This verse, "one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense," is part of a longer passage in Numbers 7 describing the offerings made by the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel to the Tabernacle. Let's break it down:
"One golden ladle": This refers to a small bowl or scoop made of gold. It wasn't a large, cooking-style ladle, but rather a vessel to hold a specific offering.
"of ten shekels": This indicates the weight of the golden ladle itself. A shekel was a unit of weight in ancient Israel. Ten shekels of gold would have represented a valuable offering.
"full of incense": The ladle was filled with incense, which was a fragrant mixture of spices that would be burned as an offering to God. Incense was often associated with prayer and worship.
In context, the verse is describing part of the standard offering made by each tribal leader:
Each of the twelve tribal leaders brought the same offering:
One silver platter weighing 130 shekels
One silver bowl weighing 70 shekels
Both filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering
One golden ladle weighing 10 shekels, filled with incense
One young bull
One ram
One male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering
One male goat for a sin offering
Two oxen
Five rams
Five male goats
Five male lambs a year old, for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
Significance of the Offering:
Dedication and Consecration: The offerings were made to dedicate the Tabernacle (the portable sanctuary) and all its furnishings to God's service.
Unity: The fact that each tribe brought the same offering emphasizes the unity of the twelve tribes as the people of Israel.
Generosity: The gifts were substantial and represented a significant investment in the worship of God.
Aroma Pleasing to the Lord: The burning of the incense was considered a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
In summary, the verse describes a specific and valuable component of the offerings made by the tribal leaders to the Tabernacle: a golden ladle filled with incense. This offering symbolized dedication, unity, and worship.
This verse, "one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense," is part of a longer passage in Numbers 7 describing the offerings made by the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel to the Tabernacle. Let's break it down:
"One golden ladle": This refers to a small bowl or scoop made of gold. It wasn't a large, cooking-style ladle, but rather a vessel to hold a specific offering.
"of ten shekels": This indicates the weight of the golden ladle itself. A shekel was a unit of weight in ancient Israel. Ten shekels of gold would have represented a valuable offering.
"full of incense": The ladle was filled with incense, which was a fragrant mixture of spices that would be burned as an offering to God. Incense was often associated with prayer and worship.
In context, the verse is describing part of the standard offering made by each tribal leader:
Each of the twelve tribal leaders brought the same offering:
One silver platter weighing 130 shekels
One silver bowl weighing 70 shekels
Both filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering
One golden ladle weighing 10 shekels, filled with incense
One young bull
One ram
One male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering
One male goat for a sin offering
Two oxen
Five rams
Five male goats
Five male lambs a year old, for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
Significance of the Offering:
Dedication and Consecration: The offerings were made to dedicate the Tabernacle (the portable sanctuary) and all its furnishings to God's service.
Unity: The fact that each tribe brought the same offering emphasizes the unity of the twelve tribes as the people of Israel.
Generosity: The gifts were substantial and represented a significant investment in the worship of God.
Aroma Pleasing to the Lord: The burning of the incense was considered a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
In summary, the verse describes a specific and valuable component of the offerings made by the tribal leaders to the Tabernacle: a golden ladle filled with incense. This offering symbolized dedication, unity, and worship.