👉 His offering [was] one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty [shekels], one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
Explanation: Okay, letâs break down this passage from Numbers 7:31. Itâs a really interesting and detailed description of how the Israelites were preparing to offer a sacrifice to God. Hereâs what it means in simpler terms: The Basic Idea: They were making a very expensive and substantial offering to God â essentially, a large amount of food and precious items. Let's unpack the numbers: âHis offering [was] one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekelsâ : This is the most important number. âShekelâ was the unit of currency used in ancient Israel. A âchargerâ means a large amount. So, this means they were offering one hundred and thirty silver chels . Thatâs a huge sum of money â roughly equivalent to $15,000 today! âone silver bowl of seventy shekelsâ : This is the next significant number. âBowlâ refers to a large container. So, this means they were offering one silver bowl - a considerable amount of money. 70 silver chels translates to roughly $700 today. âafter the shekel of the sanctuaryâ : This tells us where the offering was coming from â it was specifically for the Temple in Jerusalem. The Sanctuary is a holy place and was the center of Jewish worship. âboth of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:â This describes what they were offering: a whole roasted lamb or goat (a "meat offering"). Itâs described as being filled with flour mixed with oil, which is a common way to symbolize the offering of sacrifice. Overall Meaning: This passage shows that the Israelites were making a very lavish and significant offering to God â a large amount of money and food â specifically for the Temple in Jerusalem. It was a display of their devotion and commitment to worship. Why is this important? This story highlights: The Importance of Wealth: It shows that wealth (in this case, the silver chels) was very valuable to the Israelites because it was used to offer up sacrifices to God. Religious Rituals: Itâs a key part of the elaborate religious system they followed. Do you want me to explain any of these details further or perhaps explore a related topic like the significance of the Temple?