Numbers 28

The Daily Offerings

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, ¹

2 “Command the Israelites and say to them: See that you present to Me at its appointed time the food for My food offerings, as a pleasing aroma to Me.

3 And tell them that this is the food offering you are to present to the LORD as a regular burnt offering each day: two unblemished year-old male lambs.

4 Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight, ^[a]

5 along with a tenth of an ephah of fine flour ^[b] as a grain offering, mixed with a quarter hin of oil from pressed olives. ^[c]

6 This is a regular burnt offering established at Mount Sinai as a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.

7 The drink offering accompanying each lamb shall be a quarter hin. Pour out the offering of fermented drink to the LORD in the sanctuary area.

8 And offer the second lamb at twilight, with the same grain offering and drink offering as in the morning. It is a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

The Sabbath Offerings

9 On the Sabbath day, present two unblemished year-old male lambs, accompanied by a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour ^[d] mixed with oil, as well as a drink offering.

10 This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

The Monthly Offerings

11 At the beginning of every month, you are to present to the LORD a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished,

12 along with three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour ^[e] mixed with oil as a grain offering with each bull, two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering with the ram,

13 and a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering with each lamb. This is a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.

14 Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine ^[f] with each bull, a third of a hin ^[g] with the ram, and a quarter hin with each lamb. This is the monthly burnt offering to be made at each new moon throughout the year.

15 In addition to the regular burnt offering with its drink offering, one male goat is to be presented to the LORD as a sin offering.

Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread

16 The fourteenth day of the first month is the LORD’s Passover. ²

17 On the fifteenth day of this month, there shall be a feast; for seven days unleavened bread is to be eaten.

18 On the first day there is to be a sacred assembly; you must not do any regular work.

19 Present to the LORD a food offering, a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished.

20 The grain offering shall consist of fine flour mixed with oil; offer three-tenths of an ephah with each bull, two-tenths of an ephah with the ram,

21 and a tenth of an ephah with each of the seven lambs.

22 Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you.

23 You are to present these in addition to the regular morning burnt offering.

24 Offer the same food each day for seven days as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. It is to be offered with its drink offering and the regular burnt offering.

25 On the seventh day you shall hold a sacred assembly; you must not do any regular work.

The Feast of Weeks

26 On the day of firstfruits, when you present an offering of new grain to the LORD during the Feast of Weeks, ^[h] you are to hold a sacred assembly; you must not do any regular work. ³

27 Present a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old as a pleasing aroma to the LORD,

28 together with their grain offerings of fine flour mixed with oil—three-tenths of an ephah with each bull, two-tenths of an ephah with the ram,

29 and a tenth of an ephah with each of the seven lambs.

30 Include one male goat to make atonement for you.

31 Offer them with their drink offerings in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering. The animals must be unblemished.

Numbers 28 Commentary

Chapter 28

Offerings, The daily sacrifice. (1-8) The offering on the sabbath and new moons. (9-15) Offerings at the passover, and on the day of first-fruits. (16-31)

Verses 1-8 God saw fit now to repeat the law of sacrifices. This was a new generation of men; and they were concerned to keep their peace with God when at war with their enemies. The daily sacrifice is called a continual burnt-offering; when we are bid to pray always, at least every morning and evening we should offer up solemn prayers and praises to God. Nothing is added here but that the wine poured out in the drink-offering is to be strong wine, to teach us to serve God with the best we have. It was a figure of the blood of Christ, the memorial of which is still left to the church in wine; and of the blood of the martyrs, which was poured out as a drink-offering on the sacrifice and service of our faith, ( Philippians 2:17 ) .

Verses 9-15 Every sabbath day, beside the two lambs offered for the daily burnt-offering, there must be two more offered. This teaches us to double our devotions on sabbath days, for so the duty of the day requires. The sabbath rest is to be observed, in order more closely to apply ourselves to the sabbath work, which ought to fill up the sabbath time. The offerings in the new moons showed thankfulness for the renewing of earthly blessings: when we rejoice in the gifts of providence, we must make the sacrifice of Christ, that great gift of special grace, the fountain and spring-head of our joy. And the worship performed in the new moons is made typical of gospel solemnities, Isa. 66:23 . As the moon borrows light from the sun, and is renewed by its influences; so the church borrows her light from Jesus Christ, who is the Sun of righteousness, renewing the state of the church, especially under the gospel.

Verses 16-31 By the sacrifices enjoined in this chapter, we are reminded of the continued power of the sacrifice of Christ, and of our continual need to depend thereon. No hurrying employments, or perilous situations, or prosperous circumstances, should cause slackness in our religious exercises; but should rather stir us up to greater diligence in seeking help from, or giving thanks to the Lord. And all is to be accompanied with repentance, faith is the Lord Jesus, and love to him, and to produce true holiness in our conduct towards all men; otherwise God will abhor our most solemn services and abundant devotions. And Christ is able to supply the wants of every day, every week, every month, every year, every ordinance, every case.

Cross References

• 1. (Exodus 29:38–44)
• 2. (Exodus 12:14–28; Leviticus 23:4–8; Deuteronomy 16:1–8)
• 3. (Deuteronomy 16:9–12)

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew between the two evenings; also in verse 8
• [b]. A tenth of an ephah is approximately 2 dry quarts or 2.2 liters (probably about 2.6 pounds or 1.2 kilograms of flour); also in verses 13, 21, and 29.
• [c]. Or a quarter hin of pure olive oil; Hebrew a quarter hin of pressed oil; that is, approximately 0.97 quarts or 0.92 liters; similarly in verses 7 and 14
• [d]. Two-tenths of an ephah is approximately 4 dry quarts or 4.4 liters (probably about 5.1 pounds or 2.3 kilograms of flour); also in verses 12, 20, and 28.
• [e]. Three-tenths of an ephah is approximately 6 dry quarts or 6.6 liters (probably about 7.6 pounds or 3.5 kilograms of flour); also in verses 20 and 28.
• [f]. Half a hin is approximately 1.9 quarts or 1.8 liters of wine.
• [g]. A third of a hin is approximately 1.3 quarts or 1.2 liters of wine.
• [h]. That is, Shavuot, the late spring feast of pilgrimage to Jerusalem; it is also known as the Feast of Harvest (see Exodus 23:16) or the Feast of Pentecost (see Acts 2:1).

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 28

In this chapter is a repetition of several laws concerning sacrifices, as the law of the daily sacrifice morning and evening, Nu 28:1-8 of those that were offered every week on the sabbath day, Nu 28:9,10 and every month on the first day of the month, Nu 28:11-15 and on the seven days of unleavened bread, Nu 28:16-25, and at the feast of weeks, Nu 28:26-31.