Numbers 28

Prescribed Offerings

1 The Lord spoke to Moses,
2 "Command the Israelites and say to them: Be sure to present to Me at its appointed time My offering and My food[a] as My fire offering, a pleasing aroma to Me.
3 And say to them: This is the fire offering you are to present to the Lord: "Each day [present] two unblemished year-old male lambs as a regular burnt offering.

Daily Offerings

4 Offer one lamb in the morning and the other lamb at twilight,
5 along with two quarts[b] of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with a quart[c] of beaten olive oil.[d]
6 It is a regular burnt offering established at Mount Sinai for a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the Lord.[e]
7 The drink offering is to be a quart[f] with each lamb. Pour out the offering of beer to the Lord in the sanctuary area.
8 Offer the second lamb at twilight, along with the same kind of grain offering and drink offering as in the morning. It is a fire offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

Sabbath Offerings

9 "On the Sabbath day [present] two unblemished year-old male lambs, four quarts[g] of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and its drink offering.
10 It is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

Monthly Offerings

11 "At the beginning of each of your months present a burnt offering to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old-[all] unblemished-
12 with six quarts[h] of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for each bull, four quarts[i] of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for the ram,
13 and two quarts[j] of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for each lamb. It is a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the Lord.
14 Their drink offerings are to be two quarts[k] of wine with each bull, one and a third quarts[l] with the ram, and one quart[m] with each male lamb. This is the monthly burnt offering for all the months of the year.
15 And one male goat is to be offered as a sin offering to the Lord, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its drink offering.

Offerings for Passover

16 "The Passover to the Lord comes in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month.
17 On the fifteenth day of this month there will be a festival; unleavened bread is to be eaten for seven days.
18 On the first day there is to be a sacred assembly; you are not to do any daily work.[n]
19 Present a fire offering, a burnt offering to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old. Your animals are to be unblemished.
20 The grain offering with them is to be of fine flour mixed with oil; offer six quarts[o] with each bull and four quarts[p] with the ram.
21 Offer two quarts[q] with each of the seven lambs
22 and one male goat for a sin offering to make atonement for yourselves.
23 Offer these with the morning burnt offering that is part of the regular burnt offering.
24 You are to offer the same food each day for seven days as a fire 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 are to hold a sacred assembly; you are not to do any daily work.

Offerings for the Festival of Weeks

26 "On the day of firstfruits, you are to hold a sacred assembly when you present an offering of new grain to the Lord at your [Festival of] Weeks;[r] you are not to do any daily work.
27 Present a burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old,
28 with their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, six quarts[s] with each bull, four quarts[t] with the ram,
29 and two quarts[u] with each of the seven lambs
30 and one male goat to make atonement for yourselves.
31 Offer [them] with their drink offerings in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering. Your animals are to 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.

Footnotes 21

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.

Numbers 28 Commentaries

Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.