented all Israel offering itself to the Lord and taking ownership of His dwelling place among them.
• Redundancy as Reinforcement: What might seem redundant in reading, the word-for-word repetition of the offerings, served as an ancient way of emphasizing the crucial details, confirming compliance, and impressing upon the people the specific nature of God's demands for worship. It was a liturgical liturgy, emphasizing pattern and consistency over spontaneity for such a sacred, inaugural event.
• Economic Impact: The sheer quantity of the combined offerings listed at the end of the chapter (Numbers 7:84-88) would have been immense, reflecting the wealth of the community and the great value they placed on the Tabernacle and their relationship with God. It was a significant investment.

Numbers 7 60 Commentary

h2CommentaryNumbers 7:60 is a single line within a long, repetitive chapter that, despite its seemingly tedious enumeration, conveys profound theological truths. It records Benjamin's leader, Abidan, presenting the exact same, divinely specified offering on the ninth day of the Tabernacle's dedication. The painstaking detail and daily repetition highlight God's demand for order and meticulous obedience in worship. It emphasizes that every tribe, from the largest to the smallest, has an equal and significant part in establishing and maintaining God's dwelling among His people. This equality is manifested in the identical nature of their rich offerings, demonstrating that God values unified, precise obedience over unique expressions, especially during the formal inauguration of His covenant presence.

The presence of the Tabernacle signified God's willingness to dwell among His people, but only on His terms. The offerings, including the sin offering and peace offerings, covered atonement and communion, establishing the relationship with a holy God. This verse, therefore, represents the submission of the tribe of Benjamin through its divinely appointed representative to the Lord's covenant and the established means of communion. It sets a foundational principle for communal worship in Israel: the centrality of offerings, the role of designated leadership, and the importance of adhering to divine instruction in all matters related to approaching God. This precision in Numbers anticipates the need for perfect, singular sacrifice later found in Christ, who fulfills all the types and shadows of the Old Covenant offerings.