Numbers 28 - The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

The Continual and the Sabbath Offerings

Command the children of Israel and say unto them, My offering, the special gift whereby the fellowship between God and the people was to be maintained, and My bread for My sacrifices made by fire (for the food of the sacrifices was devoted to the Lord and by Him given to the priests) for a sweet savor unto Me shall ye observe to offer unto Me in their due season. Cf Leviticus 1:2; Leviticus 3:11; Leviticus 23:2-4.

And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the Lord: two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering, one which should be made regularly and always.

The one lamb shall thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shall thou offer at even, literally, "between the evenings," as the Jews understood it, between noon and sunset, although the reference is really to twilight;

and a tenth part of an ephah of flour (about two and one-half quarts) for a meat-offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin (about a quart) of beaten oil, not the cheaper grade, that was produced in the oil-presses.

It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in Mount Sinai for a sweet savor, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord.

And the drink-offering thereof, the libation which was poured out at the time the sacrifice was offered, shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb; in the Holy Place shall thou cause the strong wine, for the wine is here called strong, intoxicating liquor, because it was used unmixed with water, to be poured unto the Lord for a drink-offering.

And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even, "between the evenings"; as the meat-offering of the morning and as the drink-offering thereof thou shall offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord, pleasant in His nostrils and the accompanying prayer therefore acceptable to Him, Psalms 141:2. Cf Exodus 29:38-44.

And on the Sabbath-day two lambs of the first year without spot, without bodily blemish of any kind, and two-tenth deals of flour for a meat-offering, mingled with oil, and the drink-offering thereof.

This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath beside the continual burnt offering, that is, in addition to the regular daily offering, and his drink-offering. Cf Numbers 15:3-16.

And in the beginnings of your months, on the days of the new moon, ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the Lord: two young bullocks and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot;

The Sacrifice of the New Moon

and three-tenth deals of flour for a meat-offering (between seven and one half and eight quarts), mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two-tenth deals of flour for a meat-offering, mingled with oil, for one ram;

and a several tenth deal of flour, that is, so much for each animal, mingled with oil for a meat-offering unto one lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet savor, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord. The amount of flour and oil was proportional to the size of the animal offered.

And their drink-offerings shall be half an hin of wine (a hin being about a quart) unto a bullock, and the third part of an hin unto a ram, and a fourth part of an hin unto a lamb; this is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year.

And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering unto the Lord shall be offered beside (in addition to) the continual burnt offering and his drink-offering. Cf Numbers 15:4-12.

And in the fourteenth day of the first month, the month Abib or Nisan, with which the church-year of the Jews began, is the Passover of the Lord. Exodus 12:6-18; Leviticus 23:5.

The Sacrifices of the Passover and of the Feast of Unleavened Bread

And in the fifteenth day of this month, and most intimately connected with the Passover, is the feast, as the seven days of unleavened bread are here simply called, Leviticus 23:6; seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.

In the first day shall be an holy convocation, a solemn assembly in the Sanctuary, for the purpose of worship. Ye shall do no servile work therein, as on the Sabbath, Leviticus 23:7;

but ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the Lord: two young bullocks and one ram and seven lambs of the first year, as on the new moon; they shall be unto you without blemish.

And their meat-offering, which must invariably accompany the bloody sacrifice, shall be of flour mingled with oil; three-tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock and two-tenth deals tor a ram;

a several tenth deal shalt thou offer for every lamb throughout the seven lambs,

and one goat for a sin-offering, to make an atonement for you.

Ye shall offer these beside, in addition to, the burnt offering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.

After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the same kind and amount of sacrifices for each individual day, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, food devoted to the Lord, of a sweet savor unto the Lord; it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink-offering.

And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation, as on the first; ye shall do no servile work. Cf Exodus 12:15-20; Leviticus 23:6-8.

Also in the day of the first-fruits, when ye bring a new meat-offering, of the flour of the new harvest, unto the Lord, after your weeks be out, the seven weeks after the sixteenth of Nisan, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work;

The Sacrifices of Pentecost

but ye shall offer the burnt offering for a sweet savor unto the Lord: two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of the first year, as on the other festivals;

and their meat-offering of flour mingled with oil, three-tenth deals unto one bullock, two-tenth deals unto one ram,

a several tenth deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven lambs;

and one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you, for that was the purpose of the sin-offering.

Ye shall offer them beside (in addition to) the continual burnt offering and his meat-offering (they shall be unto you without blemish) and their drink-offerings. These sacrifices were made in addition to the characteristic offering of the day, that of the two wave-loaves prepared from the flour of the new harvest, Leviticus 23:18. The directions of the Lord were very detailed and explicit, for He wanted these ordinances observed with great exactness, since His honor was thereby exalted.