And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Numbers 7

It is evident to me that Moses never took a creative writing course.

This chapter repeats ad nauseum the offerings of the different families at the tabernacle. This wouldn't be so bad (well, maybe it would) if the offerings weren't all identical. Still, though, Moses finds it necessary to spell it all out.

After he sets up the tabernacle, anoints it and consecrates its furnishings, the heads of the families got together (an obvious influence on the Godfather films)- each family brought an ox- and every two families offered a cart- this went to the Levites.

They split the oxen and carts up as needed- Kohathites got none, because they were supposed to carry things on their shoulders. To dedicate the altar, each day one family leader would come with their offerings. Moses tells us whose day it is and then says

"13His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels,^a and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels,^b both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 14one gold dish weighing ten shekels,^c filled with incense; 15one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;16one male goat for a sin offering; 17and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering."

Then he reminds us again whose day it was. He does this twelve times. No twists. No build. No excitement.

I'm not sure why we need such detail. Maybe this was an attempt to stress that all the families were equally dedicated. No one needs to get all Cain and Abel on anyone else.

Maybe this was a repetitive device to help them remember what was sacrificed- although I'm not sure how far after the fact they'd be reading this. It could have been a moot point by then.

Maybe Moses just needed a better editor.

He ends the chapter with a cool image- when Moses enters the Tent of Meeting to talk with God, His voice comes from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of the testimony.

This must have been an amazing experience- to talk to God, and to actually hear him talk back. To have a physical place to go and literally have a conversation with God.

Why he spent 88 verses on the sacrifices and one on the conversation is frustrating.