Exodus 29:38 kjv
Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
Exodus 29:38 nkjv
"Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs of the first year, day by day continually.
Exodus 29:38 niv
"This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day: two lambs a year old.
Exodus 29:38 esv
"Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly.
Exodus 29:38 nlt
"These are the sacrifices you are to offer regularly on the altar. Each day, offer two lambs that are a year old,
Exodus 29 38 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 29:39 | One lamb you shall offer in the morning... | Detail of morning sacrifice |
| Ex 29:41 | The other lamb you shall offer in the evening... | Detail of evening sacrifice |
| Ex 29:42 | This shall be a regular burnt offering... perpetually before the Lord. | Identifies as burnt offering; "perpetual" |
| Num 28:3 | Two male lambs a year old, without blemish, day by day, as a regular burnt offering. | Reinforces daily, unblemished lamb offering |
| Num 28:6 | It is a regular burnt offering which was ordained on Mount Sinai... | Connects to Sinai, establishing its divine origin |
| Dan 8:11-12 | It even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host; and it removed the regular burnt offering from Him... | Prophecy of discontinuing the "daily" sacrifice |
| Dan 11:31 | And forces from him shall appear and profane the sanctuary fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering... | Prophecy of temple desecration and removal of daily offering |
| Heb 9:6 | ...the priests continually enter into the first tent, performing the sacred services; | Priesthood's continual service in the old covenant |
| Heb 9:11-12 | But when Christ appeared as a high priest... through the greater and more perfect tent... | Christ's perfect, singular sacrifice fulfilling these. |
| Heb 10:1-4 | For since the Law has but a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very form of things, can never... make perfect those who draw near. | Animal sacrifices were a shadow, incomplete. |
| Heb 10:10-14 | By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. | Christ's single sacrifice replaces all previous daily offerings. |
| Jn 1:29 | Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! | Jesus as the ultimate sacrificial Lamb. |
| Lev 1:9 | ...the priest shall offer up the whole as a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. | Nature of burnt offering (olah) for devotion, atonement. |
| 2 Ki 16:15 | And King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, “Upon the great altar offer the morning burnt offering... and the evening sacrifice..." | Historical adherence to the daily offerings. |
| Lk 1:8-10 | ...he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense... whole congregation of the people were praying outside. | Practice of temple service at time of incense offering (tied to daily sacrifices). |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | ...ransomed... with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. | Christ's perfection as the true sacrificial Lamb. |
| Rom 12:1 | ...present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. | Application of continuous offering to believer's life. |
| Eph 5:2 | ...Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. | Christ's sacrifice as ultimate pleasing aroma. |
| Rev 5:6 | And I saw... a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain... | Lamb as central figure in heavenly worship. |
| Ps 51:17 | The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. | Internal disposition rather than external sacrifice is paramount. |
| Mic 6:6-8 | With what shall I come before the LORD...? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? | Prophetic critique prioritizing righteousness over mere ritual. |
| Is 53:7 | He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter... | Prophecy of the Suffering Servant as a lamb. |
Exodus 29 verses
Exodus 29 38 Meaning
Exodus 29:38 outlines the daily, perpetual sacrifice commanded by God for the altar in the tabernacle. It specifies the offering of two lambs, each a year old, to be presented morning and evening. This commandment underscores the constant need for atonement, communion with God, and the maintenance of a holy presence between God and His people, fundamental to Israel's worship system established at Sinai.
Exodus 29 38 Context
Exodus 29 initiates the detailed instructions for consecrating Aaron and his sons to the priesthood and instituting the sacrificial system crucial for the Tabernacle worship. This chapter sets the stage for a covenant relationship where a holy God dwells among His redeemed people. Verses 1-37 describe the specific purification rituals and offerings for the priests themselves, allowing them to mediate between God and Israel. Verse 38 transitions to the regular, ongoing daily sacrifice that would serve as the backbone of the community's relationship with God, highlighting the constant need for divine covering and communication for the entire nation. This instruction immediately follows the priestly consecration, signifying that the Tabernacle's continuous functioning hinges on these daily, foundational offerings.
Exodus 29 38 Word analysis
Now this is what you shall offer:
- Hebrew:
וְזֶה אֲשֶׁר תַּקְרִיבוּ(ve'zeh asher takrivu). וְזֶה(ve'zeh): "And this," introducing a new, significant, and prescriptive instruction. It signifies a divine pronouncement or ordinance.תַּקְרִיבוּ(takrivu): "you shall bring near" or "you shall offer." From the rootקָרַב(qarab), meaning "to approach, bring near." In the cultic sense, it refers to presenting an offering to God. This highlights the action of drawing near to God through the prescribed sacrifice.
- Hebrew:
on the altar:
- Hebrew:
עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ(al ha'mizbe'ach). מִזְבֵּחַ(mizbe'ach): "altar." Derived from the rootזָבַח(zabach), "to slaughter, sacrifice." This specifically refers to the Bronze Altar (also called the Altar of Burnt Offering) located in the courtyard of the Tabernacle, symbolizing the central place for atonement and reconciliation with God. It represents access to God's presence through bloodshed.
- Hebrew:
two lambs:
- Hebrew:
כְּבָשִׂים שְׁנַיִם(k'vasim shnayim). כֶּבֶשׂ(keves): "lamb," specifically a male lamb, preferred for its purity and strength. Lambs were common and culturally significant livestock, representing innocence. The duality, "two," immediately suggests a structured, consistent schedule for morning and evening.
- Hebrew:
a year old:
- Hebrew:
בְּנֵי שָׁנָה(b'nei shanah): literally "sons of a year." - Signifies prime health, vigor, and freedom from blemish or defect, as an animal less than a year old might not be fully mature, and one older might be past its prime. This age requirement emphasized the offering of the best, symbolizing perfection and wholeness, essential for an offering meant for a holy God.
- Hebrew:
day by day:
- Hebrew:
יוֹם יוֹם(yom yom). Repetition ofיוֹם(yom), "day." - This reduplication emphasizes regularity, daily occurrence, and the unbroken continuity of the ritual. It points to the constant, ongoing need for atonement and maintenance of covenant relationship.
- Hebrew:
continually:
- Hebrew:
תָּמִיד(tamid). - This crucial word means "perpetual, regular, constant, enduring." It conveys an unceasing, unending, or ever-present nature. The "tamid" offering was the core of Israel's daily worship, signifying God's permanent dwelling among His people and their persistent need for His grace and provision through sacrifice. It speaks to the sustained covenant relationship and the unbroken divine service required.
- Hebrew:
Exodus 29 38 Bonus section
The "tamid" offering, introduced here, forms the bedrock of Old Testament worship. Its "continual" nature signified God's constant presence and Israel's ongoing reliance on His covenant grace. The Lamb, unblemished and "a year old," points to the necessary perfection of any sacrifice approaching God. This consistent ritual prepared Israel's understanding for a future perfect sacrifice, specifically that of the "Lamb of God" (Jesus Christ). Unlike these animal sacrifices that only "covered" sins annually and had to be continually repeated (Heb 10:1-4), Christ's self-offering once-for-all "takes away" sin, rendering the repetition obsolete (Heb 9:11-12, 10:10-14). The prophetic books later highlight the catastrophic nature of its cessation during periods of apostasy or foreign dominion (e.g., Daniel). The ultimate fulfillment moves beyond ritual into the heart, where believers are called to present themselves as living sacrifices, engaging in continuous spiritual worship based on Christ's accomplished work.
Exodus 29 38 Commentary
Exodus 29:38 prescribes the fundamental "tamid" offering: two one-year-old lambs offered daily, morning and evening, on the bronze altar. This continuous sacrifice formed the liturgical heart of Israel's worship, underscoring that their existence in covenant with a holy God depended upon constant atonement and renewed access. It was a tangible, perpetual reminder of the need for sin's covering and an ongoing dedication to God. While specific in its details, it was implicitly a burnt offering, entirely consumed, symbolizing complete devotion and propitiation. This command anticipates the broader system of offerings found throughout Leviticus and Numbers, establishing the rhythmic cycle of Israel's communal worship and foreshadowing the singular, perfect, and perpetual sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the ultimate Lamb of God, who by His once-for-all offering made true and lasting atonement for believers, establishing a new covenant of eternal access.