Numbers 29:37

KJV

Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, [shall be] according to their number, after the manner:

KJV (with Strong's)

Their meat offering {H4503} and their drink offerings {H5262} for the bullock {H6499}, for the ram {H352}, and for the lambs {H3532}, shall be according to their number {H4557}, after the manner {H4941}:

Complete Jewish Bible

with the grain and drink offerings for the bull, the ram and the lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule;

Berean Standard Bible

along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed.

American Standard Version

their meal-offering and their drink-offerings for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the ordinance:

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 29:37 meticulously details the required grain and drink offerings that must accompany the animal sacrifices on the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). This verse emphasizes the divine mandate for precise quantities and established procedures in Israelite worship, underscoring God's expectation for complete and intentional adherence to His commands in all aspects of approaching Him.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Numbers 29:37 serves as the concluding instruction for the seventh day's offerings during the Feast of Tabernacles, a festival whose sacrificial requirements are exhaustively detailed throughout [Numbers 29](/numbers/29 "Numbers 29 - Sacrifices for Feasts"). This verse specifically follows the enumeration of the primary animal sacrifices—one bullock, one ram, and seven lambs—prescribed for this particular day ([Numbers 29:35-36](/numbers/29-35-36 "Numbers 29:35-36 - Offerings for the Seventh Day of Sukkot")). The broader chapter systematically outlines the daily sacrificial quotas for various annual festivals, with a particular focus on the decreasing number of bullocks offered each day of Sukkot while maintaining consistent numbers of rams and lambs. Thus, this verse reinforces the complementary nature of the grain and drink offerings, ensuring that the entire sacrificial system for the day was observed precisely "after the manner" stipulated by Mosaic Law. The overarching theme of [Numbers](/numbers/1 "The Book of Numbers") is God's meticulous instruction for His people's journey and worship, demanding unwavering precision in their covenant relationship.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, was one of the three major pilgrimage festivals (along with Passover and Pentecost) that required all Israelite males to present themselves before the Lord in Jerusalem. Celebrated in the autumn, it marked the conclusion of the agricultural year, serving as a harvest festival of thanksgiving for God's provision. Beyond its agricultural significance, Sukkot profoundly commemorated Israel's forty years of wilderness wandering, during which they lived in temporary shelters (sukkot), symbolizing God's faithful presence and provision in their nomadic existence. The elaborate system of burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings was fundamental to Israelite worship and their covenant with Yahweh. These offerings were not mere rituals; they were deeply ingrained cultural expressions of atonement, thanksgiving, dedication, and communion, embodying their covenant obligations and their absolute reliance on God's grace and sustenance, a concept richly explored in [Leviticus](/leviticus/1 "The Book of Leviticus - Laws of Sacrifice").

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully reinforces several foundational theological and narrative themes prevalent throughout the Pentateuch. Firstly, it underscores **Divine Precision in Worship**, highlighting God's absolute demand for meticulous adherence to His divinely prescribed instructions regarding offerings. Every detail, from the type and number of animals to the precise quantities of grain and wine, was not arbitrary but precisely commanded, emphasizing the sanctity and seriousness of approaching a holy God. Secondly, it illustrates the **Completeness of Devotion**, as the inclusion of grain offerings and drink offerings alongside animal sacrifices signifies a comprehensive act of worship. This teaches that devotion involves more than just the shedding of blood for atonement; it encompasses the dedication of sustenance, produce, and indeed, one's entire life and livelihood to the Lord. This holistic approach to worship is a recurring motif, for instance, in [Leviticus 2](/leviticus/2 "Leviticus 2 - The Grain Offering"). Finally, the repeated phrase "after the manner" strongly emphasizes **Covenant Obedience**, reminding Israel that their well-being and their relationship with God were intrinsically linked to their faithful execution of these divine ordinances, a principle foundational to the covenant established at Sinai and reiterated in [Deuteronomy 12:32](/deuteronomy/12-32 "Deuteronomy 12:32 - Do Not Add or Subtract from God's Commands").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **meat offering (Hebrew, _minchâh'_):** In the King James Version, "meat offering" is an archaic translation of the Hebrew word _minchâh_ (מִנְחָה, H4503), which more accurately means "grain offering" or "meal offering." This offering typically consisted of fine flour, often mixed with oil and frankincense, and sometimes baked. Unlike the burnt offering, which was entirely consumed by fire, the _minchâh_ was often a voluntary offering of thanksgiving or dedication. A portion of it was consumed by the priests, symbolizing the dedication of the fruits of one's labor and sustenance to God, representing a non-bloody aspect of worship, as detailed in [Leviticus 2:1-16](/leviticus/2-16 "Leviticus 2:1-16 - Regulations for the Grain Offering").
* **drink offerings (Hebrew, _neçek'_):** The term "drink offerings" translates the Hebrew word _neçek_ (נֵסֶךְ, H5262), referring to a libation, almost always of wine, that was poured out as part of the sacrificial ritual. These offerings were typically offered alongside burnt offerings and grain offerings, signifying a complete act of dedication and worship. The pouring out of the wine symbolized the pouring out of one's life or devotion before God, often accompanying the major animal sacrifices, as seen in the general instructions for offerings in [Numbers 15:5-10](/numbers/15-5-10 "Numbers 15:5-10 - Drink Offerings with Burnt Offerings").
* **according to their number, after the manner (Hebrew, _miçpâr_ H4557, _mishpâṭ_ H4941):** This phrase is crucial for understanding the verse's emphasis on precision. _Miçpâr_ (מִסְפָּר, H4557), translated as "number," indicates precise, definite quantities. _Mishpâṭ_ (מִשְׁפָּט, H4941), translated as "manner," signifies "according to their due ordinance," "custom," or "judgment." Together, these phrases stress that the specific amounts of grain and wine, and the exact procedures for their presentation, were not left to human discretion but were divinely prescribed and rigidly fixed by earlier legislation within the Mosaic Law. This highlights the non-negotiable nature of God's commands regarding worship.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Their meat offering and their drink offerings":** This clause refers to the supplementary offerings—the grain and wine—that were always to accompany the primary animal sacrifices. They were not standalone offerings in this context but integral components of the larger sacrificial act, ensuring a holistic presentation of worship and dedication to God.
* **"for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs":** This specifies the recipients of these accompanying offerings. These are the particular animals (one bullock, one ram, and seven lambs) that were designated as burnt offerings for the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles, as detailed in the immediately preceding verses ([Numbers 29:35-36](/numbers/29-35-36 "Numbers 29:35-36 - Offerings for the Seventh Day of Sukkot")). Each animal sacrifice had a specific, divinely mandated quantity of grain and drink offering associated with it.
* **"[shall be] according to their number, after the manner":** This concluding phrase is the prescriptive core of the verse. It mandates absolute precision and adherence to established divine law. "According to their number" refers to the exact quantities of flour and wine required for each type of animal (e.g., three-tenths of an ephah of flour and half a hin of wine for a bullock; two-tenths and a third of a hin for a ram; one-tenth and a quarter of a hin for a lamb, as per [Numbers 15:4-10](/numbers/15-4-10 "Numbers 15:4-10 - Offerings with Sacrifices")). "After the manner" signifies that the method of preparation and presentation must also strictly follow the prescribed rituals. This underscores the seriousness of approaching God and the importance of obedience in all aspects of worship.

#### Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in Numbers 29:37, and indeed throughout much of [Numbers 29](/numbers/29 "Numbers 29 - Sacrificial Laws for Feasts"), is **Repetition** and **Formulaic Language**. The phrase "according to their number, after the manner" (or variations thereof) is a recurring formula throughout the chapter, emphasizing the consistent and unchanging nature of God's commands for each day's offerings. This repetition serves to reinforce the theme of **Divine Prescription** and **Meticulous Obedience**, highlighting that every aspect of Israel's worship was divinely ordained and not subject to human innovation or discretion. Furthermore, the entire chapter, including this verse, functions as a form of **Legal Code** or **Liturgical Instruction**, presenting a systematic and exhaustive list of requirements. This precise, almost bureaucratic, enumeration underscores the seriousness and sanctity of the covenant relationship, where even the smallest details of worship held profound significance in maintaining purity and fellowship with a holy God.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 29:37, though seemingly a dry liturgical detail, carries profound theological weight. It reveals a God who is not distant or indifferent but intimately involved in the details of His people's worship, demanding precision and completeness. The requirement for grain and drink offerings alongside animal sacrifices illustrates that true worship is holistic, encompassing not only the shedding of blood for atonement but also the dedication of one's produce, labor, and very sustenance. This reflects a comprehensive surrender of life and livelihood to the Lord, acknowledging Him as the source of all provision. The meticulous adherence to "number" and "manner" underscores God's holiness and the seriousness of approaching Him, teaching Israel that their relationship with Him was contingent upon faithful obedience to His revealed will. This emphasis on precise obedience foreshadows the New Testament call to worship God in spirit and truth, where the internal disposition must align with external expression, and highlights that God's character remains constant in His desire for sincere and obedient devotion.

* [Leviticus 2:1-3](/leviticus/2-1-3 "Leviticus 2:1-3 - The Grain Offering Regulations")
* [Numbers 15:1-10](/numbers/15-1-10 "Numbers 15:1-10 - General Laws for Offerings with Sacrifices")
* [Deuteronomy 12:32](/deuteronomy/12-32 "Deuteronomy 12:32 - Do Not Add or Subtract from God's Commands")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the specific rituals of grain and drink offerings are no longer practiced under the New Covenant, the enduring principles embedded in Numbers 29:37 remain profoundly relevant for contemporary believers. This verse calls us to intentionality and precision in our worship, reminding us that our approach to God should be thoughtful, prepared, and reverent, rather than casual or haphazard. Just as the Israelites were to follow God's commands precisely, we are called to obey the Lord's instructions found in Scripture, trusting in His wisdom and sovereignty in all areas of life. Furthermore, the inclusion of diverse offerings (animal, grain, drink) teaches us about holistic giving: true worship involves offering our whole selves—our time, talents, resources, and very lives—to God. It's not merely about what we do on Sunday, but how we live every moment, reflecting a complete dedication to Him. This ancient command thus challenges us to examine the depth and sincerity of our devotion, ensuring that our worship is not just external ritual but a heartfelt response to God's grace, expressed through obedient living and sacrificial giving.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does God's demand for precision in ancient worship inform our approach to personal and corporate worship today?**
* **In what ways can we offer "holistic giving" of our lives—our resources, time, and abilities—to God in our contemporary context?**
* **What does "obedience to God's Word" look like practically in your daily life, beyond formal religious activities?**

### FAQ

**Question?** Why were grain and drink offerings required alongside animal sacrifices?

Answer: Grain and drink offerings (specifically, the _minchâh_ and _neçek_) were required alongside animal sacrifices to signify the completeness and comprehensiveness of the act of worship. While the animal sacrifice, particularly the burnt offering, represented atonement for sin and complete dedication to God, the grain offering symbolized the dedication of one's labor, sustenance, and the fruits of the land to the Lord, acknowledging Him as the provider of all good things. The drink offering, typically wine poured out, further symbolized the pouring out of one's life in devotion and thanksgiving. Together, these offerings created a holistic expression of worship, encompassing both the need for atonement and the grateful dedication of one's entire being and provision to God. They were not substitutes for the blood sacrifice but essential complements that completed the picture of Israel's covenant relationship and their dependence on God, as seen in instructions like [Numbers 15:1-10](/numbers/15-1-10 "Numbers 15:1-10 - Laws for Offerings").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Numbers 29:37, with its emphasis on precise and comprehensive offerings, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The detailed requirements for grain and drink offerings, alongside animal sacrifices, all pointed forward to the perfect, once-for-all offering of the Lamb of God. Jesus is the ultimate **grain offering**, representing His perfect, sinless life offered in complete obedience to the Father, a life that is the "bread of life" to a hungry world ([John 6:35](/john/6-35 "John 6:35 - Jesus, the Bread of Life")). He is also the ultimate **drink offering**, whose life was poured out as a libation unto death on the cross, shedding His blood to establish the new covenant for the forgiveness of sins ([Matthew 26:28](/matthew/26-28 "Matthew 26:28 - The Blood of the New Covenant")). The Apostle Paul echoes this imagery, speaking of his own life being "poured out as a drink offering" in service to Christ ([Philippians 2:17](/philippians/2-17 "Philippians 2:17 - Paul's Life Poured Out")). Through Christ's singular, all-sufficient sacrifice, the need for these repetitive, symbolic offerings has been fulfilled and superseded ([Hebrews 10:1-10](/hebrews/10-1-10 "Hebrews 10:1-10 - Christ's Sacrifice Fulfills the Law")). Our worship now, in spirit and truth ([John 4:24](/john/4-24 "John 4:24 - Worship in Spirit and Truth")), is a response to His perfect offering, presenting our bodies as living sacrifices in light of His finished work ([Romans 12:1](/romans/12-1 "Romans 12:1 - Living Sacrifices")).

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.