Numbers 7:13

And his offering was one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Numbers 7:13-14. One silver charger — This charger, or broad dish, appears to have been for the use of the altar of burnt-offering in the court of the tabernacle; for all the vessels of the sanctuary were of gold. The use of it seems to have been for receiving the flesh which was offered at the altar, or the fine flour for the meat-offering. Its weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, or about sixty-five ounces. The bowl, again, was for receiving the blood, and it weighed seventy shekels, or about thirty-five ounces. One spoon often shekels of gold — Both the metal and what was in it show this spoon to have been for the use of the golden altar.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:10-89 The princes and great men were most forward in the service of God. Here is an example to those in authority, and of the highest rank; they ought to use their honour and power, their estate and interest, to promote religion and the service of God in the places where they live. Though it was a time of joy and rejoicing, yet still, in the midst of their sacrifices, we find a sin-offering. As, in our best services, we are conscious that there is sin, there should be repentance, even in our most joyful services. In all approaches to God we must by faith look to Christ as the Sin-offering. They brought their offerings each on a day. God's work should not be done confusedly, or in a hurry; take time, and we shall have done the sooner, or, at least, we shall have done the better. If services are to be done for twelve days together, we must not call it a task and a burden. All their offerings were the same; all the tribes of Israel had an equal share in the altar, and an equal interest in the sacrifices offered upon it. He who now spake to Moses, as the Shechinah or Divine Majesty, from between the Cherubim, was the Eternal Word, the second Person in the Trinity; for all God's communion with man is by his Son, by whom he made the world, and rules the church, who is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The several princes make their offerings in the order assigned to the tribes Numbers 2. It was doubtless the tribes themselves which presented these gifts through their chiefs. The twelve offerings are strictly alike, and were offered on twelve separate days.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

12-17. He that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon … of the tribe of Judah, &c.—Judah having had the precedence assigned to it, the prince or head of that tribe was the first admitted to offer as its representative; and his offering, as well as that of the others, is thought, from its costliness, to have been furnished not from his own private means, but from the general contributions of each tribe. Some parts of the offering, as the animals for sacrifice, were for the ritual service of the day, the peace offerings being by much the most numerous, as the princes and some of the people joined with the priests afterwards in celebrating the occasion with festive rejoicing. Hence the feast of dedication became afterwards an anniversary festival. Other parts of the offering were intended for permanent use, as utensils necessary in the service of the sanctuary; such as an immense platter and bowl (Ex 25:29). Being of silver, they were to be employed at the altar of burnt offering, or in the court, not in the holy place, all the furniture of which was of solid or plated gold; and there was a golden spoon, the contents of which show its destination to have been the altar of incense. The word rendered "spoon" means a hollow cup, in the shape of a hand, with which the priests on ordinary occasions might lift a quantity from the incense-box to throw on the altar-fire, or into the censers; but on the ceremonial on the day of the annual atonement no instrument was allowed but the high priest's own hands (Le 16:12).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

One silver charger, a large dish or platter; of which see Exodus 25:29, to be employed about the altar of burnt-offering, or in the court, not in the sanctuary, for all its vessels were of gold.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And his offering was one silver charger,.... Or dish, like one of those used in the shewbread table to hold the bread in, only they were of gold, this of silver, and belonged to the altar of burnt offering; the use of which might be to hold the meat offering in, as it may seem from the latter part of the verse, or the wave breast or heave shoulder, which belonged to the priest:

the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels; which were sixty one ounces, four drachms, one scruple, and seventeen grains (h), worth about sixteen pounds and five shillings of our money:

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; the standard that was kept in the sanctuary; this was a lesser vessel, and was either for holding the drink offering, or receiving the blood of the sacrifices; its weight was thirty three ounces, five drachms, and three grains, and was worth about eight pounds and fifteen shillings of our money:

both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering; which always attended other sacrifices after mentioned, part of which was burnt on the altar of burnt offering, and the rest were the perquisites of the priests.

(h) Vid. Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 2. p. 366.

Geneva Study Bible

And his offering was one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. charger] a dish. Cf. Exodus 25:29; Exodus 37:16.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - His offering was. And exactly the same was the offering of each of the rest. This was right and good, because it showed an equal zeal and thankfulness and forwardness to give unto the Lord, and it took away all occasion for jealousy or boasting. One silver charger, or dish. Hebrew, kearah, a deep vessel (Exodus 25:9). Septuagint, τρυβλίον (cf. Matthew 26:23). An hundred and thirty shekels - weighing about as much as 325 shillings. One silver bowl. Hebrew, mizrak, from zarak, to scatter; a bowl for pouring; translated bason Exodus 27:3. Septuagint, φιάλη (cf. Revelation 5:8; Revelation 15:7). After the shekel of the sanctuary. According to the standard weight kept in the tabernacle (see Exodus 30:13). It seems to have weighed about as much as half-a-crown. Full of fine flour mingled with oil. This was for a present meat offering to accompany the animal sacrifices, and also to intimate the future use of the vessels - the larger as a measure for the fine flour, the smaller as a measure for the oil. Numbers 7:13

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

All the princes brought the same gifts. The order in which the twelve princes, whose names have already been given at Numbers 1:5-15, made their presentation, corresponded to the order of the tribes in the camp (ch. 2), the tribe-prince of Judah taking the lead, and the prince of Naphtali coming last. In the statements as to the weight of the silver kearoth and the golden cappoth, the word shekel is invariably omitted, as in Genesis 20:16, etc. - In Numbers 7:84-86, the dedication gifts are summed up, and the total weight given, viz., twelve silver dishes and twelve silver bowls, weighing together 2400 shekels, and twelve golden spoons, weighing 120 shekels in all. On the sacred shekel, see at Exodus 30:13; and on the probable value of the shekel of gold, at Exodus 38:24-25. The sacrificial animals are added together in the same way in Numbers 7:87, Numbers 7:88.