Starting with the day of the dedication of the tabernacle (the tent of meeting), each of the 12 tribes would bring gifts to the Levites over the following 12 days—one tribe per day, amounting to a 12-day dedication ceremony.
On the fifth day, the tribe of Simeon brought its gifts to the tabernacle. Its offerings were the same as all the other tribes.
The next day, the fifth day (v. 36), Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, leader of the children of Simeon, presented his offering. Shelumiel (“God is my peace”) was mentioned in Numbers 1:6 as the leader of the tribe of Simeon.
The offering of the tribe of Simeon was identical to the other tribes and consisted of the following items:
- One silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels (v. 37). This made the dish about 3.3 pounds (1.5 kilograms) of silver.
- One silver bowl of seventy shekels. This made the bowl about 1.75 pounds (or 0.8 kilograms) of silver. The standard weight of the “shekel” was based according to the shekel of the sanctuary, making it around 0.4 ounces.
- The silver dish and silver bowl were full of fine flour mixed with oil. The “flour” was to be used for a grain offering.
- One gold pan of ten shekels (v. 38), or about 0.24 pounds (110 grams) of gold. The “pan” was presented full of incense.
- One young bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering (v. 39).
- One male goat for a sin offering (v. 40).
- The next items were to be used for the sacrifice of peace offerings (v. 41), and they consisted of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old.
All of the items above comprised the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
Biblical Text
36 On the fifth day it was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, leader of the children of Simeon; 37 his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 38 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 39 one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering; 40 one male goat for a sin offering; 41 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
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