The big picture
The calendar of offerings continues for Israel, the people getting ready for life in God's promised land. Moses, their leader, has received the daily, weekly and early festival duties. The seventh month now brings a trumpet day, a day of humbling themselves before God, and a long feast with changing daily totals. Special worship adds to the normal daily gifts. The gifts people freely promise still have their own place in these rules.
In this chapter
- Trumpets Mark the Month's First Day Numbers 29:1-6
The first day of the seventh month is a sacred gathering marked by trumpet blasts.
- A Day for Humbling Themselves Numbers 29:7-11
On the tenth day of the seventh month, the people gather and humble themselves before God.
- The Seven Day Feast Opens Numbers 29:12-16
The fifteenth day begins a seven-day feast to God, with a sacred assembly and rest from ordinary work.
- The Bull Count Decreases Each Day Numbers 29:17-34
From the second through the seventh day, the number of bulls falls by one each day, from twelve to seven.
- An Eighth Day Closes the Gathering Numbers 29:35-38
The week of feasting leads to one more day together.
- Set Festivals Do Not Replace Promises Numbers 29:39-40
These required gifts belong to the set feasts.
Central truth
The seventh month brings feasts and solemn days, with gifts that add to daily worship and the gifts people have freely promised.
Scripture beside the summary
Numbers · King James Version · 40Numbers 29:1-6
Trumpets Mark the Month's First Day
The first day of the seventh month is a sacred gathering marked by trumpet blasts. Ordinary work stops. Israel offers one bull, one ram and seven unblemished lambs with their grain offerings, plus a goat for sin. These are added to both the new month's offering and the daily offering, with the required drink offerings. Several duties therefore fall on one date. Each duty still counts on its own. The special trumpet day does not take the place of the other worship already due.
In everyday life
A bell ringer checks three entries beside one date: the daily practice, the monthly maintenance and a special civic peal. The special event adds work instead of cancelling the regular duties. He lays out the schedule so none is forgotten. Israel's duties concern gifts required by God, not a bell tower's programme.
Notice
Numbers 29:6 The trumpet day's gifts are additional to both monthly and daily offerings. Several duties fall on one date. They remain distinct, so one gift does not replace all the others.
Numbers 29:1-6
King James Version1And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.
2And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish:
3And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram,
4And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs:
5And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you:
6Beside the burnt offering of the month, and his meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, and their drink offerings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.
Numbers 29:7-11
A Day for Humbling Themselves
On the tenth day of the seventh month, the people gather and humble themselves before God. They must not work. The offerings include a bull, a ram and seven unblemished lambs, with flour and oil in their stated amounts. A goat for sin is added to the special atonement offering and the regular daily gifts. The day joins restraint with worship that addresses guilt. Atonement deals with guilt before God. This list adds to that day's separate rites. It does not explain all those rites again.
In everyday life
A peace group arrives for a day of silence and thought, leaving routine work outside the meeting room. They listen to accounts of harm and admit what needs to be put right. The day is quite different from a celebration. Israel offers gifts that God has required to deal with guilt. This meeting brings people together to repair harm.
Notice
Numbers 29:11 The listed goat does not replace the separate sin offering of atonement. The command keeps the gifts distinct even when they belong to the same solemn day.
Numbers 29:7-11
King James Version7And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein:
8But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD for a sweet savour; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you without blemish:
9And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals to a bullock, and two tenth deals to one ram,
10A several tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs:
11One kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering of it, and their drink offerings.
Numbers 29:12-16
The Seven Day Feast Opens
The fifteenth day begins a seven-day feast to God, with a sacred assembly and rest from ordinary work. The first day's burnt offerings are thirteen bulls, two rams and fourteen unblemished lambs. Each animal receives the stated amount of flour and oil. A goat for sin is also offered, alongside the daily burnt offering and its grain and drink portions. This large number starts a set pattern for the days ahead. People bring costly gifts as they keep the feast. They also deal with guilt before God. Rest from work is only part of the day.
In everyday life
A festival quartermaster opens the first day's supply book. She sets aside extra stock for the start, plus the normal supplies for each day. The celebration needs careful plans as well as eager guests. She checks every category before the gates open. Israel's feast presents burnt gifts to God rather than supplies for a public show.
Notice
Numbers 29:13 The opening day requires thirteen bulls, more than later days. The detailed number starts a descending pattern while the rams and lambs remain constant.
Numbers 29:12-16
King James Version12And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days:
13And ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish:
14And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams,
15And a several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen lambs:
16And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Numbers 29:17-34
The Bull Count Decreases Each Day
From the second through the seventh day, the number of bulls falls by one each day, from twelve to seven. Every day still includes two rams, fourteen unblemished lambs and one goat for sin. Grain and drink offerings follow the number of animals, and the normal daily offering continues. Some details change. Other parts stay the same through all the days. The feast is not an unplanned flow of gifts; each day has its own count within the same larger pattern of worship before God.
In everyday life
The landscape contractor reads a week's plan. Fewer large trees arrive each day. The same number of shrubs and support stakes is still due. She checks each day's list instead of assuming yesterday's counts still apply. The changing total requires attention. Numbers orders sacrificial worship, not the work of planting a park.
Notice
Numbers 29:32 The seventh day still requires the same rams and lambs, though fewer bulls. The pattern changes one part of the offering while keeping other parts stable.
Numbers 29:17-34
King James Version17And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:
18And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
19And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering thereof, and their drink offerings.
20And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish;
21And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
22And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
23And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
24Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
25And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
26And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:
27And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
28And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
29And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
30And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
31And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
32And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
33And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
34And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Numbers 29:35-38
An Eighth Day Closes the Gathering
The week of feasting leads to one more day together. The people hold a solemn meeting and stop their normal work. They bring seven lambs, a single bull and a ram as burnt gifts. All the animals must be free from flaws. Grain and drink portions go with them in the set amounts. A goat is also given for sin, while the daily gifts continue. This final meeting has its own requirements. The end of the feast has a place in the worship God commands.
In everyday life
A music retreat organiser schedules a final quiet gathering after a week of full programmes. The small closing event needs its own plans. It brings everyone together before they leave for home. Ending well requires more than letting the last busy day trail off. Israel's eighth day is prescribed worship with sacrifices, not an organiser's preference.
Notice
Numbers 29:35 The eighth day is named separately after the seven-day feast. Its own assembly and offering give the close a distinct place in the calendar.
Numbers 29:35-38
King James Version35On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly: ye shall do no servile work therein:
36But ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: one bullock, one ram, seven lambs of the first year without blemish:
37Their 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:
38And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Numbers 29:39-40
Set Festivals Do Not Replace Promises
These required gifts belong to the set feasts. They come on top of the people's vows and freely chosen gifts, including burnt, grain, drink and peace offerings. Moses tells Israel everything God has commanded. The public dates do not cancel each person's promise. A freely chosen gift does not replace the fixed duties either. Both belong within the worship God orders. Moses passes on all these rules. The people receive a clear pattern for their worship. They are not told to invent the duties themselves.
In everyday life
The animal shelter donor pays her regular membership share and separately fulfils the extra kennel repair she promised. Neither payment erases the other because they arose from different commitments. She keeps both receipts instead of counting one gift twice. Israel's duties are offerings to God, not the financial rules of a charity.
Notice
Numbers 29:39 Vows and voluntary gifts remain separate from the fixed festival offerings. The shared calendar does not absorb promises an individual has freely chosen to make.
Numbers 29:39-40
King James Version39These things ye shall do unto the LORD in your set feasts, beside your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.
40And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the LORD commanded Moses.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Numbers 29:1 begins with “And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the…”
Where the chapter turns
Numbers 29:8 forms a natural hinge: “But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD for a sweet savour; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you…”
The final note
Numbers 29:40 leaves the reader with “And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the LORD commanded Moses.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words offering, meat, lambs, drink, burnt, offerings help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
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.
