The big picture
Moses, the leader of Israel, receives rules for the people's gifts to God. Israel, the people awaiting their promised land, must offer lambs twice each day. Other gifts mark the Sabbath, their weekly day of rest, and each new month. The rules also set out days for feasts and fresh harvest gifts. These special dates do not cancel the daily lambs. Shared worship has both a steady daily place and larger events through the year.
In this chapter
- Lambs Are Offered Morning and Evening Numbers 28:1-8
Offerings must be brought to God at their proper times.
- The Sabbath Adds Its Own Offering Numbers 28:9-10
The Sabbath has two more lambs as burnt offerings.
- Each New Month Has Offerings Numbers 28:11-15
Each month starts with a burnt offering of bulls, a ram and lambs.
- Passover Begins a Week of Worship Numbers 28:16-25
Passover comes on day fourteen of the first month.
- Firstfruits Mark the Harvest Gift Numbers 28:26-31
At the end of the weeks comes the day of firstfruits.
Central truth
God orders Israel's worship through daily offerings and added observances that mark weeks, months, remembrance and the first produce of harvest.
Scripture beside the summary
Numbers · King James Version · 31Numbers 28:1-8
Lambs Are Offered Morning and Evening
Offerings must be brought to God at their proper times. Two lambs a year old must be given each day. Neither is to have a flaw. One is burned in the morning and one in the evening. Flour mixed with oil comes with each lamb. Wine is also poured out in the holy place. This regular burnt offering began at mount Sinai. The evening gift follows the same rule as the morning one. Both parts of the day have their own act of worship.
In everyday life
A monastery cook lights the stove before dawn and again before the evening meal, keeping the house's daily rhythm while larger events come and go. The repeated work gives shape to ordinary days. Special gatherings do not remove it. Israel's daily rhythm centres on commanded animal sacrifices, not preparing meals for a community.
Notice
Numbers 28:4 Morning and evening each receive a lamb. The command gives worship two fixed places in the ordinary day rather than leaving it only to special occasions.
Numbers 28:1-8
King James Version1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.
3And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.
4The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even;
5And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil.
6It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.
7And 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.
8And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
Numbers 28:9-10
The Sabbath Adds Its Own Offering
The Sabbath has two more lambs as burnt offerings. Both must be a year old and free from flaws. Flour mixed with oil goes with them, along with a drink offering. These gifts belong to the weekly rest day. They do not take the place of either daily lamb. The usual gifts still have to be brought as well. A special day brings an extra duty of worship. The people keep the daily pattern while adding what God requires for the Sabbath.
In everyday life
The hotel pianist prepares a special Sunday programme while keeping the regular opening and closing pieces. The weekly occasion has an added form without erasing what the audience hears every day. He marks both parts on the music stand. Sabbath offerings honour God's appointed rest day, not a hotel's entertainment schedule.
Notice
Numbers 28:10 The Sabbath gift is explicitly additional to the daily offering. A special observance does not cancel the ordinary service already required for that day.
Numbers 28:9-10
King James Version9And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof:
10This is the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
Numbers 28:11-15
Each New Month Has Offerings
Each month starts with a burnt offering of bulls, a ram and lambs. There must be two young bulls and seven lambs without flaws. Each animal has its own measure of flour mixed with oil. The wine portions also differ according to the kind of animal. A goat is brought as a sin offering to God. Alongside all these gifts, the usual daily service still takes place. The new month thus brings a larger act of worship with exact amounts to prepare.
In everyday life
A canal keeper turns the calendar page and performs the monthly lock inspection alongside the checks he completes every morning. He carries both lists because one schedule does not replace the other. The new month adds a duty to an existing rhythm. Israel marks time through worship and sacrifice rather than mechanical inspection.
Notice
Numbers 28:14 A bull has more wine assigned to it than a ram or lamb. The amounts are tied to each animal, not poured from one shared total.
Numbers 28:11-15
King James Version11And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot;
12And three tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one ram;
13And a several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a meat offering unto one lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.
14And 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.
15And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the LORD shall be offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
Numbers 28:16-25
Passover Begins a Week of Worship
Passover comes on day fourteen of the first month. A feast starts the next day and lasts a week. Throughout that week, the people eat bread made without yeast. They gather for worship on the first and last days and stop normal work. Each day brings two bulls, a ram and seven lambs without flaws. Flour and oil go with them. A goat is offered to deal with sin before God. These feast gifts are added while the daily offerings continue.
In everyday life
The family historian opens a week of memorial gatherings with an evening meal, then keeps a programme of visits and shared readings through the final day. Relatives arrange leave for the opening and closing meetings. Remembrance takes time as well as words. Israel's feast is commanded by God and includes sacrifices for sin.
Notice
Numbers 28:24 The festival offerings recur throughout all seven days. The week has a sustained pattern of worship while the normal daily offering continues beside it.
Numbers 28:16-25
King James Version16And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD.
17And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.
18In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein:
19But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish:
20And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil: three tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram;
21A several tenth deal shalt thou offer for every lamb, throughout the seven lambs:
22And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you.
23Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.
24After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
25And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work.
Numbers 28:26-31
Firstfruits Mark the Harvest Gift
At the end of the weeks comes the day of firstfruits. The people bring a fresh grain offering from their new harvest. They gather before God and set aside their normal work. Their burnt gifts include two bulls, one ram and seven lambs. None is to have a flaw. Flour mixed with oil goes with each animal in the set amounts. A goat is given to make atonement, dealing with guilt before God. These harvest gifts come with the regular daily service and drink offerings.
In everyday life
A beekeeper lifts the first filled comb of the season and carries a portion to the neighbours who helped preserve the hives through winter. She pauses the usual work to mark what the season has produced. The first yield becomes an occasion for thanks. Israel's firstfruits festival is a required gathering before God.
Notice
Numbers 28:26 The grain offering is described as new, tying the day to fresh harvest produce. Worship marks the arrival of food, not only events of danger or loss.
Numbers 28:26-31
King James Version26Also in the day of the firstfruits, when ye bring a new meat offering unto the LORD, after your weeks be out, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work:
27But ye shall offer the burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of the first year;
28And their meat offering of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto one bullock, two tenth deals unto one ram,
29A several tenth deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven lambs;
30And one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you.
31Ye shall offer them beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, (they shall be unto you without blemish) and their drink offerings.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Numbers 28:1 begins with “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”
Where the chapter turns
Numbers 28:19 forms a natural hinge: “But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they…”
The final note
Numbers 28:31 leaves the reader with “Ye shall offer them beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, (they shall be unto you without blemish) and their drink offerings.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words offering, burnt, offer, LORD, meat, tenth help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thou
- you
- spake
- spoke
Music and video connected to the passage
Related media appears when its Scripture reference overlaps this study. Music and video can illuminate a theme while the biblical text remains the foundation.
