Numbers 7:48
On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim, offered:
Original Language Analysis
בַּיּוֹם֙
day
H3117
בַּיּוֹם֙
day
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
1 of 8
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
נָשִׂ֖יא
prince
H5387
נָשִׂ֖יא
prince
Strong's:
H5387
Word #:
3 of 8
properly, an exalted one, i.e., a king or sheik; also a rising mist
בֶּן
of the children
H1121
בֶּן
of the children
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
4 of 8
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
אֶפְרָ֑יִם
of Ephraim
H669
אֶפְרָ֑יִם
of Ephraim
Strong's:
H669
Word #:
5 of 8
ephrajim, a son of joseph; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory
Cross References
Historical Context
Elishama led Ephraim during the wilderness wanderings and was an ancestor of Joshua (1 Chronicles 7:26-27). Ephraim's central position in Israel's camp (west of tabernacle, Numbers 2:18-24) corresponded to their prominence. The tribe fulfilled Jacob's prophecy that Ephraim would become greater than Manasseh (Genesis 48:19).
Questions for Reflection
- What does the inclusion of each prince's full genealogy teach about the importance of knowing your spiritual heritage and family identity?
- How might Ephraim's offering on the 'seventh day' connect to themes of rest, completion, and Sabbath in worship?
- In what ways does the repetitive naming of each tribal leader challenge the modern desire for anonymity or minimal recognition in giving?
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Analysis & Commentary
On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim, offered—The seventh day holds symbolic significance: creation rest (Genesis 2:2), Sabbath observance, and completion. Ephraim's prominence (Joseph's younger son who received Jacob's primary blessing, Genesis 48:17-20) is reflected in Elishama leading the tribe. The title prince (נָשִׂיא, nasi, 'lifted one/leader') appears 60 times in Numbers 7 alone.
The phrase son of Ammihud ('my kinsman is majesty') preserves genealogical identity. Every offering in Numbers 7 includes the prince's full lineage, emphasizing that worship flows from covenant family identity, not anonymous individuals. Elishama later appears in the census (1:10, 2:18) and as Ephraim's representative.