Numbers 7 89

Numbers 7:89 kjv

And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubim: and he spake unto him.

Numbers 7:89 nkjv

Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus He spoke to him.

Numbers 7:89 niv

When Moses entered the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant law. In this way the LORD spoke to him.

Numbers 7:89 esv

And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.

Numbers 7:89 nlt

Whenever Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the Ark's cover ? the place of atonement ? that rests on the Ark of the Covenant. The LORD spoke to him from there.

Numbers 7 verses

Numbers 7 89 Meaning

Numbers 7:89 describes the unique access Moses had to God after the Tabernacle was consecrated and the tribal offerings were complete. It states that when Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to commune with the LORD, he audibly heard the voice of God speaking to him. This divine communication emanated specifically from above the Mercy Seat, located on the Ark of the Testimony, from the very space between the two cherubim. This moment underscores God's acceptance of the Tabernacle and His continued, direct presence and communication with His chosen leader, providing foundational revelation for Israel.

Numbers 7 89 Context

Numbers chapter 7 details the dedication offerings made by the leaders of each of the twelve tribes of Israel for the newly consecrated Tabernacle. This was a significant period of extensive giving, spanning twelve days, where each tribal leader presented identical gifts of wagons, oxen, and then specific items for the sanctuary, including silver plates, golden dishes, and animal sacrifices. Verse 89 serves as the climax and divine affirmation of this entire dedication process. It transitions from the physical acts of human worship and giving to God's immediate and intimate response, demonstrating His acceptance of the offerings and His dwelling among His people. Historically, the Tabernacle was the central point of worship and the literal dwelling place of God's presence among Israel during their wilderness wanderings, a fulfillment of God's promise to "dwell among them." This verse establishes how direct revelation would proceed within this new sacred space, building on the precedent of Moses' direct communication with God at Sinai.

Numbers 7 89 Word analysis

• When Moses went into (וּבְבֹא u-ve-vo): This phrase highlights Moses' intentional entry. It signifies direct, unhindered access granted to him, unlike others who faced restrictions in approaching the Holy Place. Moses serves as the uniquely designated mediator between God and Israel.
• the tent of meeting (אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד Ohel Mo'ed): Literally "Tent of Appointed Time/Place." This refers to the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary where God had appointed to meet with His people, specifically through Moses. It was the physical locus of God's immanent presence among Israel in the wilderness.
• to speak with (לְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ le-dabber itto) the LORD: "To speak with" implies an active, communicative purpose for Moses' entry, not just observation or passive reception. The use of the intensive verb dabber (to speak strongly, converse) emphasizes the nature of the profound and sustained dialogue. "The LORD" (YHWH) refers to God's personal covenant name, signifying His unique, self-existent, and covenant-keeping nature.
• he heard (וַיִּשְׁמַע va-yishma): Emphasizes the audibility and clarity of God's communication. It was not a vision, a dream, or an inner impression, but a distinct voice.
• the voice (הַקּוֹל ha-qol) speaking (מִדַּבֵּר mid-dabber): "The voice" is definite, signifying its divine source. "Speaking" (Hithpael participle) conveys an active, continuous, and even reflexive nature of God speaking from that specific location. It suggests God was already engaged in His presence there, ready to communicate.
• from above (מֵעַל me'al) the mercy seat (הַכַּפֹּרֶת ha-Kapporet): "From above" precisely defines the origin of the voice. "The Mercy Seat," Kapporet (from kaphar, to atone/cover), was the solid gold lid that rested on top of the Ark. It was not merely a cover but the symbolic "throne" of God's presence where atonement was made. The voice emanating from this specific location links divine revelation directly to God's presence made manifest in a place of propitiation and reconciliation.
• that was on the ark of the testimony (אֲרוֹן הָעֵדֻת Aron Ha'Edut): "Ark of the Testimony" contained the tablets of the Covenant, God's laws (His "testimony"). The mercy seat rested upon this Ark. This linkage means that God's presence and speech are inextricably tied to His revealed Word and covenant. God speaks in accordance with His Law and promises.
• from between (מִבֵּין mibben) the two cherubim (הַכְּרֻבִים ha-kerubim): The two cherubim were golden angelic figures sculpted at each end of the mercy seat, with wings outstretched over it, facing each other. This signifies the very throne of God, a holy, guarded, and majestic space. God's voice originating from "between" them marks this as the epicenter of divine communication, a place of profound holiness and immediate presence.
• thus he spoke to him (וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו va-yedabber elav): This final clause reconfirms the act of God speaking directly to Moses. It acts as an emphatic conclusion to the description of the divine revelation, ensuring there's no ambiguity about the nature and recipient of the communication. It points forward to all the laws and instructions God will subsequently give to Israel through Moses.

Numbers 7 89 Bonus section

• Aural Revelation's Primacy: This verse strongly emphasizes aural revelation (hearing the voice), contrasting it with visual manifestations like the cloud of glory. While God's glory filled the Tabernacle (Ex 40:34-35), the active communication occurred through speech. This underscores the importance of God's Word as the primary means of His self-disclosure.
• Preparation for Laws: Num 7:89 immediately precedes the further divine instructions in Numbers (e.g., about the Levites in chapter 8), affirming that these subsequent commands directly emanate from God's holy presence within the Tabernacle. It serves as an authorizing statement for all the regulations and narratives that follow.
• Continuity from Sinai: This divine communication from the Mercy Seat mirrors, in a more controlled and sacred setting, God's earlier speaking from Mount Sinai (Ex 19, 20). It signifies a transition of God's localized presence from the fearsome mountain to the mobile sanctuary in the midst of His people.
• The Anthropomorphic Language: The idea of God having a "voice" speaking from a specific location, while real in its effect and perception by Moses, should be understood in light of God's transcendence. It's an anthropomorphism conveying God's personal communication and His choice to make His presence tangibly manifest for human interaction. The divine voice represents the immediate presence of the utterly Holy One.

Numbers 7 89 Commentary

Numbers 7:89 is a powerful theological statement about God's presence, accessibility, and communication after the Tabernacle's completion and dedication. It caps a chapter detailing extensive offerings by Israel, providing the ultimate divine affirmation that God has accepted their sanctuary and is now actively dwelling among them.

The location of God's voice—from above the Mercy Seat, between the cherubim, on the Ark of the Testimony—is incredibly significant. This was the holiest spot in the entire Tabernacle, known as the Most Holy Place. It symbolized the very throne room of God on earth. By speaking from here, God establishes this space as the singular, authoritative source of divine instruction and communion for Israel. It also highlights the inherent paradox of God's character: while holy and dwelling in an unapproachable light (1 Tim 6:16), He chooses to meet humanity in a place designated for atonement, signifying His grace and desire for relationship, even amidst strict boundaries of holiness.

Moses' unique privilege as the sole individual granted this direct, audible access to God underscores his unparalleled role as prophet and mediator in the Old Covenant. This direct dialogue sets the stage for the numerous divine laws and commands that follow in Numbers and other Pentateuchal books, all conveyed through Moses. It was not a subjective feeling or an inner voice, but an unmistakable divine utterance, testifying to the objective reality of God's personal engagement with His covenant people. This act of speaking signified God's continuing active involvement in the lives of the Israelites and His sovereign direction of their journey.

In the larger biblical narrative, the Mercy Seat and the direct speech from it anticipate the ultimate "mercy seat" in Jesus Christ (Rom 3:25). Just as blood was applied to the Kapporet on the Day of Atonement, symbolizing forgiveness through sacrifice, Christ's blood provides final propitiation for sins. Under the New Covenant, access to God is no longer limited to a physical sanctuary or a single mediator but is available to all believers through faith in Christ (Heb 4:16, 9:11-12). While the physical voice from the Mercy Seat is unique to Moses in this context, the principle of God's active communication to His people through His Spirit and Word continues, calling believers to hear and obey His voice today (John 10:27).