Numbers29

Numbers 29 meticulously details the specific sacrificial requirements for the holy convocations observed in the seventh month of the Israelite calendar. It outlines the burnt offerings, meat offerings, and sin offerings for the Feast of Trumpets, the solemn Day of Atonement, and the extensive eight-day Feast of Tabernacles. These instructions specify the precise number and type of animals to be offered to the LORD, in addition to the continual daily sacrifices.

Offerings for the Feast of Trumpets

1
“‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no regular work: it is a day of blowing of shofars to you. ​
2
You shall offer a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma to the LORD: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without defect;
3
and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for the bull, two tenth parts for the ram,
4
and one tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs;
5
and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; ​
6
besides the burnt offering of the new moon, and its meal offering, and the continual burnt offering and its meal offering, and their drink offerings, according to their ordinance, for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD. ​

Offerings for the Day of Atonement

7
“‘On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall afflict your souls. You shall do no kind of work; ​
8
but you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD for a pleasant aroma: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old; all without defect;
9
and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for the bull, two tenth parts for the one ram,
10
a tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs:
11
one male goat for a sin offering; besides the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and its meal offering, and their drink offerings. ​

Offerings for the Feast of Tabernacles (Day 1)

12
“‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work. You shall keep a feast to the LORD seven days. ​
13
You shall offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD: thirteen young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; all without defect; ​
14
and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for every bull of the thirteen bulls, two tenth parts for each ram of the two rams,
15
and a tenth part for every lamb of the fourteen lambs;
16
and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering, and its drink offering.

Day Two of Tabernacles

17
“‘On the second day you shall offer twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without defect; ​
18
and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;
19
and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, with its meal offering and their drink offerings.

Day Three of Tabernacles

20
“‘On the third day eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without defect;
21
and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;
22
and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, and its meal offering, and its drink offering.

Day Four of Tabernacles

23
“‘On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without defect;
24
their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;
25
and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering, and its drink offering.

Day Five of Tabernacles

26
“‘On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without defect;
27
and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;
28
and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, and its meal offering, and its drink offering.

Day Six of Tabernacles

29
“‘On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without defect;
30
and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;
31
and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering, and the drink offerings of it.

Day Seven of Tabernacles

32
“‘On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without defect;
33
and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;
34
and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering, and its drink offering.

Offerings for the Eighth Day Assembly

35
“‘On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly: you shall do no regular work; ​
36
but you shall offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without defect;
37
their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the ordinance:
38
and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, with its meal offering, and its drink offering.

Summary and Command

39
“‘You shall offer these to the LORD in your set feasts, besides your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meal offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.’” ​
40
Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the LORD commanded Moses.

Study Notes for Numbers 29

Verse 1

This day (Yom Teruah, or Rosh Hashanah in later tradition) marked the sacred new year and the start of the most holy month, initiating a period of ten days leading up to the Day of Atonement. The sounding of the trumpet (shofar) served as a call to spiritual preparation.

Verse 5

The required sin offering ensured the community was purified before entering the high holy days, demonstrating the necessity of communal atonement even during celebratory feasts.

Verse 6

These special festival offerings were strictly *in addition to* the perpetual daily offering and the monthly new moon offering, emphasizing the extreme sanctity and importance of this day.

Verse 7

This is the only fast day commanded in the Torah (‘afflict your souls’), focusing on national repentance and complete cessation of labor to secure God's forgiveness for the entire community.

Verse 11

This communal sin offering supplemented the elaborate atonement rites performed by the High Priest described in Leviticus 16, ensuring comprehensive purification for the nation.

Verse 12

Sukkot (Feast of Booths) was a joyous seven-day harvest festival, celebrating God’s provision and commemorating Israel’s forty years of dwelling in temporary shelters during the wilderness wanderings.

Verse 13

The initial offering of thirteen bullocks is the highest number of sacrifices for any single day in the Israelite calendar. The total of 70 bullocks sacrificed over the seven days is traditionally interpreted as representing the 70 nations of the world.

Verse 17

Throughout the seven days of Sukkot, the number of rams and lambs remains constant, but the number of bullocks decreases daily by one (from 13 down to 7), establishing a unique sacrificial pattern.

Verse 35

Shemini Atzeret ('The Eighth Day Assembly') was a separate, solemn conclusion to the month’s festivities, serving as a final, concentrated time of communion between God and Israel after the celebrations of Sukkot.

Verse 39

This verse clarifies that the festival offerings detailed in chapters 28 and 29 are mandatory obligations (set feasts) and must be offered *beside* (in addition to) any voluntary offerings made by individuals.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate
Settings

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Options