Numbers 29:28

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

And one {H259} goat {H8163} for a sin offering {H2403}; beside the continual {H8548} burnt offering {H5930}, and 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, and the meal-offering thereof, and the drink-offering thereof.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 29:28 meticulously details a specific sacrificial requirement for the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot): the offering of a single goat as a sin offering. This particular instruction is given in addition to the foundational continual burnt offering, along with its accompanying grain and drink offerings. The verse underscores the persistent need for atonement and purification even amidst joyous national celebration, highlighting God's unwavering holiness and His precise, non-negotiable requirements for worship and the maintenance of covenant fellowship with His people.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Numbers chapters 28 and 29 form a comprehensive liturgical calendar within the Pentateuch, meticulously outlining the precise sacrifices mandated for daily, weekly, monthly, and annual observances. This specific section, [Numbers 29:12-38](/numbers/29-12-38 "Numbers 29:12-38 - Offerings for the Feast of Tabernacles"), is dedicated entirely to the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), a seven-day festival culminating in an eighth-day solemn assembly. The sacrificial instructions for Sukkot are unique, featuring a daily decrease in the number of bulls offered (from thirteen on the first day to seven on the seventh day), while the number of rams (two), lambs (fourteen), and, critically for this verse, the single goat for a sin offering, remains constant throughout the seven days. [Numbers 29:28](/numbers/29-28 "Numbers 29:28 - Sin Offering for the Seventh Day of Sukkot") specifically addresses the sin offering for the seventh day, emphasizing that even on the final day of the primary festival period, a distinct atonement sacrifice was still required, supplementing the foundational "continual burnt offering" that was offered daily throughout the year.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, was one of the three major pilgrimage festivals (alongside Passover and Pentecost) where all Israelite males were commanded to appear before the Lord at the central sanctuary. Commanded in [Leviticus 23:34-43](/leviticus/23-34-43 "Leviticus 23:34-43 - The Feast of Tabernacles"), it served a dual, deeply significant purpose: primarily, to commemorate God's faithful provision and miraculous protection during the forty years of wilderness wandering, when the Israelites lived in temporary shelters (sukkot); and secondarily, as a joyous harvest festival, celebrating the ingathering of the year's agricultural bounty. The act of dwelling in temporary booths during the festival served as a tangible reminder of their transient nature and God's constant, abiding presence among them. The elaborate and numerous sacrifices, particularly the decreasing number of bulls offered over the seven days (totaling 70 bulls), are traditionally understood to symbolize offerings made on behalf of the seventy nations of the world, highlighting Israel's priestly role among the nations.
* **Key Themes:** The meticulous instructions for the Feast of Tabernacles, including the specific sin offering in [Numbers 29:28](/numbers/29-28 "Numbers 29:28 - Sin Offering for the Seventh Day of Sukkot"), contribute to several overarching theological themes prevalent in the book of Numbers and the broader Pentateuch. First, **Divine Specificity and Obedience** are paramount; God's detailed and unyielding commands for worship underscore that true worship is rendered on His terms, not according to human preference or convenience. Second, the consistent inclusion of a **Sin Offering** profoundly highlights the pervasive nature of human sin and the continuous, urgent need for **Atonement and Purification** to maintain a holy relationship with a holy God. Even during a joyous and divinely ordained festival, the stark reality of human sinfulness and the absolute necessity of divine provision for reconciliation were never overlooked. Third, the entire sacrificial system, including these daily and festival offerings, functions as **Foreshadowing and Typology of Christ**, pointing forward to the ultimate, perfect, and once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus. The repeated shedding of animal blood symbolized the temporary covering of sin until the [Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), would offer Himself as the definitive sacrifice, as powerfully elaborated in [Hebrews 10:10](/hebrews/10-10 "Hebrews 10:10 - Christ's One-Time Sacrifice").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **goat (Hebrew, _sâʻîyr'_):** From H8163, meaning "shaggy; as noun, a he-goat; by analogy, a faun; devil, goat, hairy, kid, rough, satyr." In the context of the Mosaic Law, this term specifically refers to a male goat, frequently designated for sin offerings. Unlike animals used for burnt offerings (wholly consumed) or peace offerings (shared meal), the goat for a sin offering (חַטָּאת, _chaṭṭâʼâh_) carried a unique significance for dealing with sin and ritual impurity. Its blood was essential for purification, and its disposition (either eaten by priests in a holy place or disposed of outside the camp) varied based on the nature of the sin and the offerer.
* **sin offering (Hebrew, _chaṭṭâʼâh'_):** From H2403, meaning "or חַטָּאת; from חָטָא; an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concretely) an offender; punishment (of sin), purifying(-fication for sin), sin(-ner, offering)." This is one of the most vital categories of sacrifice in the Old Testament. The _chaṭṭâʼâh_ primarily addressed unintentional sins, ritual impurities, or cleansing after specific events (e.g., childbirth, certain skin diseases). Its fundamental purpose was to purify the offerer or the sanctuary from defilement, thereby restoring the covenant relationship and enabling the individual or community to remain in God's holy presence. The daily inclusion of a sin offering during Sukkot, even on the seventh day, underscored the ongoing need for cleansing from any daily or inadvertent impurities, ensuring the people remained in a state of ritual purity acceptable for worship.
* **continual (Hebrew, _tâmîyd'_):** From H8548, meaning "from an unused root meaning to stretch; properly, continuance (as indefinite extension); but used only (attributively as adjective) constant (or adverbially, constantly); ellipt. the regular (daily) sacrifice; alway(-s), continual (employment, -ly), daily, (n-)ever(-more), perpetual." While not explicitly a single word in Numbers 29:28, the phrase "continual burnt offering" (עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד, _ʻôlath ha-tâmîyd_) is directly referenced. _Tâmîyd_ signifies "continual," "regular," or "perpetual." It refers to the daily morning and evening burnt offerings (see [Numbers 28:3-8](/numbers/28-3-8 "Numbers 28:3-8 - The Continual Burnt Offering")) that formed the bedrock of Israel's worship. The fact that the Sukkot offerings, including the sin offering, were specified as "beside" or "in addition to" this _tâmîyd_ offering underscores its foundational and indispensable nature, highlighting that special festival offerings did not replace, but rather augmented, the constant daily commitment to God.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And one goat [for] a sin offering":** This clause precisely specifies the animal and its designated purpose for the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles. The "one goat" (שָׂעִיר אֶחָד, _sâʻîyr ʼechâd_) is explicitly designated as a _chaṭṭâʼâh_, a sin offering. This highlights the ever-present reality of sin and the persistent need for atonement, even during times of national celebration and profound thanksgiving. It implies that despite the joy and remembrance of God's faithfulness, the people still required purification from inadvertent sins or ritual impurities to maintain their covenant standing before a holy God and to participate acceptably in worship.
* **"beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering":** This phrase serves to clarify that the goat sin offering was not a substitute for, but rather an *addition* to, the regular daily sacrifices. The "continual burnt offering" (עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד, _ʻôlath ha-tâmîyd_) was a daily morning and evening sacrifice of a lamb, symbolizing constant devotion, propitiation, and the ongoing maintenance of the covenant relationship. Its "meat offering" (מִנְחָה, _minchâh_, typically a grain offering) and "drink offering" (נֶסֶךְ, _neçek_, a libation of wine) were integral components that invariably accompanied the burnt offering. The inclusion of this phrase emphasizes that the special festival sacrifices were supplementary layers of worship and atonement, built upon and augmenting the foundational daily commitment and access to God.

#### Literary Devices
The passage, like much of the sacrificial legislation found in the book of Numbers, primarily employs **Enumeration** and **Repetition**. The precise and detailed listing of animals, their quantities, and their specific purposes for each day of the festival (as seen throughout [Numbers 29:12-38](/numbers/29-12-38 "Numbers 29:12-38 - Offerings for the Feast of Tabernacles")) serves to emphasize the divine authority, meticulousness, and exactitude required in Israelite worship. This **Repetition** of sacrificial formulas, while seemingly monotonous, powerfully reinforces the paramount importance of exact obedience and the inherent sanctity of the ritual. Furthermore, the very nature of the sacrifices themselves functions as profound **Symbolism**. The goat, specifically as a sin offering, symbolizes the transfer of impurity and the urgent need for cleansing and expiation. The burnt offering symbolizes complete dedication and propitiation. Collectively, these offerings serve as a rich **Typology**, pointing forward to the ultimate, perfect, and definitive sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who would perfectly fulfill and supersede all these temporary shadows.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 29:28, with its prescription of a sin offering during the joyous Feast of Tabernacles, powerfully reinforces the pervasive theological truth of humanity's inherent sinfulness and the constant, inescapable need for divine atonement. Even in a season of profound thanksgiving for God's faithful provision and His dwelling among His people, the stark reality of sin's defilement necessitated ongoing purification. This highlights God's absolute and unblemished holiness, which cannot tolerate sin in His presence, and His gracious, consistent provision for reconciliation. The meticulous nature of the command underscores that access to God is not on human terms or by human merit, but strictly according to His divine design, emphasizing both the profound seriousness of sin and the immense cost of redemption He Himself provides.

* [Leviticus 16:30](/leviticus/16-30 "Atonement for Sins")
* [Hebrews 9:22](/hebrews/9-22 "Without the Shedding of Blood")
* [Romans 3:23-26](/romans/3-23-26 "All Have Sinned and Are Justified by Grace")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Numbers 29:28, though rooted in ancient Israelite ritual, offers profound and enduring spiritual insights for believers today. The constant need for a sin offering, even during a celebratory festival, serves as a poignant reminder that sin is an ever-present reality in our lives, requiring continuous acknowledgment, confession, and humble reliance on God's gracious provision for forgiveness. It teaches us that true worship is not merely an outward act of ritual or celebration but demands an inward posture of humility, recognizing our inherent brokenness and God's transcendent holiness. While we no longer offer animal sacrifices, the principle of offering our "best" to God remains profoundly relevant. This means dedicating our entire lives as "living sacrifices" ([Romans 12:1](/romans/12-1 "Romans 12:1 - Living Sacrifices")), diligently pursuing holiness, and daily confessing our sins, trusting implicitly in the perfect and complete sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The meticulousness of God's commands in Numbers also calls us to intentionality, diligence, and reverence in our spiritual lives, ensuring our worship and obedience are not haphazard or casual but deeply considered, purposeful, and offered with profound awe.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the inclusion of a sin offering during a joyous festival like Sukkot deepen our understanding of sin's pervasive and defiling nature?**
* **In what practical ways can we, as New Covenant believers, apply the principle of offering our "best" to God as a "living sacrifice" in our daily lives?**
* **How does understanding the continual need for atonement in the Old Testament sacrificial system amplify our appreciation for Christ's "once for all" and eternally sufficient sacrifice?**

### FAQ
**Why was a sin offering still needed on the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles?**

Answer: The inclusion of a sin offering on the seventh day of Sukkot, as meticulously specified in [Numbers 29:28](/numbers/29-28 "Numbers 29:28 - Sin Offering for the Seventh Day of Sukkot"), underscores the pervasive and persistent nature of sin and ritual impurity within the Israelite community. Even during a joyous, divinely ordained festival, inadvertent sins, ritual defilements, or unintentional transgressions could occur. The sin offering served as a divinely appointed means to cleanse the people and the sanctuary from such impurities, ensuring that they remained in a state of ritual purity acceptable to a holy God. It emphasized that even amidst celebration and profound thanksgiving for God's faithfulness, the stark reality of human brokenness and the constant need for atonement were never absent. This continuous requirement for purification highlighted God's absolute holiness and the meticulous requirements for maintaining a covenant relationship with Him.

**What is the "continual burnt offering" mentioned in this verse?**

Answer: The "continual burnt offering" (עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד, _ʻôlath ha-tâmîyd_) refers to the daily morning and evening sacrifices of a lamb, as precisely prescribed in [Numbers 28:3-8](/numbers/28-3-8 "Numbers 28:3-8 - The Continual Burnt Offering"). This offering was the foundational and most frequent sacrifice in the Israelite cultic system, symbolizing constant devotion, propitiation, and the ongoing atonement for the nation. [Numbers 29:28](/numbers/29-28 "Numbers 29:28 - Sin Offering for the Seventh Day of Sukkot") specifies that the festival offerings, including the sin offering for Sukkot, were to be made "beside" or "in addition to" this continual offering. This indicates that the special festival sacrifices did not replace the daily, ongoing commitment to God but rather augmented it, demonstrating an even greater measure of worship, dedication, and a heightened awareness of the need for atonement during these significant times in the Israelite calendar.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Numbers 29:28, with its specific focus on the sin offering during the Feast of Tabernacles, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The repeated offering of goats and other animals for sin in the Old Testament, including those meticulously prescribed during Sukkot, served as a powerful, yet inherently temporary, shadow of the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice to come. These animal sacrifices could only cover sin, not truly take it away, and had to be continually repeated because of the ongoing reality of human sinfulness and the inherent inadequacy of animal blood to provide ultimate cleansing ([Hebrews 10:1-4](/hebrews/10-1-4 "Hebrews 10:1-4 - The Law as a Shadow")). Jesus, however, is the true [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), the spotless and blemish-free sacrifice, whose perfectly shed blood provides eternal redemption and complete purification from sin ([Hebrews 9:11-14](/hebrews/9-11-14 "Hebrews 9:11-14 - Christ's Perfect Sacrifice")). He is the ultimate fulfillment of every sin offering, bearing the full weight of humanity's transgressions and reconciling us to God through His death on the cross ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Made Sin for Us")). Furthermore, the Feast of Tabernacles, which celebrated God's dwelling among His people in temporary shelters, also powerfully points to Christ, who "tabernacled" among us in human flesh ([John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh")), and ultimately to the eternal dwelling of God with His redeemed people in the new heavens and new earth, where there will be no more sin, no more curse, and thus no more need for sacrifice ([Revelation 21:3-4](/revelation/21-3-4 "Revelation 21:3-4 - God Dwells with His People")).

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.