Numbers 7:27

Translation
King James Version
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
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KJV (with Strong's)
One H259 young H1241 bullock H6499, one H259 ram H352, one H259 lamb H3532 of the first H1121 year H8141, for a burnt offering H5930:
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Complete Jewish Bible
one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering,
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Berean Standard Bible
one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;
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American Standard Version
one young bullock, one ram, one he-lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering;
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World English Bible Messianic
one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
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Geneva Bible (1599)
A yong bullocke, a ram, a lambe of a yeere olde for a burnt offring,
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Young's Literal Translation
one bullock, a son of the herd, one ram, one lamb, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering;
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See also
Isaiah 1:11Jeremiah 7:22Psalms 50:8Psalms 50:14Psalms 51:16Amos 5:22
In the KJVVerse 3,878 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Numbers 7:27 meticulously details the specific animals designated for the burnt offering presented by Elishama, the leader of the tribe of Ephraim, on the third day of the Tabernacle's dedication. This verse is part of a comprehensive, day-by-day record of identical offerings from each tribal head, underscoring the collective obedience of Israel, the sanctity of their worship, and the precise requirements for a sacrifice that symbolized complete devotion to God and general atonement for sin.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Numbers chapter 7 provides an exhaustive, day-by-day account of the identical offerings brought by each of the twelve tribal leaders for the dedication of the newly constructed and anointed Tabernacle. Following the initial anointing of the Tabernacle and its furnishings outlined in Numbers 7:1-9, the narrative shifts to the specific gifts presented. Each day's entry, from Numbers 7:12 through Numbers 7:83, meticulously lists the silver and gold vessels, fine flour and oil for grain offerings, incense, and animals for burnt, sin, and peace offerings. Numbers 7:27 specifically details the animals for the burnt offering component of Ephraim's contribution, which is presented on the third day. This extensive repetition emphasizes the consistent pattern of worship and the collective participation of all Israel in consecrating God's dwelling place.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: This event occurs shortly after the completion and anointing of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, as described in Exodus 40, and the establishment of the Levitical priesthood and sacrificial system detailed in Leviticus. The Tabernacle served as the central place of worship and the physical manifestation of God's presence among His people. The offerings described in Numbers 7 were not merely ceremonial but were acts of profound consecration, signifying Israel's covenant relationship with Yahweh. The burnt offering (olah) was particularly significant, representing complete surrender and devotion to God, with the entire animal (except the hide) consumed by fire, symbolizing its ascent to God as a pleasing aroma. The specific animals—a young bullock, a ram, and a lamb of the first year—were standard, valuable, and unblemished animals prescribed for such significant offerings, reflecting the high cost and seriousness of approaching a holy God.
  • Key Themes: The overarching themes in Numbers 7 include obedience to divine command, as evidenced by the meticulous adherence to God's instructions for the Tabernacle's dedication and the precise nature of the offerings. Unity and corporate worship are also paramount, highlighted by the identical nature of each tribal leader's offering, signifying that all Israel participated equally in consecrating God's dwelling. Furthermore, the chapter emphasizes the sanctity and costliness of worship, demonstrating that approaching a holy God requires valuable, unblemished sacrifices, reflecting the worshiper's sincere devotion. The burnt offering itself, as seen in Numbers 7:27, embodies the theme of total dedication and atonement, where the entire offering ascends to God, symbolizing complete surrender and the covering of sin. These themes collectively underscore the foundational principles of Israel's covenant relationship with Yahweh.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • bullock (Hebrew, par', H6499): From a root meaning "to break forth in wild strength," this term refers to a young male bovine, typically used for sacrifice. Its inclusion signifies a valuable and substantial offering, reflecting the importance and solemnity of the Tabernacle's dedication.
  • lamb (Hebrew, kebes', H3532): Derived from an unused root meaning "to dominate," this refers to a ram just old enough to butt, typically a male sheep within its first year. The specification of a lamb emphasizes its youth, purity, and lack of blemish, which were crucial requirements for sacrificial animals in the Mosaic Law, symbolizing an offering free from defect.
  • burnt offering (Hebrew, ʻôlâh', H5930): From the root עָלָה (ʻâlâh), meaning "to ascend" or "to go up." This term denotes a sacrifice where the entire animal (excluding the hide, which went to the priest) was completely consumed by fire on the altar. It symbolized the worshiper's total dedication and devotion to God, and it also served as a general atonement for sin, ascending to God as a "pleasing aroma" (Leviticus 1:9).

Verse Breakdown

  • "One young bullock": This phrase specifies a male bovine, indicating a costly and significant animal. Its presence underscores the immense value placed on the dedication of the Tabernacle and the seriousness with which the people approached God, offering their best.
  • "one ram": A ram, a male sheep, was another valuable and commonly utilized animal within the sacrificial system. Its inclusion alongside the bullock further emphasizes the generosity and completeness of the offering presented to the Lord, reflecting a desire for comprehensive dedication.
  • "one lamb of the first year": The precise specification "of the first year" highlights the critical requirement for an unblemished, pure, and prime animal, free from any defects or imperfections. This detail underscores the divine standard for offerings—only the best and most perfect were acceptable to a holy God.
  • "for a burnt offering": This concluding phrase clarifies the purpose of these animals. They were designated for the olah sacrifice, which profoundly symbolized complete surrender, unwavering devotion, and general atonement for sin. The entire consumption of these animals by fire on the altar visually represented the worshiper's total dedication and the ascent of the offering to God.

Literary Devices

The passage in Numbers 7, including verse 27, prominently features Repetition as a primary literary device. The exact listing of offerings is repeated verbatim for each of the twelve tribal leaders over twelve consecutive days. This extensive repetition serves to emphasize the unity of the tribes in their worship, their collective obedience to God's precise commands, and the comprehensive nature of the Tabernacle's dedication, ensuring no tribe was excluded or given special preference. This meticulous enumeration also highlights the divine order and the importance of adherence to prescribed ritual. Furthermore, Symbolism is inherent in the animals themselves; the bullock, ram, and lamb symbolize value, strength, and purity, respectively, while the act of the burnt offering symbolizes complete surrender, atonement, and a pleasing ascent to God. The detailed Enumeration of each item in the offering underscores the meticulousness required in worship and the abundance of the offerings brought by the leaders.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

The burnt offering, as exemplified in Numbers 7:27, profoundly communicates the theological truth that approaching a holy God requires complete dedication and a costly sacrifice for atonement. It highlights humanity's inherent need for reconciliation with God and God's gracious provision for that reconciliation through a prescribed system of worship. The meticulous detail and the value of the animals underscore that true worship is not casual but demands our very best, reflecting a heart fully surrendered to the Lord. This Old Testament practice, while part of a temporary covenant, points forward to the ultimate and perfect sacrifice that would fully and finally accomplish what these animal offerings could only foreshadow, demonstrating God's consistent plan for redemption.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The detailed account of the burnt offering in Numbers 7:27, and indeed the entire chapter, serves as a powerful reminder of the principles that should govern our worship and dedication to God today. While we no longer offer animal sacrifices, the underlying call to complete surrender and the offering of our "best" remains profoundly relevant. The burnt offering symbolized total devotion—nothing held back, everything given to God. This challenges us to examine areas of our lives where we might be holding back from God, whether it's our time, talents, resources, or even our deepest desires and fears. True worship is not merely a Sunday activity but a lifestyle of intentional, obedient, and wholehearted dedication, mirroring the completeness of the ancient burnt offering. It calls us to live as "living sacrifices," continually presenting ourselves to God in response to His immeasurable grace and the completed work of Christ, striving for a life of unreserved devotion that honors Him in every sphere.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the concept of "complete dedication" (symbolized by the burnt offering) manifest in my daily life and walk with God?
  • In what specific areas of my life might I be holding back from offering my "best" to God, and what steps can I take to surrender them more fully?
  • How does understanding the meticulousness and costliness of Old Testament worship inform my approach to Christian worship, service, and giving today?

FAQ

Why are the offerings for each tribe identical in Numbers 7?

Answer: The identical offerings from each tribal leader emphasize unity and equality among the tribes before God. It underscores that all of Israel, regardless of tribal distinction, was equally responsible for and participated in the consecration of the Tabernacle. This repetition also highlights God's precise and unchanging requirements for worship, demonstrating the importance of obedience to His divine pattern rather than individual preferences or innovations. It signifies a collective act of national dedication and adherence to the covenant, ensuring every tribe was equally invested in the establishment of God's dwelling place among them.

What was the primary purpose of the burnt offering in the Old Testament sacrificial system?

Answer: The burnt offering (olah) was a fundamental sacrifice with a dual purpose. Primarily, it was an act of complete dedication and devotion to God, symbolizing the worshiper's total surrender and commitment. The entire animal (except the hide) was consumed by fire, signifying that the offering "ascended" to God as a pleasing aroma. Secondarily, it served as a general atonement for sin, making atonement for the worshiper so they might be accepted by God. It was a voluntary offering, expressing a desire for reconciliation and fellowship with the Lord, and it was a foundational element of the covenant relationship between God and Israel, as detailed in Leviticus 1.

How does this Old Testament sacrifice relate to New Testament believers and the Christian faith?

Answer: The Old Testament sacrificial system, including the burnt offering, was a shadow pointing to the reality found in Jesus Christ. These sacrifices could not permanently take away sin but served to highlight the need for a perfect sacrifice. In the New Testament, Jesus is presented as the ultimate and perfect sacrifice who fulfilled all the Old Testament types. His death on the cross was a once-for-all offering that truly atones for sin and reconciles humanity to God. For New Testament believers, the call is no longer to offer animal sacrifices but to present their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, in response to Christ's finished work. This transformation from external ritual to internal devotion is a hallmark of the New Covenant.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The meticulous detail of the burnt offering in Numbers 7:27, with its requirements for a "young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year," finds its profound and ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. These animals, chosen for their value, purity, and lack of blemish, foreshadow the perfect, unblemished Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Just as the burnt offering symbolized complete devotion and general atonement, Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate act of total surrender to the Father's will, a perfect offering consumed by divine wrath on our behalf. Unlike the repetitive animal sacrifices that could never truly take away sins, Christ's single, perfect offering perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. He is the great High Priest who offered Himself, not the blood of animals, to secure an eternal redemption. Through His finished work, we are granted direct access to God, no longer needing animal sacrifices but approaching through the new and living way opened by His blood. The call for believers now is to live lives of complete dedication and worship, reflecting the perfect offering made on our behalf, as a fragrant aroma to God.

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Commentary on Numbers 7 verses 10–89

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

We have here an account of the great solemnity of dedicating the altars, both that of burnt-offerings and that of incense; they had been sanctified before, when they were anointed (Lev 8:10, Lev 8:11), but now they were handselled, as it were, by the princes, with their free-will offerings. They began the use of them with rich presents, great expressions of joy and gladness, and extraordinary respect to those tokens of God's presence with them. Now observe here,

I. That the princes and great men were first and forwardest in the service of God. Those that are entitled to precedency should go before in good works, and that is true honour. Here is an example to the nobility and gentry, those that are in authority and of the first rank in their country; they ought to improve their honour and power, their estate and interest, for the promoting of religion, and the service of God, in the places where they live. It is justly expected that those who have more than others should do more good than others with what they have, else they are unfaithful stewards, and will not make up their account with joy. Nay, great men must not only with their wealth and power assist and protect those that serve God, but they must make conscience of being devout and religious themselves, and employing themselves in the exercises of piety, which will greatly redound to the honour of God (Psa 138:4, Psa 138:5), and have a good influence upon others, who will be the more easily persuaded to acts of devotion when they see them thus brought into reputation. It is certain that the greatest of men is less than the least of the ordinances of God; nor are the meanest services of religion any disparagement to those that make the greatest figure in the world.

II. The offerings they brought were very rich and valuable, so rich that some think there was not so great a difference in estate between them and others as that they were able to bear the expense of them themselves, but that the heads of each tribe contributed to the offering which their prince brought.

1.They brought some things to remain for standing service, twelve large silver dishes, each about sixty ounces weight, as many large silver cups, or bowls, of about thirty-five ounces - the former to be used for the meat-offerings, the latter for the drink-offerings - the former for the flesh of the sacrifices, the latter for the blood. The latter was God's table (as it were), and it was fit that so great a King should be served in plate. The golden spoons being filled with incense were intended, it is probable, for the service of the golden altar, for both the altars were anointed at the same time. Note, In works of piety and charity we ought to be generous according as our ability is. He that is the best should be served with the best we have. The Israelites indeed might well afford to part with their gold and silver in abundance to the service of the sanctuary, for they needed it not to buy meat and victual their camp, being daily fed with bread from heaven; nor did they need it to buy land, or pay their army, for they were shortly to be put in possession of Canaan.

2.They brought some things to be used immediately, offerings of each sort, burnt-offerings, sin-offerings, and a great many peace-offerings (on part of which they were to feast with their friends), and the meat-offerings that were to be annexed to them. Hereby they signified their thankful acceptance of, and cheerful submission to, all those laws concerning the sacrifices which God had lately by Moses delivered to them. And, though it was a time of joy and rejoicing, yet it is observable that still in the midst of their sacrifices we find a sin-offering. Since in our best services we are conscious to ourselves that there is a mixture of sin, it is fit that there should be even in our most joyful services a mixture of repentance. In all our approaches to God, we must by faith have an eye to Christ as the great sin-offering, and make mention of him.

3.They brought their offerings each on a separate day, in the order that they had been lately put into, so that the solemnity lasted twelve days. So God appointed (Num 7:11): They shall bring their offering, each prince on his day, and so they did. One sabbath must needs fall within the twelve days, if not two, but it should seem they did not intermit on the sabbath, for it was holy work, proper enough for a holy day. God appointed that it should thus be done on several days, (1.) That solemnity might be prolonged, and so might be universally taken notice of by all Israel, and the remembrance of it more effectually preserved. (2.) That an equal honour might thereby be put upon each tribe respectively; in Aaron's breast-plate each had his precious stone, so in this offering each had his day. (3.) Thus it would be done more decently and in order; God's work should not be done confusedly, and in a hurry; take time, and we shall have done the sooner, or at least we shall have done the better. (4.) God hereby signified how much pleased he is, and how much pleased we should be, with the exercises of piety and devotion. The repetition of them should be a continual pleasure to us, and we must not be weary of well doing. If extraordinary service be required to be done for twelve days together, we must not shrink from it, nor call it a task and a burden. (5.) The priests and Levites, having this occasion to offer the same sacrifices, and those some of every sort, every day, for so many days together, would have their hands well set in, and would be well versed in the laws concerning them. (6.) The peace-offerings were all to be eaten the same day they were offered, and two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs, were enough for one day's festival; had there been more, especially if all had been brought on one day, there might have been danger of excess. The virtue of temperance must not be left, under pretence of the religion of feasting.

4.All their offerings were exactly the same, without any variation, though it is probable that neither the princes nor the tribes were all alike rich; but thus it was intimated that all the tribes of Israel had an equal share in the altar, and an equal interest in the sacrifices that were offered upon it. Though one tribe was posted more honourably in the camp than another, yet they and their services were all alike acceptable to God. Nor must we have faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect to persons, Jam 2:1.

5.Nahshon, the prince of the tribe of Judah, offered first, because God had given that tribe the first post of honour in the camp; and the rest of the tribes acquiesced, and offered in the same order in which God had appointed them to encamp. Judah, of which tribe Christ came, first, and then the rest; thus, in the dedication of souls to God, every man is presented in his own order, Christ the first-fruits, Co1 15:23. Some observe that Nahshon is the only one that is not expressly called a prince (Num 7:12), which the Jews give this account of: he is not called a prince, that he might not be puffed up because he offered first; and all the others are called princes because they (though some of them of the elder house) submitted, and offered after him. Or, because the title of prince of Judah did more properly belong to Christ, for unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

6.Though the offerings were all the same, yet the account of them is repeated at large for each tribe, in the same words. We are sure there are no vain repetitions in scripture; what then shall we make of these repetitions? Might it not have served to say of this noble jury that the same offering which their foreman brought each on his day brought likewise? No, God would have it specified for each tribe: and why so? (1.) It was for the encouragement of these princes, and of their respective tribes, that each of their offerings being recorded at large no slight might seem to be put upon them; for rich and poor meet together before God. (2.) It was for the encouragement of all generous acts of piety and charity, by letting us know that what is so given is lent to the Lord, and he carefully records it, with every one's name prefixed to his gift, because what is so given he will pay again, and even a cup of cold water shall have its reward. He is not unrighteous, to forget either the cost or the labour of love, Heb 6:10. We find Christ taking particular notice of what was cast into the treasury, Mar 12:41. Though what is offered be but little, though it be a contribution to the charity of others, yet if it be according to our ability it shall be recorded, that it may be recompensed in the resurrection of the just.

7.The sum total is added at the foot of the account (Num 7:84-88), to show how much God was pleased with the mention of his freewill-offerings, and what a great deal they amounted to in the whole, when every prince brought in his quota! How greatly would the sanctuary of God be enriched and beautified if all would in their places do their part towards it, by exemplary purity and devotion, extensive charity, and universal usefulness!

8.God signified his gracious acceptance of these presents that were brought him, by speaking familiarly to Moses, as a man speaks to his friend, from off the mercy-seat (Num 7:89, Num 12:8); and in speaking to him he did in effect speak to all Israel, showing them this token for good, Psa 103:7. Note, By this we may know that God hears and accepts our prayers if he gives us grace to hear and receive his word, for thus our communion with him is maintained and kept up. I know not why we may not suppose that upon each of the days on which these offerings were brought (probably while the priests and offerers were feasting upon the peace-offerings) Moses was in the tabernacle, receiving some of those laws and orders which we have already met with in this and the foregoing book. And here the excellent bishop Patrick observes that God's speaking to Moses thus by an audible articulate voice, as if he had been clothed with a holy body, might be looked upon as an earnest of the incarnation of the Son of God in the fulness of time, when the Word should be made flesh, and speak in the language of the sons of men. For, however God at sundry times and in divers manners spoke unto the fathers, he has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. And that he who now spoke to Moses, as the shechinah or divine Majesty, from between the cherubim, was the eternal Word, the second person in the Trinity, was the pious conjecture of many of the ancients; for all God's communion with man is by his Son, by whom he made the world, and rules the church, and who is the same yesterday, today, and for ever.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–89. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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