And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes offered their offering before the altar.

NUMBERS 7:10KJV
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Numbers 7:10 (KJV)

What does Numbers 7:10 mean?

Numbers 7:10 describes Israel’s tribal leaders bringing gifts to mark the altar’s dedication. The gifts are presented at the altar when it is anointed, or marked with oil, for its use in worship.

The narrator places the offerings “before the altar,” giving the scene a clear setting. After the leaders’ gifts of wagons and oxen in the preceding verses, the attention turns to gifts connected with the altar itself.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 7:10

  • “princes” — נָשִׂיא (nasi): This word means a leader or chief. The people called “princes” here are leaders of Israel’s tribes, rather than necessarily sons of a king.
  • “dedicating” — חֲנֻכָּה (chanukkah): This word carries the sense of an inauguration or dedication. It marks the altar’s being set apart for its intended use.
  • “offered” — קָרַב (qarav): This word can mean to bring near or present. Here the leaders bring their gifts to the altar; the word by itself does not mean that every gift was burned on it.

Why Numbers 7:10 matters

  • The gifts belong to an ordered sequence, not a single unexplained crowd scene. Verse 11 directs that one leader present his offering each day.
  • The leaders act on behalf of their tribes. The following accounts name each leader and identify the tribe he represents, beginning with Nahshon of Judah in verse 12.

Where else these words appear

“dedicating” Hebrew H2598 · used in 7 verses

  • Numbers 7:11 And the LORD said unto Moses, They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar.
  • Numbers 7:88 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.
  • Nehemiah 12:27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

“anointed” Hebrew H4886 · used in 66 verses

  • Genesis 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
  • Numbers 6:15 And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings.
  • 1 Kings 1:39 And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.

“offering” Hebrew H7133 · used in 78 verses

  • Leviticus 1:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.
  • Leviticus 7:16 But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten:
  • Numbers 7:41 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

“princes” Hebrew H5387 · used in 120 verses

  • Genesis 17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
  • Numbers 7:60 On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin, offered:
  • 2 Chronicles 5:2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.