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Numbers 15:5

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And the fourth [part] of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb.

And the fourth {H7243} part of an hin {H1969} of wine {H3196} for a drink offering {H5262} shalt thou prepare {H6213} with the burnt offering {H5930} or sacrifice {H2077}, for one {H259} lamb {H3532}.

and one quart of wine for the drink offering. This is what you are to prepare with the burnt offering or for each lamb sacrificed.

With the burnt offering or sacrifice of each lamb, you are to prepare a quarter hin of wine as a drink offering.

and wine for the drink-offering, the fourth part of a hin, shalt thou prepare with the burnt-offering, or for the sacrifice, for each lamb.

Commentary

Numbers 15:5 details a specific requirement for the accompanying drink offering within the Mosaic Law, emphasizing the meticulous nature of worship prescribed by God. This verse specifies the amount of wine to be offered alongside a burnt offering or sacrifice involving one lamb.

Context

This verse is part of a larger section in Numbers 15 (Numbers 15:1-16) that provides supplementary laws concerning the offerings brought by the Israelites in the wilderness. While previous books like Leviticus detailed the primary sacrifices (burnt offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings), Numbers 15 outlines the specific grain offerings and drink offerings that were to accompany these animal sacrifices. This particular verse focuses on the quantity of wine—a "fourth part of an hin"—required when offering a single lamb, highlighting the precise and complete nature of worship expected at the Tabernacle.

Key Themes

  • Completeness in Worship: God's instructions were comprehensive, requiring not just the main animal sacrifice but also specific accompanying elements like grain and wine. This teaches that true worship involves offering all that God requires, leaving no part incomplete. It underscores the importance of obedience and attention to divine detail.
  • Dedication and Consecration: The drink offering, poured out before the Lord, symbolized a complete dedication and surrender. It was an act of giving back to God from the fruit of the land, acknowledging His provision and sovereignty.
  • Anticipation of the Land: Many of the laws in Numbers 15 begin with "When ye be come into the land of your habitations," indicating that these comprehensive offering laws were not just for the wilderness but for their settled life in Canaan, where agricultural products like wine would be abundant.

Linguistic Insights

The term "hin" refers to a liquid measure in ancient Israel, roughly equivalent to 1 gallon or 3.7 liters. Therefore, "the fourth part of an hin" would be approximately 1 quart or 0.95 liters. The Hebrew word for "drink offering" is nesek (נֶסֶךְ), which literally means "a pouring out." This action of pouring out the wine before the Lord signified a complete devotion and dedication, a liquid act of worship accompanying the blood sacrifice.

Practical Application

While the specific ritual of offering wine for a drink offering is no longer practiced today, the underlying principles remain vital. This verse reminds believers of the importance of holistic worship and giving our best to God. Our spiritual "offerings"—our time, talents, resources, and very lives—should be given completely and with a spirit of dedication, not just in part. The meticulousness of these Old Testament laws points forward to the perfect and complete sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:10), who fulfilled all the requirements of the law, making our access to God through faith in Him complete and sufficient.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Numbers 28:14 (5 votes)

    And their drink offerings shall be half an hin of wine unto a bullock, and the third [part] of an hin unto a ram, and a fourth [part] of an hin unto a lamb: this [is] the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year.

  • Numbers 28:7 (5 votes)

    And the drink offering thereof [shall be] the fourth [part] of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy [place] shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the LORD [for] a drink offering.

  • Song Of Solomon 1:4 (2 votes)

    Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

  • Philippians 2:17 (2 votes)

    Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.

  • 2 Timothy 4:6 (2 votes)

    For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

  • Judges 9:13 (2 votes)

    And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

  • Zechariah 9:17 (2 votes)

    For how great [is] his goodness, and how great [is] his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.