Numbers28
New American Standard
1Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2“Command the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be careful to present to Me My offering, My food for My offerings by fire, of a soothing aroma to Me, at their appointed time.’
3And you shall say to them, ‘This is the offering by fire which you shall offer to the Lord: two male lambs one year old without defect as a continual burnt offering every day.
4You shall offer the one lamb in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight;
5also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with a fourth of a hin of pure oil.
6It is a continual burnt offering which was ordained on Mount Sinai as a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.
7Then the drink offering with it shall be a fourth of a hin for each lamb; in the Holy Place pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the Lord.
8The other lamb you shall offer at twilight; as the grain offering of the morning and as its drink offering, you shall offer it, an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to the Lord.
9‘Then on the Sabbath day two male lambs one year old without defect, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and its drink offering:
10This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.
11‘Then at the beginning of each of your months you shall present a burnt offering to the Lord: two bulls and one ram, seven male lambs one year old without defect;
12and three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, for each bull; and two-tenths of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, for the one ram;
13and a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for each lamb, as a burnt offering of a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.
14Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull and a third of a hin for the ram and a fourth of a hin for a lamb; this is the burnt offering of each month throughout the months of the year.
15And one male goat as a sin offering to the Lord; it shall be offered with its drink offering in addition to the continual burnt offering.
16‘The Lord’s Passover shall be on the fourteenth day of the first month.
17On the fifteenth day of this month there shall be a feast; unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days.
18On the first day there shall be a holy assembly; you shall do no laborious work.
19But you shall present an offering by fire, a burnt offering to the Lord: two bulls and one ram, and seven male lambs one year old, that you have without defect.
20For their grain offering, you shall offer fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for a bull, and two-tenths for the ram.
21A tenth of an ephah you shall offer for each of the seven lambs;
22and one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you.
23You shall present these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.
24In this way you shall present daily, for seven days, the food of the offering by fire, of a soothing aroma to the Lord; it shall be presented with its drink offering in addition to the continual burnt offering.
25On the seventh day you shall have a holy assembly; you shall do no laborious work.
26‘Also on the day of the first fruits, when you present a new grain offering to the Lord in your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy assembly; you shall do no laborious work.
27But you shall offer a burnt offering as a soothing aroma to the Lord: two bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old;
28and as their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for each bull, two-tenths for the one ram,
29and a tenth for each of the seven lambs;
30also one male goat to make atonement for you.
31Besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, you shall present them with their drink offerings. They shall be without defect.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 28.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: 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).
vv1-8
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, Php 2:17.
vv9-15
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. (Nu 28:16-31)
vv16-31
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.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
צָוָה: (intensively) to constitute, enjoin
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
קׇרְבָּן: something brought near the altar, i.e. a sacrificial present
לֶחֶם: food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)
אִשָּׁה: properly, a burnt-offering; but occasionally of any sacrifice
רֵיחַ: odor (as if blown)
Cross References
Numbers 28The original institution of the daily burnt offering of two lambs at Mount Sinai.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prescribes the exact measure of flour, oil, and wine for the daily lamb's offering.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prophetic expansion of the new moon and Sabbath worship fulfilled under the Gospel.
Supported by Matthew Henry
New Testament fulfillment and cessation of the ceremonial holy days, new moons, and Sabbaths.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
The primary law establishing the dates and basic ordinances for the Passover and Unleavened Bread.
Supported by JFB
Historical practice showing cessation of trade on the new moon and Sabbath days.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Shows the custom of seeking prophetic instruction specifically on new moons and Sabbaths.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The corresponding sacrificial instructions for the Feast of Weeks / Day of Firstfruits.
Supported by JFB
Confirms the sanctuary location where the continual burnt offering and drink offering were poured.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Mandates the blowing of silver trumpets over the burnt offerings on the new moons.
Supported by JFB
Illustrates the social and family feast observations that historically accompanied the new moon.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the anthropomorphic language of calling God's food offering 'bread'.
Supported by John Calvin
Defines the general proportion of meat offerings accompanying individual animal sacrifices.
Supported by Matthew Poole