Numbers 7:39

One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

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}:

one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering,

one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

one young bullock, one ram, one he-lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering;

Commentary

Numbers 7:39 provides a specific detail within the extensive account of the dedication offerings brought by the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel for the newly constructed Tabernacle. This particular verse describes the burnt offering component of the gifts presented by Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur, the leader of the tribe of Manasseh. The repetition of these detailed lists throughout Numbers chapter 7 underscores the meticulous nature of Israelite worship and the importance of complete dedication to God.

Context of Numbers 7:39

Chapter 7 of Numbers immediately follows the completion and anointing of the Tabernacle and its furnishings, as commanded by God (see Numbers 7:1). For twelve consecutive days, each tribal leader presented an identical set of offerings. Numbers 7:39 is part of the description of the offering brought on the seventh day. These offerings were not merely gifts but essential acts of worship, consecrating the Tabernacle for divine service and demonstrating the unity of the tribes in their devotion to the Lord.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Dedication and Consecration: The entire chapter, including this verse, highlights the profound act of dedicating the Tabernacle as the dwelling place of God among His people. It signifies the consecration of holy space and the readiness of Israel to worship according to divine command.
  • Worship and Sacrifice: The detailed enumeration of animals for the burnt offering—a young bullock, a ram, and a lamb of the first year—emphasizes the prescribed forms of worship and the centrality of sacrifice in Old Testament covenant relations. Each animal had specific significance and was required to be unblemished.
  • Atonement and Acceptance: The burnt offering (Hebrew: 'olah, meaning "that which ascends") was entirely consumed on the altar, symbolizing complete surrender and dedication to God. It also served as a general atonement for sin, making the worshiper acceptable before the Lord. This foreshadows the ultimate, perfect sacrifice.
  • God's Specific Instructions: The precision with which these offerings are described reflects God's meticulous requirements for worship. It teaches that approaching a holy God demands adherence to His revealed will, not human invention.

Linguistic Insights

The term "burnt offering" translates the Hebrew word 'olah (עֹלָה), which literally means "that which ascends" or "goes up." This refers to the smoke of the sacrifice ascending to God, signifying a complete surrender or dedication, as the entire animal (except for the hide in some cases) was consumed by fire on the altar. The animals specified—"young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year"—were standard sacrificial animals, chosen for their purity and unblemished state, representing the best of the flock or herd.

Practical Application

While Christians are no longer required to offer animal sacrifices, Numbers 7:39 and the broader context of Tabernacle dedication offer timeless principles for worship and spiritual life. Our worship should be intentional, offering our "best" to God, not just leftovers. The concept of the burnt offering points us to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, whose single offering provides complete and final atonement for sin (Hebrews 10:10-14). Our spiritual "burnt offering" today involves presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1), characterized by total devotion and obedience.

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Cross-References

  • Exodus 12:5 (2 votes)

    Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take [it] out from the sheep, or from the goats:

  • Acts 8:32 (2 votes)

    The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

  • Revelation 5:6 (2 votes)

    ¶ And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

  • John 1:29 (2 votes)

    ¶ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

  • 1 Peter 1:19 (2 votes)

    But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: