The use of the unusual verb מִדַּבֵּר, middabber in Numbers 7:89 suggests that YHWH does not speak to Moses in the literal and simple sense.A thought-provoking esssay. I have two thoughts on it.
First, this strange hitpa'el participle of the root dbr is only visible in the Masoretic vocalization. There is no indication of it in the consonantal Hebrew text. The ancient translations (the Greek Septuagint, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Latin Vulgate) translate it as a normal pi'el participle, "saying" or "speaking." They show no awareness of a hitpa'el vocalization. The origin of the intriguing Masoretic interpretation of the word is uncertain. I see no reason to think that it goes back to the Priestly composer of the passage.
Second, Numbers 7 has the reputation of being perhaps the most tedious chapter in the Bible. It takes 89 verses to tell us that, to celebrate the consecration of the tabernacle, each of the twelve tribes offered a large offering of precious metal vessels, oil and flour, and many different animals.
Each offering was identical. The chapter repeats every detail of each twelve times.
But hidden in the final verse is this word with a theologically deep vocalization. How's that for a bonus feature?
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