John Calvin Commentary Numbers 7:1

"And it came to pass on the day that Moses had made an end of setting up the tabernacle, and had anointed it and sanctified it, and all the furniture thereof, and the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them and sanctified them;" — Numbers 7:1 (ASV)

And it came to pass on the day that Moses This was the second contribution of the people, after the completion of the Tabernacle. Although only the princes are mentioned, it is probable that each of them presented what the whole tribe had contributed, since no private person at that time was wealthy enough to give so much gold and silver of his own. Let it be understood, then, that they brought, in the name and at the desire of all, what they had received from the members of their respective tribes.

Before I proceed any further, however, it must be remarked that the sacrifices were not killed before the sanctuary was anointed. Moses himself is said to have anointed it, as he also anointed his brother Aaron. The interpretation of some, that what properly applies to Aaron is attributed to his brother, does not appear to be sound.

We have said elsewhere that God thus freely used visible signs, so that He would in no way bind the grace of the Spirit to particular persons. Therefore, when Moses, who was not anointed himself, anointed both the sanctuary and the priest, it was clearly shown that the efficacy of consecration did not emanate from him, since He could not give from His own what He did not possess. Consequently, the entire power and usefulness of signs depend on the command of God.

We have elsewhere seen why it was necessary to consecrate the tabernacle, the altar, and all the vessels by a sacred anointing. Here let us only observe that the connection of the two words anointing and sanctifying is not superfluous. This helps us understand that the symbol of the oil was not empty and ineffective, but that true spiritual sanctity was joined to it. For God establishes nothing in vain; by filling what He typifies with the secret influence of the Spirit, He effectually proves Himself to be true.

It is said that the princes were set over them that were numbered; i.e., after the people were numbered and separated into their respective divisions, these men were chosen as the chiefs of the tribes. The interpretation which some give, that they assisted when the people were numbered, is, in my opinion, far-fetched.