Numbers 7 88

Numbers 7:88 kjv

And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed.

Numbers 7:88 nkjv

And all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace offerings were twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, and the lambs in their first year sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.

Numbers 7:88 niv

The total number of animals for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering came to twenty-four oxen, sixty rams, sixty male goats and sixty male lambs a year old. These were the offerings for the dedication of the altar after it was anointed.

Numbers 7:88 esv

and all the cattle for the sacrifice of peace offerings twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.

Numbers 7:88 nlt

Twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty one-year-old male lambs were donated for the peace offerings. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.

Numbers 7 verses

Numbers 7 88 Meaning

Numbers 7:88 concisely summarizes the collective offerings presented by the twelve leaders of the tribes of Israel for the dedication of the Tabernacle. This verse reveals that the grand total for the burnt offering comprised twelve oxen, twelve rams, and twelve one-year-old male lambs, accompanied by their respective grain offerings. Additionally, twelve male goats were presented as sin offerings. This culmination emphasizes the vast scope and unified participation of the entire nation in consecrating the dwelling place of God, demonstrating a profound act of worship, dedication, and atonement at the commencement of their structured communal life.

Numbers 7 88 Context

Numbers chapter 7 details the elaborate dedicatory gifts presented by the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel after the Tabernacle, its furnishings, and the altar were consecrated following the completion of their construction (Num 7:1-9). For twelve consecutive days, beginning on the day the Tabernacle was set up, each tribal leader presented an identical set of offerings. Verses 10-83 meticulously record the specific contributions of each leader. Verse 88 serves as a grand cumulative summary of all these individual gifts for various sacrifices, providing the total count of animals designated for burnt and sin offerings, as well as the accompanying grain offerings, from all tribes combined. This moment marks a foundational event in Israel's liturgical history, establishing their primary mode of worship and approach to God in the wilderness. Historically, this dedication reaffirmed God's dwelling presence among His people and their responsibility to approach Him through prescribed, sacrificial means.

Numbers 7 88 Word Analysis

• All (כָּל, kol): Emphasizes the totality and comprehensive nature of the summation. It signifies that the numbers represent the gifts from every single leader and thus from the entirety of Israel's tribal structure, ensuring no tribe was omitted or offered less. This highlights unity and communal participation.

• the oxen (בָּקָר, baqar): Mature cattle, a significant and valuable form of animal, typically representing strength and used for more substantial offerings. Their inclusion highlights the generosity and substantiality of the offerings for a foundational covenantal moment.

• for the burnt offering (לָעֹלָה, la'olah): The "olah" (from alah, meaning "to go up" or "ascend") was a whole burnt offering, completely consumed by fire on the altar. It symbolized complete dedication, worship, and atonement for general sin. This primary sacrifice demonstrated the worshiper's total surrender to God.

• were twelve (שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר, sheneym 'asar): The recurring number "twelve" is highly symbolic throughout the Bible. It represents the twelve tribes of Israel, signifying divine order, completeness, and the collective representation of the entire nation. Its repetition across various animal types underlines a consistent, unified, and comprehensive offering from all components of the nation.

• the rams (אֵילִם, 'eylim): Male sheep, often used for peace offerings, guilt offerings, and consecration rites. Their presence alongside oxen indicates a diversified, yet uniformly structured, contribution of livestock.

• the male lambs a year old (כְּבָשִׂים בְּנֵי שָׁנָה, kevasim b'ney shana): "Kevasim" are young male lambs, specifically "sons of a year," meaning in their prime and unblemished. Lambs are often associated with innocence and specific atonement offerings, foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice. Their tender age signifies the purity required for sacrifice.

• with their grain offerings (וּמִנְחָתָם, u'minchatam): The "minchah" was a bloodless offering of flour, oil, and frankincense. It usually accompanied burnt offerings and was an expression of worship, gratitude, and acknowledgment of God's provision. It also represented the fruit of human labor dedicated back to God.

• and the male goats (וּשְׂעִירֵי עִזִּים, u's'eirey izzim): Hairy goats, used distinctively for purification and specific types of sin offerings.

• for a sin offering (לְחַטָּאת, l'chattat): The "chattat" focused on making atonement for unintentional sins, purifications, and cleansing from defilement. This offering was crucial for restoring broken fellowship with God and purifying the worshiper or the sacred space.

• "All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve; the rams, twelve; the male lambs a year old, twelve; with their grain offerings; and the male goats for a sin offering, twelve.": This structured listing emphasizes uniformity and the scale of dedication from all tribes. Each specific animal type, meticulously counted and collectively totaled at twelve (one from each prince per day over 12 days, or perhaps one total set for the 12 princes depending on interpretation for this summary verse vs. previous), highlights the different facets of approaching God: full consecration, thanksgiving, and purification. The distinct inclusion of burnt and sin offerings underscores that both complete dedication to God and cleansing from sin are prerequisite for true worship and communal relationship with a holy God. The combined total represents an incredibly large number of sacrifices offered over the Tabernacle's inaugural period.

Numbers 7 88 Bonus section

• Implied Scale: While verse 88 gives summary totals (e.g., 12 oxen, 12 rams), these numbers refer to sets of animals, not individual ones. The actual total number of animals offered for burnt offering by all 12 tribes over the 12 days (each giving identical gifts per Num 7:17, 23, 29...etc.) was far greater. Each prince provided one young bull, one ram, one male lamb for burnt offerings. So for "all the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve", this implies twelve young bulls in total for burnt offerings (one from each of the twelve princes) in this summary. Likewise, twelve rams total and twelve male lambs total were given for burnt offerings by the collection of princes. And twelve male goats in total were given as sin offerings. The summary in verse 88 emphasizes the unity and set of sacrifices provided by each tribal prince that amounted to this specific set for the overall types mentioned in the dedication summary. This reiterates that each part of Israel contributed equally and robustly.
• Economic Impact: The sheer quantity of valuable animals sacrificed points to a significant economic contribution from the Israelites. This was not a token gesture but a substantial investment from their communal wealth, reflecting deep commitment and faith in God's ongoing provision. It also indicates that God, through the plunder of Egypt (Exod 12:35-36) and manna in the wilderness, had richly supplied His people, enabling such generous giving.
• The Shadow and the Reality: The detailed accounting and vast numbers of offerings in Numbers 7 foreshadow the need for a truly complete and unblemished sacrifice to atone for sins, a need perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ. While these physical offerings were vital for Israel in their time, they ultimately pointed towards a greater spiritual reality, teaching God's people about the gravity of sin, the necessity of atonement, and the path to communion with a holy God.

Numbers 7 88 Commentary

Numbers 7:88 serves as a concise yet powerful summation of the dedication ceremony for the newly constructed Tabernacle, bringing to a climax the twelve days of lavish and identical offerings from each tribal leader. The verse quantifies the total count of the primary sacrificial animals—oxen, rams, lambs for burnt offerings, and male goats for sin offerings—along with their requisite grain offerings, all accumulating to significant numbers for each type, implicitly representing one from each tribe's specific daily offering type for these sacrifice categories over the collective days.

The pervasive repetition of "twelve" throughout this verse is profoundly symbolic. It underscores that the offerings represented the unified devotion of the entire covenant community of Israel, embodied by its twelve tribal divisions. Before God, there was a fundamental equality in dedication and the need for atonement among all segments of the nation. No single tribe or leader outshone another; their contributions were equally valuable in the eyes of the Lord.

The types of offerings—burnt, sin, and grain—reflect the multifaceted nature of Israel's relationship with God. The burnt offering symbolized complete dedication and atonement, where the worshiper offered themselves entirely to God. The sin offering emphasized purification from unintentional sin and ceremonial defilement, critical for restoring broken fellowship. The grain offering, accompanying the animal sacrifices, signified gratitude, acknowledging God as the provider of sustenance and the fruits of their labor. Together, these offerings provided a comprehensive means for a sinful people to approach a holy God.

This monumental act of worship and consecration solidified the Tabernacle as the center of Israel's religious life and reiterated God's gracious provision for His people to find forgiveness and maintain communion with Him, laying a foundational precedent for their spiritual journey in the wilderness and beyond. It highlights God's demand for holiness and the prescribed pathways He provides for reconciliation.