One of the most repetitive parts of the Bible is Numbers 7, an extensive description of the offerings brought by the leaders of the twelve tribes. On the first day, the leader of Judah brings the offering:
"He who offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah. And his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab." (7:12–17)
The next day is the tribe of Issachar:
"On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, the chief of Issachar, made an offering. He offered for his offering one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar." (7:18–23)
As you can see, the details of the offering are exactly the same as the previous day's, but are nevertheless spelled out again. And so it continues each day, until all 12 tribes have made their offerings. Finally, we get a summation:
"This was the dedication offering for the altar on the day when it was anointed, from the chiefs of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes, each silver plate weighing 130 shekels and each basin 70, all the silver of the vessels 2,400 shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary, the twelve golden dishes, full of incense, weighing 10 shekels apiece according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the dishes being 120 shekels; all the cattle for the burnt offering twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs a year old, with their grain offering; and twelve male goats for a sin offering; and all the cattle for the sacrifice of peace offerings twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed." (7:84–88)
The repeated details make this a difficult chapter to get through. So why bother spelling them out each time for all 12 days of 12 tribes? My reading is that by including the details each time the text is emphasizing the equality of the tribes, and the equality of their offerings: they are all equally important. If the text had just included the details for Judah and then said that the others brought the same offerings on their appointed days, it would be a much faster—and less frustrating—reading experience. But that emphasis on the equality of the offerings would be lost, and it would feel as if Judah's was the most important. One can imagine members of different tribes looking forward to hearing the details of "their" offering on the appointed day.
In passages like this, it's hard not to start skimming or reading ahead. But I try to remind myself that if the text bothers to include such repetitions—at not only the cost of time but at great expense for the physical scrolls—there are reasons for it, and I try to look for those reasons. And just slow down and continue reading properly, knowing that if you were hearing the ancient scroll being read aloud, there was no way of skipping ahead!
Thanks for sharing! Have you read Reading the Old Testament through Jewish Eyes? I'm just finishing it and now need to re-read and take better notes. Anyway, the way he talks abt numbers sort of rocked my world. We'll see when I get there this year if it changes my reading experience 😆 cause yeah. Repetitive is an understatement.
I have not! Thanks for the reference. I have read a decent amount of Jewish biblical commentary, though. I think another thing to note about these kinds of repetitions is that they are a feature other ancient literature shares with the Bible. As a classicist I think primarily of Homer, which also has origins as oral texts.
Thank you! This is wonderful! The best I read today. My Dad read the Bible through every year. He used to read it to us as we prepared to go to school. I remember it well. The words are always there in my head. Your experience of reading it reinforces what I remember. I did not have the words. You have said it all.
When I teach the Old Testament to my students in Sunday School, I make sure to highlight the repetition of cycles for people and how it happens for us, too. Pretty sure they're tired of it, but I find it very important and hope it will help them remember no matter how far they go, they can always come back.
(insert king here) reigned (insert time period here). He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and rested with his ancestors. King after king after king...
One of the most repetitive parts of the Bible is Numbers 7, an extensive description of the offerings brought by the leaders of the twelve tribes. On the first day, the leader of Judah brings the offering:
"He who offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah. And his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab." (7:12–17)
The next day is the tribe of Issachar:
"On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, the chief of Issachar, made an offering. He offered for his offering one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar." (7:18–23)
As you can see, the details of the offering are exactly the same as the previous day's, but are nevertheless spelled out again. And so it continues each day, until all 12 tribes have made their offerings. Finally, we get a summation:
"This was the dedication offering for the altar on the day when it was anointed, from the chiefs of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes, each silver plate weighing 130 shekels and each basin 70, all the silver of the vessels 2,400 shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary, the twelve golden dishes, full of incense, weighing 10 shekels apiece according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the dishes being 120 shekels; all the cattle for the burnt offering twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs a year old, with their grain offering; and twelve male goats for a sin offering; and all the cattle for the sacrifice of peace offerings twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed." (7:84–88)
The repeated details make this a difficult chapter to get through. So why bother spelling them out each time for all 12 days of 12 tribes? My reading is that by including the details each time the text is emphasizing the equality of the tribes, and the equality of their offerings: they are all equally important. If the text had just included the details for Judah and then said that the others brought the same offerings on their appointed days, it would be a much faster—and less frustrating—reading experience. But that emphasis on the equality of the offerings would be lost, and it would feel as if Judah's was the most important. One can imagine members of different tribes looking forward to hearing the details of "their" offering on the appointed day.
In passages like this, it's hard not to start skimming or reading ahead. But I try to remind myself that if the text bothers to include such repetitions—at not only the cost of time but at great expense for the physical scrolls—there are reasons for it, and I try to look for those reasons. And just slow down and continue reading properly, knowing that if you were hearing the ancient scroll being read aloud, there was no way of skipping ahead!
Thanks for sharing! Have you read Reading the Old Testament through Jewish Eyes? I'm just finishing it and now need to re-read and take better notes. Anyway, the way he talks abt numbers sort of rocked my world. We'll see when I get there this year if it changes my reading experience 😆 cause yeah. Repetitive is an understatement.
I have not! Thanks for the reference. I have read a decent amount of Jewish biblical commentary, though. I think another thing to note about these kinds of repetitions is that they are a feature other ancient literature shares with the Bible. As a classicist I think primarily of Homer, which also has origins as oral texts.
It's interesting to think that the story of Jesus meeting the woman at the well (Photini) is a subversion of the usual meeting at the well theme.
Yes! He meets a woman, but obv not to marry her, and the topic of their conversation is her husband(s). And He is the living water.
Thank you! This is wonderful! The best I read today. My Dad read the Bible through every year. He used to read it to us as we prepared to go to school. I remember it well. The words are always there in my head. Your experience of reading it reinforces what I remember. I did not have the words. You have said it all.
When I teach the Old Testament to my students in Sunday School, I make sure to highlight the repetition of cycles for people and how it happens for us, too. Pretty sure they're tired of it, but I find it very important and hope it will help them remember no matter how far they go, they can always come back.
That's beautiful!
(insert king here) reigned (insert time period here). He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and rested with his ancestors. King after king after king...
Those kings smh... 🙃😆