Numbers 29:25

KJV

And one kid of the goats [for] a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.

KJV (with Strong's)

And one {H259} kid {H8163} of the goats {H5795} for a sin offering {H2403}; beside the continual {H8548} burnt offering {H5930}, his meat offering {H4503}, and his drink offering {H5262}.

Complete Jewish Bible

also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

Berean Standard Bible

Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

American Standard Version

and one he-goat for a sin-offering; besides the continual burnt-offering, the meal-offering thereof, and the drink-offering thereof.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 29:25 details a specific offering required on the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles: "one kid of the goats for a sin offering," presented alongside the daily continual burnt offering and its associated grain and drink offerings. This verse is part of an extensive liturgical calendar, underscoring the meticulous nature of Israel's worship and the constant need for purification and atonement, even amidst joyous celebration.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Numbers 29 is a meticulously detailed chapter outlining the specific sacrifices required for Israel's annual festivals, following the general principles laid out in [Numbers 28](/numbers/28 "Numbers 28 - Daily and Monthly Offerings"). This particular verse falls within the instructions for the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), a seven-day celebration followed by an eighth concluding day. Each day of this festival had a unique, progressively decreasing number of bull offerings, but consistently included a sin offering and the regular daily sacrifices. Verse 25 specifically addresses the requirements for the seventh day, emphasizing that even on the penultimate day of this grand celebration, the need for purification through a sin offering remained paramount, in addition to the foundational [continual burnt offering](/numbers/28-3 "Numbers 28:3 - The Continual Burnt Offering") and its accompanying oblations.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, was one of the three major pilgrimage festivals in ancient Israel, commanded in [Leviticus 23:33-43](/leviticus/23-33 "Leviticus 23:33-43 - The Feast of Tabernacles"). It was a joyous harvest festival, celebrating God's provision and protection, particularly commemorating the forty years of wilderness wandering when Israel lived in temporary shelters (tabernacles or booths). During this festival, Israelites were commanded to live in booths as a reminder of their transient journey and God's faithfulness. The inclusion of numerous sacrifices, especially sin offerings, even during such a celebratory time, highlights the pervasive understanding of human sinfulness and the constant need for divine cleansing to maintain a holy relationship with God and remain pure in His presence. The "kid of the goats" was a common animal for sin offerings, signifying a humble but effective means of atonement for unintentional sins or ritual impurities.

* **Key Themes:** The detailed sacrificial instructions in [Numbers 29](/numbers/29 "Numbers 29 - Festival Offerings") contribute to several overarching themes within the book of Numbers and the Pentateuch. Firstly, the **Ongoing Need for Atonement** is vividly portrayed; the daily inclusion of a sin offering, even during a celebratory feast, underscores the persistent reality of human sin and the perpetual need for God's provision for cleansing and reconciliation. Secondly, **God's Meticulous Instructions** are evident in the precise and extensive nature of the sacrificial laws, highlighting His demand for order, holiness, and precise obedience in worship, reflecting His own holy character. This meticulousness ensures that Israel understood the seriousness of approaching a holy God. Finally, the **Communal Purity** of Israel is a crucial theme; these offerings were not just for individual purification but for the entire community, emphasizing their corporate responsibility and their collective dependence on God's grace to remain in covenant relationship, echoing the principles found in [Leviticus 4](/leviticus/4 "Leviticus 4 - Sin Offerings for the Community").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Kid of the goats (Hebrew, _śe'îr 'izzîm'_):** This term refers to a young male goat, specifically chosen for sin offerings in various contexts (e.g., [Leviticus 4:23](/leviticus/4-23 "Leviticus 4:23 - Sin Offering for a Ruler")). The selection of a goat, rather than a more valuable bull or ram, often indicated an offering for less severe, unintentional sins or ritual impurities affecting an individual or the community. Its sacrifice served as a symbolic transfer of impurity, allowing for purification and restoration of fellowship.
* **Sin offering (Hebrew, _ḥaṭṭā't'_):** This is one of the most significant types of offerings in the Mosaic Law. While _ḥaṭṭā't_ itself means "sin," in the context of sacrifice, it denotes an offering specifically designed to atone for unintentional sins, errors, or ritual uncleanness that might inadvertently defile the tabernacle or hinder one's fellowship with God. It was not primarily for intentional, high-handed sins (which often required different forms of restitution or even capital punishment), but for restoring purity and making atonement for the community's collective or individual failings that broke ritual purity or God's law unknowingly.
* **Continual burnt offering (Hebrew, _'ōlat hattāmîd'_):** This refers to the daily morning and evening burnt offerings (as detailed in [Numbers 28:3-8](/numbers/28-3 "Numbers 28:3-8 - The Daily Burnt Offering")), which were foundational and never ceased. The phrase "beside the continual burnt offering" in Numbers 29:25 emphasizes that the festival-specific sacrifices, including the sin offering, were *in addition* to, not a replacement for, the regular daily worship and atonement. It signified the perpetual need for general atonement and devotion to God.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And one kid of the goats [for] a sin offering":** This specifies the animal and its primary purpose. The "kid of the goats" was a prescribed animal for the _ḥaṭṭā't_, indicating a sacrifice intended to purify the community from ritual defilement or unintentional transgressions, ensuring their continued acceptability before a holy God even during a time of celebration. Its inclusion daily during Sukkot highlights the constant need for purification.
* **"beside the continual burnt offering":** This phrase is crucial, indicating that the sin offering for the seventh day of the festival was an *additional* sacrifice. It did not replace the daily, foundational burnt offering that symbolized general atonement, devotion, and the complete surrender of the worshiper to God. This layering of sacrifices underscored the multifaceted nature of Israel's relationship with God—daily devotion, general atonement, and specific purification for sin and uncleanness.
* **"his meat offering, and his drink offering":** These refer to the grain (or meal) offering (_minḥah_) and drink offering (_nesek_) that invariably accompanied the burnt offering. The grain offering typically consisted of flour, oil, and frankincense, symbolizing dedication and thanksgiving, while the drink offering (usually wine) was poured out as a libation, signifying devotion and commitment. Their inclusion here confirms that the full daily sacrificial regimen was maintained, with the sin offering added on top for the festival's specific requirements.

#### Literary Devices
The verse, as part of a larger liturgical section, employs **Enumeration** and **Legalistic Language**. The precise listing of animals and their purposes ("one kid of the goats for a sin offering") is characteristic of the priestly codes, emphasizing divine command and the meticulous nature of required worship. This detailed **Enumeration** ensures no ambiguity in the performance of sacred duties. Furthermore, the entire chapter, including this verse, functions as a form of **Prescriptive Law**, laying down specific instructions for ritual performance. The very structure of the text, with its repetitive formulas for each day's offerings, creates a sense of solemnity and divine authority, reinforcing the idea that these are not suggestions but non-negotiable requirements for maintaining covenant fidelity. The offerings themselves, particularly the sin offering, also carry deep **Symbolism**, representing the transfer of sin or impurity and the subsequent restoration of purity through the shedding of blood, pointing forward to a greater, ultimate sacrifice.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 29:25, with its specific mention of a sin offering, powerfully illustrates the pervasive reality of human sin and the constant need for divine provision for atonement within the Old Covenant. Even during the joyous Feast of Tabernacles, a time of thanksgiving and remembrance of God's faithfulness, the daily inclusion of a sin offering underscored that human imperfection and ritual impurity were ever-present, necessitating continuous cleansing to maintain fellowship with a holy God. This constant cycle of sacrifice for sin highlighted the temporary and insufficient nature of the Old Testament system, which could only cover sins ceremonially and repeatedly, never truly taking them away or perfecting the conscience. It served as a perpetual reminder of the gravity of sin and the unbridgeable gap between a sinful humanity and a holy God, a gap that required a perfect, once-for-all sacrifice.

* [Leviticus 17:11](/leviticus/17-11 "Leviticus 17:11 - Life in the Blood"): "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul."
* [Hebrews 9:22](/hebrews/9-22 "Hebrews 9:22 - Without Shedding of Blood"): "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."
* [Romans 3:23-24](/romans/3-23 "Romans 3:23-24 - All Have Sinned"): "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Numbers 29:25, though rooted in ancient Israelite ritual, speaks profoundly to the enduring human condition and God's gracious response. The daily sin offering during a festival of joy reminds us that even in our moments of greatest celebration or spiritual fervor, our fallen nature persists, and we remain dependent on God's grace for purification. For believers today, this verse serves as a powerful backdrop against which to appreciate the singular, complete, and eternal sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We are not called to offer daily animal sacrifices, but we are continually reminded of our need for God's mercy and the sufficiency of Christ's finished work. This should cultivate a spirit of humility, gratitude, and ongoing repentance, recognizing that our access to God is solely through the atoning blood of Jesus. It calls us to live lives of holiness, acknowledging that our purity is a gift, not an earned status, and to walk in a manner worthy of the grace we have received, striving for purity not out of obligation to ritual, but out of love for the One who cleansed us once for all.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the persistent need for a sin offering, even during a joyful feast, challenge my understanding of human sinfulness and God's holiness?**
* **In what ways do I still rely on God's grace for cleansing and forgiveness in my daily life, even after receiving Christ?**
* **How does the "continual burnt offering" alongside the "sin offering" inform my understanding of daily devotion versus specific acts of repentance?**
* **What does the fulfillment of these Old Testament sacrifices in Christ mean for my approach to worship and personal holiness today?**

### FAQ
**What was the Feast of Tabernacles, and why were so many sacrifices required?**

Answer: The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) was one of the three major annual pilgrimage festivals for ancient Israel, celebrated for seven days, followed by an eighth concluding day. It served multiple purposes: it was a harvest festival, giving thanks for God's provision; it commemorated God's faithfulness in sustaining Israel during their forty years of wilderness wandering, when they lived in temporary shelters or "tabernacles" ([Leviticus 23:42-43](/leviticus/23-42 "Leviticus 23:42-43 - Living in Booths")); and it looked forward to the ingathering of all nations. The numerous and varied sacrifices, including the specific "kid of the goats for a sin offering" mentioned in [Numbers 29:25](/numbers/29-25 "Numbers 29:25 - Seventh Day Offerings"), were required to ensure the community's ritual purity and atonement before a holy God, even during a time of joyous celebration. They underscored the constant presence of sin and the need for God's ongoing provision for reconciliation and fellowship.

**How does a 'sin offering' (chatta't) differ from other Old Testament offerings?**

Answer: The _ḥaṭṭā't_ or sin offering, as seen in [Numbers 29:25](/numbers/29-25 "Numbers 29:25 - The Sin Offering"), was distinct from other offerings like the burnt offering (_'olah_), grain offering (_minḥah_), or peace offering (_shelamim_). While the burnt offering symbolized complete dedication and general atonement, and peace offerings fostered fellowship, the sin offering specifically addressed unintentional sins, errors, or ritual impurities that defiled the individual or the sanctuary. It was not primarily for intentional, high-handed sins. Its purpose was to purify, cleanse, and restore the individual or community to a state of ritual purity, allowing them to remain in fellowship with God and participate in sacred worship without defiling His holy presence. The blood of the animal was crucial in this process, as it was understood to make atonement for the soul ([Leviticus 17:11](/leviticus/17-11 "Leviticus 17:11 - Life in the Blood")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The daily "kid of the goats for a sin offering" in Numbers 29:25, repeated throughout the Feast of Tabernacles and indeed throughout the liturgical year, vividly portrays the temporary and incomplete nature of the Old Covenant sacrificial system. Each offering, though divinely commanded, could only ceremonially cover sin, never truly taking it away or perfecting the conscience of the worshiper ([Hebrews 10:1-4](/hebrews/10-1 "Hebrews 10:1-4 - The Law a Shadow")). This constant cycle of sacrifice served as a perpetual pointer to the ultimate need for a perfect, once-for-all sacrifice. This need was gloriously fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the true [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"). Unlike the goats and bulls whose blood merely cleansed outwardly, Christ, "through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without blemish to God," cleansing our consciences from dead works to serve the living God ([Hebrews 9:14](/hebrews/9-14 "Hebrews 9:14 - Christ's Sacrifice")). His single, perfect sacrifice on the cross accomplished what countless Old Testament offerings could not: it provided full, complete, and eternal atonement for all sin, making those who believe perfectly righteous before God ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Made Sin for Us")). Thus, Numbers 29:25, with its emphasis on a continually needed sin offering, deepens our appreciation for the finality and sufficiency of Christ's work, allowing us to approach God with confidence, not based on repeated rituals, but on the finished work of our great High Priest ([Hebrews 4:16](/hebrews/4-16 "Hebrews 4:16 - Approach the Throne of Grace")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.