Numbers Chapter 28 — Offerings and Feasts
Numbers 28 outlines the specific schedule and requirements for various offerings and sacrifices that the Israelites were to present to God throughout the year.
1The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2“Command the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘See that you present my offering, my food for my offerings made by fire, as a pleasant aroma to me, in their due season.’
3You shall tell them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the LORD: male lambs a year old without defect, two day by day, for a continual burnt offering.
4You shall offer the one lamb in the morning, and you shall offer the other lamb at evening,
5with one tenth of an ephah*1 ephah is about 22 liters or about 2/3 of a bushel of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with the fourth part of a hin†A hin is about 6.5 liters or 1.7 gallons. of beaten oil.
6It is a continual burnt offering which was ordained in Mount Sinai for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.
7Its drink offering shall be the fourth part of a hin‡One hin is about 6.5 liters, so 1/4 hin is about 1.6 liters or 1.7 quarts. for each lamb. You shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD in the holy place.
8The other lamb you shall offer at evening. As the meal offering of the morning, and as its drink offering, you shall offer it, an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to the LORD.
9“ ‘On the Sabbath day, you shall offer two male lambs a year old without defect, and two tenths of an ephah§1 ephah is about 22 liters or about 2/3 of a bushel of fine flour for a meal offering mixed with oil, and its drink offering:
10this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.
11“ ‘In the beginnings of your months, you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without defect,
12and three tenths of an ephah*1 ephah is about 22 liters or about 2/3 of a bushel of fine flour for a meal offering mixed with oil, for each bull; and two tenth parts of fine flour for a meal offering mixed with oil, for the one ram;
13and one tenth part of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering to every lamb, as a burnt offering of a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.
14Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, the third part of a hin for the ram, and the fourth part of a hin for a lamb. This is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year.
15Also, one male goat for a sin offering to the LORD shall be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.
16“ ‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is the LORD’s Passover.
17On the fifteenth day of this month shall be a feast. Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days.
18In the first day shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work,
19but you shall offer an offering made by fire, a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old. They shall be without defect,
20with their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil. You shall offer three tenths for a bull, and two tenths for the ram.
21You shall offer one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs;
22and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you.
23You shall offer these in addition to the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.
24In this way you shall offer daily, for seven days, the food of the offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD. It shall be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.
25On the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work.
26“ ‘Also in the day of the first fruits, when you offer a new meal offering to the LORD in your feast of weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work;
27but you shall offer a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old;
28and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths for each bull, two tenths for the one ram,
29one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs;
30and one male goat, to make atonement for you.
31Besides the continual burnt offering and its meal offering, you shall offer them and their drink offerings. See that they are without defect.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Numbers 28:2
“Command the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘See that you present my offering, my food for my offerings made by fire, as a pleasant aroma to me, in their due season.’”
This verse establishes the divine command for regular and timely offerings as a central part of Israelite worship.
Numbers 28:10
“this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.”
It clarifies that special holy day sacrifices were to be offered alongside, not instead of, the regular daily sacrifices.
Chapter Summary
Numbers 28 provides a comprehensive schedule for communal offerings presented to the Lord. It begins with the requirements for the daily burnt offerings—one lamb in the morning and one in the evening—along with grain and drink offerings. The chapter then specifies the additional sacrifices for the Sabbath and the New Moon celebrations. Furthermore, it details the offerings for the major annual feasts, specifically the Feast of Unleavened Bread following Passover and the Feast of Weeks, also known as the Day of First Fruits. For each occasion, the text defines the number of animals required—including bulls, rams, and lambs—the specific measurements for grain offerings mixed with oil, and the necessary drink offerings. These rituals were established to maintain a regular cycle of worship and atonement, emphasizing that these offerings must be without defect and presented at their appointed times to ensure they are a pleasant aroma to the Lord.
Frequently Asked Questions
The daily offering consists of two male lambs, a year old and without defect. One lamb is offered in the morning and the other in the evening, accompanied by a grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil and a drink offering.
This chapter specifies the offerings for the Sabbath, the New Moon, the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Weeks.
For the New Moon offerings at the beginning of each month, the Israelites were commanded to present two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs, along with a male goat as a sin offering.
Study Note
The repetition of these laws to the new generation of Israelites in the plains of Moab ensured the sacrificial system would continue upon entering the Promised Land.
Related Chapters
Leviticus 23
Leviticus 23 also provides a detailed list of the appointed festivals and holy convocations for the Israelites.
Exodus 29
Exodus 29 contains the initial instructions for the daily morning and evening sacrifices prescribed for the tabernacle.
Numbers 29
Numbers 29 continues the list of seasonal offerings, focusing on the autumn feasts such as the Day of Atonement.
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