And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.
Parallel translations
- WEB When God helped the Levites who bore the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
- BSB And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
- NKJV And so it was, when God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they offered seven bulls and seven rams.
- NASB Because God was helping the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
- NLT And because God was clearly helping the Levites as they carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Because God helped the Levites carrying the ark, they offered seven bulls and seven rams in sacrifice. They acknowledged that success came from God's enabling.
Overview
The sacrifices express gratitude and worship, recognizing that the safe transport of the ark was God's gracious help, not human strength alone. The contrast with the earlier disaster is pointed: now the Levites bear the ark as the Law commanded, and God blesses obedience. The atoning offerings point forward to Christ, whose once-for-all sacrifice grants believers safe access into God's presence.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Num 23:29And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.
- Ps 66:13–15I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,
- 1 Chr 29:14But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
- Job 42:8Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
- 2 Sam 6:13And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
- 2 Cor 3:5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
- Num 29:32And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
- Ezek 45:23And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the LORD, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering.
- Acts 26:22Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
- 2 Cor 2:16To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
- Num 23:1–4And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
- 1 Sam 7:12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.
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