Numbers28
New King James Version
1Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2“Command the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time.’
3“And you shall say to them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the Lord: two male lambs in their first year without blemish, day by day, as a regular burnt offering.
4The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, the other lamb you shall offer in the evening,
5and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil.
6It is a regular burnt offering which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord.
7And its drink offering shall be one-fourth of a hin for each lamb; in a holy place you shall pour out the drink to the Lord as an offering.
8The other lamb you shall offer in the evening; as the morning grain offering and its drink offering, you shall offer it as an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.
9‘And on the Sabbath day two lambs in their first year, without blemish, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, with its drink offering—
10this is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering with its drink offering.
11‘At the beginnings of your months you shall present a burnt offering to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish;
12three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, for each bull; two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram;
13and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with oil, as a grain offering for each lamb, as a burnt offering of sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord.
14Their drink offering shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, one-third of a hin for a ram, and one-fourth of a hin for a lamb; this is the burnt offering for each month throughout the months of the year.
15Also one kid of the goats as a sin offering to the Lord shall be offered, besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.
16‘On the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the Lord.
17And on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast; unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days.
18On the first day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work.
19And you shall present an offering made by fire as a burnt offering to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year. Be sure they are without blemish.
20Their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah you shall offer for a bull, and two-tenths for a ram;
21you shall offer one-tenth of an ephah for each of the seven lambs;
22also one goat as a sin offering, to make atonement for you.
23You shall offer these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a regular burnt offering.
24In this manner you shall offer the food of the offering made by fire daily for seven days, as a sweet aroma to the Lord; it shall be offered besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.
25And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work.
26‘Also on the day of the firstfruits, when you bring a new grain offering to the Lord at your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work.
27You shall present a burnt offering as a sweet aroma to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year,
28with their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for each bull, two-tenths for the one ram,
29and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs;
30also one kid of the goats, to make atonement for you.
31Be sure they are without blemish. You shall present them with their drink offerings, besides the regular burnt offering with its grain offering.
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