The revelation of ordinances and instructions designed to enhance the spiritual sanctification of the Israelites as they journeyed on to the Promised Land ends with chapter 6. The narrative of events that transpired just before the nation began marching resumes with chapter 7.
The presentation this chapter records took place at the time the Israelites dedicated the tabernacle (vv. 1-2; cf. Lev. 8:10).
"The purpose of this section of narrative is to show that as the people had been generous in giving to the construction of the tabernacle (Ex 35:4-29), now they showed the same generosity in its dedication."68
First, the tribes presented six wagons and 12 oxen to carry the materials of the tabernacle (vv. 1-9). The Gershonites received two wagons and the Merarites four. The Kohathites needed no wagons since they carried the sanctuary furniture with poles on their shoulders (cf. 2 Sam. 6:3, 7-8).
This long section--this chapter is the second longest in the Bible--records the presentation of gifts for the altar (v. 10) by each tribal prince (vv. 12-88).70The Israelites spread the presentation out over 12 days, one per day, because it took a whole day to receive and sacrifice what each tribe presented.
Each tribe offered exactly the same gifts. No tribe was superior or inferior to the others in this respect. Each had equal privilege and responsibility before God to worship and serve Him.
Moses faithfully recorded the presentation of each gift, even though the record is repetitious, probably because each gift had equal value before God (cf. Heb. 6:10).
"The account may strike us as repetitious, but this sort of formula was used by people in the ancient Eastern world to reflect ever-increasing joy: look how much these many people gave for their altar!"71
"The chapter stands as a monument to the pleasure of God who took enjoyment from the repetition--for these were grand gifts in the good days of his early relationship with his people. These were the honeymoon days of the marital relationship of the Lord and Israel (see Jer 2:2-3). Each of the gifts is relished, as presentations by a lover in the early days of the bliss of marriage."72
The fact that Moses heard God's voice speaking to him from the most holy place indicates God's acceptance of these gifts (v. 89). Moses, as the representative of the nation, and God enjoyed a close relationship because of this sacrifice of worship.
"The offering of the princes, then, was the spontaneous response of grateful hearts to the goodness and grace of God. This sets the question of Christian liberality in its true perspective, and the scriptural principle is not difficult to see. Where people are conscious of the blessing of God in their lives, they will give spontaneously--and keep on giving. Finance in the church is directly related to faith and consecration."73
The lighting of the lamps in the tabernacle symbolized the consecration of the Levites who were to represent the whole nation as lights to the world (vv. 1-4; cf. Isa. 42:6). The high priest was in charge of the lampstand (cf. Rev. 1:20-3:22).
The consecration of the priests had taken place earlier (cf. Lev. 8). Then the people only looked on (Lev. 8:3-4). On the present occasion God set apart to His service the whole tribe of Levi that He had taken in place of the first-born sons (vv. 16-18). Now the people played a role by laying their hands on the Levites (v. 10). The Levites stood in the place of the people as their representatives whereas the priests were closer to God and farther from the people.
The consecration proceeded after the high priest lit the lamps (vv. 5-22). After the Levites washed and trimmed their hair (Heb. abar ta'ar al) to symbolize and affect cleansing, the Israelites placed their hands on them portraying the transference of responsibility from the first-born sons to them (vv. 10, 12). Thus the Levites became living sacrifices unto God (cf. Rom. 12:1-2).
Levites could perform service in the tent of meeting only between the ages of 25 and 50 (vv. 23-26). Carrying the tabernacle in transit was a task for which there were stricter qualifications (cf. 4:47) probably because of the dangers connected with this service (cf. 4:15, 20). As stated above, the Levites had to be 30 to 50 to carry the tabernacle.
"The distinctive emphasis of this section is that the Levites are nevertheless not remote from the community. Through the laying on of hands they in some sense represent the people at large, and constitute an offering from the people. Unlike the priests they do not receive anointing or special vestments. Like laymen they wash their clothes for the special rites. They are perhaps something of a bridge between priests and people."74
"Chapter 8 deals with two issues: lamps and Levites. Both the proper setting of the lamps and the distinction of the Levites from the community are further elements in the purification of the nation in preparation for the holy task God had prepared for her. . . . May one suggest that as the lamps were to be properly focused on the bread of the Presence, so the Levites were to have their proper stance within the community as well?"75
On the first anniversary of the Passover in Egypt, just after the Israelites had dedicated the tabernacle, they observed this feast as God had commanded (v. 5). Most of the males were already circumcised (cf. Josh. 5:5).
This event took place in the first month of the second year after the Exodus (v. 1). The census in chapter 1 occurred in the second month of the same year (1:1). This fact shows that at least these events described in Numbers are not in chronological order.
God graciously gave an ordinance that people who were unclean or on a journey when the rest of the nation celebrated the Passover could eat it exactly one month later (vv. 10-11). However to preclude negligence in observing the primary Passover in view of this exception God prescribed the death penalty for anyone who did not observe it at the preferred time if he or she could (v. 13). This regulation applied also to foreigners living among the Israelites who had identified with the Abrahamic Covenant through circumcision (v. 14; cf. Exod. 12:48-49).
"The purpose of including this segment of narrative was perhaps to show that God's laws were not arbitrary and unreasonable. The Israelites themselves even played a part in their formulation."76
The time had come for the Israelites to resume their journey when the people had celebrated the Passover. All that remained for the Israelites to know was how God would lead them. Moses recorded God's revelation of that in this section.
The cloudy pillar stood over the tabernacle (vv. 15-16). It does not appear to have covered the entire camp of Israel.
"Like the Tabernacle, Canaan would be a focal point of Yahweh's residence among men, the place where His sovereignty would find historical expression through His specially chosen people."77
The comparatively lengthy description of God's direction of Israel with the cloud (vv. 17-23) indicates God's sovereign and purposeful leadership of His people. The Israelites remained where they were just as long as God wanted them to remain there. Their experiences along the way were not accidental but providential. This description also expressed the "excitement of the occasion."78
The way the Israelites discovered how God was leading them was to look at the revelation of Himself that He provided in the cloud. He did not explain His movements, but their duty was to follow in faith.
"The writer is intent on showing that at this point in their walk with the Lord, Israel was obedient and followed the Lord's guidance. The writer's concern to make this point can be seen in that seven times in this brief narrative, it is said that they obeyed the commandment of the Lord' and thus traveled when the cloud lifted from the tabernacle and moved (9:18, 20, 23; cf. Ex 17:1)."79
The chapter closes with another reference to the Israelites' careful and exact obedience to Yahweh's instructions, an important theme in this book.
