Numbers chapter 7 will wear you out. It’s so repetitive! It records the twelve tribes’ offerings for the dedication of the altar. One thing we learn in this chapter is the names of the twelve men who lead the twelve tribes. We are familiar with the 12 patriarchs: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulon, Joseph (Who became Ephraim & Mannasseh) and Benjamin.
But these patriarchs have been replaced:
Reuben became Elizur
Simeon became Shelumiel
Judah became Nahshon
Dan became Ahiezer
Naphtali became Ahira
Gad became Eliasaph
Asher became Pagiel
Issachar became Nethanel
Zebulon became Eliab
Ephraim became Elishama
Mannasseh became Gamaliel
Benjamin became Abidan
And on twelve consecutive days, each of these men, representing their tribes brought the same offerings. Only the Levites didn’t bring offerings because in Chapter 8, they are the offering.
Repetition gets boring to us. It’s hard! Our God is not bored with repetition. “Great is His faithfulness. His mercies are fresh every morning.” The sun comes up, day after day. I’m glad God likes repetition. The moon is always there at night even through the clouds. Let us continue to offer our time to God in His Word day after day in response to His faithfulness to us.