Numbers 15 6

Numbers 15:6 kjv

Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.

Numbers 15:6 nkjv

Or for a ram you shall prepare as a grain offering two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-third of a hin of oil;

Numbers 15:6 niv

"?'With a ram prepare a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with a third of a hin of olive oil,

Numbers 15:6 esv

Or for a ram, you shall offer for a grain offering two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a third of a hin of oil.

Numbers 15:6 nlt

"If the sacrifice is a ram, give a grain offering of four quarts of choice flour mixed with a third of a gallon of olive oil,

Numbers 15 verses

Numbers 15 6 Meaning

Numbers 15:6 details the specific accompanying grain offering required for a ram offered as a burnt offering or peace offering. It stipulates that two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, thoroughly mixed with one-third of a hin of oil, must be prepared alongside the ram. This exact recipe ensures adherence to God's precise demands for sacrificial worship, reflecting the meticulousness expected in approaching the Holy One.

Numbers 15 6 Context

Numbers chapter 15 provides detailed instructions for various offerings, especially those that accompany burnt offerings (עֹלָה, ‘olah, whole ascension offering) and peace offerings (שְׁלָמִים, shelamim, fellowship offering), given to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. This verse specifically addresses the requirement for a ram. Previously, Num 15:4 laid out the requirement for a lamb, establishing a pattern where the quantity of accompanying grain and oil increases proportionally with the size and value of the animal sacrifice. Historically and culturally, such precise cultic regulations distinguished Israel's worship from the often haphazard and impure practices of surrounding pagan nations. These detailed laws ensured that Israel understood the sanctity of God and the seriousness of approaching Him, promoting purity, order, and obedience in their communal worship.

Numbers 15 6 Word analysis

• Or for a ram: (וְאֵיל, və’ayil). "Ram" (איל, ’ayil) signifies a male sheep, a mature and valuable animal. Rams were commonly used in burnt offerings due to their significant size and cost, symbolizing a substantial offering. Its use here indicates the specific scale of the sacrifice this grain offering is paired with, justifying a larger accompanying measure. In Old Testament narrative, a ram also appears as a substitute sacrifice (Gen 22:13).
• you shall prepare: (תַּעֲשֶׂה, ta‘aseh). From the verb עָשָׂה (‘asah), meaning "to do, make, prepare." This emphasizes active responsibility and meticulous effort required from the worshiper in crafting the offering according to divine instruction. It implies diligence and a conscious act of worship.
• a grain offering: (מִנְחָה, minchah). This refers to a non-animal tribute, often made from agricultural products like flour. While sometimes offered independently (e.g., as a vow or thank offering), here it is explicitly an "accompanying" offering. It symbolizes the fruit of human labor offered back to God, acknowledging His provision and sovereignty over all sustenance.
• of two-tenths of an ephah: (עֶשְׂרֹנִים שְׁנֵי, shənéi ‘esrōnim). "Two-tenths" refers to two-tenths of an ephah (אֵיפָה, ephah), an Israelite dry measure roughly equivalent to 22 liters. Thus, "two-tenths" is about 4.4 liters, double the quantity prescribed for a lamb (one-tenth, Num 15:4). This precision underscores God's exact requirements for offerings and proportional increase based on the primary animal's value.
• of fine flour: (סֹלֶת, sōleth). High-grade, sifted wheat flour, representing the finest quality available. Its purity and absence of impurities were essential for offerings, symbolizing perfection and wholeness in worship. Theologically, this ingredient can prefigure Christ's sinless perfection (Heb 4:15, 2 Cor 5:21).
• mixed with: (בְּלוּלָה, bəlulâ). Implies a thorough blending, not merely a superficial pouring. The flour and oil were to be fully integrated. This detail highlights completeness and unity in the offering, suggesting an integral spiritual reality where elements combine fully.
• one-third of a hin: (שְׁלִשִׁית הַהִין, shəlīshīt hahīn). "One-third of a hin" (הִין, hin), an Israelite liquid measure of approximately 3.66 liters. One-third hin is roughly 1.2 liters. This precise quantity of oil corresponds proportionally to the amount of flour and the size of the ram.
• of oil: (שֶׁמֶן, shemen). Typically, olive oil. Oil was a vital commodity symbolizing richness, prosperity, light, anointing, and blessing. In prophetic and New Testament contexts, oil frequently symbolizes the presence and work of the Holy Spirit (1 Sam 16:13, Acts 10:38). Its mixture with the flour suggests the empowering or permeating presence of the Spirit in aspects of daily life consecrated to God.

Words-group analysis:

• "two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-third of a hin of oil": This phrase details the exact composition and preparation. The proportionality between the ingredients (flour, oil) and the specific animal (ram) highlights divine order and mathematical precision in God's laws, teaching Israel that their worship was not arbitrary but governed by fixed, divine standards. The "fine flour" (purity) and "oil" (spirit/anointing) symbolize that acceptable worship is consecrated by holiness and empowered by divine grace.

Numbers 15 6 Bonus section

• The repetitive enumeration of offerings, like those in Numbers 15 and Chapters 28-29, aimed to ingrain these liturgical practices deeply into the Israelites' collective consciousness. This fostered a consistent worship culture that looked to God's exact revelation rather than human invention.
• The minchah (grain offering) for a ram highlights that while costly animal sacrifices pointed to atonement, grain and oil offerings emphasized the consecration of daily life, labor, and sustenance to God. This dual approach covered both sin (implicitly dealt with through the primary animal sacrifice) and life (dedicated through the accompanying minchah).
• The principle of giving "the finest" (סֹלֶת, sōleth, fine flour) from one's possessions foreshadows the New Testament concept of offering our best to God in service and tithes, echoing passages like Romans 12:1 which calls for living sacrifices, and 1 Peter 1:19 speaking of Christ's precious blood "as of a lamb without blemish or spot."

Numbers 15 6 Commentary

Numbers 15:6 exemplifies the divine meticulousness in God's law concerning offerings. It outlines the mandatory accompaniment of a grain offering when a ram is presented, reinforcing that the main animal sacrifice was often not offered in isolation. This provision ensures the wholeness and sufficiency of the sacrificial act, encompassing various aspects of Israel's resources and labor (flour representing daily sustenance, oil representing abundance and spiritual vitality). The detailed measurements for the "fine flour" and "oil," in proportion to the value of the ram, underscore that quality and adherence to specific divine patterns were paramount in approaching God. These instructions serve to cultivate a people characterized by obedience, discipline, and reverence for a holy God, prefiguring the perfect sacrifice of Christ, whose pure life (fine flour) was lived under the anointing of the Holy Spirit (oil).