Numbers 15 8

Numbers 15:8 kjv

And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the LORD:

Numbers 15:8 nkjv

And when you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering, or as a sacrifice to fulfill a vow, or as a peace offering to the LORD,

Numbers 15:8 niv

"?'When you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering or sacrifice, for a special vow or a fellowship offering to the LORD,

Numbers 15:8 esv

And when you offer a bull as a burnt offering or sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or for peace offerings to the LORD,

Numbers 15:8 nlt

"When you present a young bull as a burnt offering or as a sacrifice to fulfill a vow or as a peace offering to the LORD,

Numbers 15 verses

Numbers 15 8 Meaning

Numbers 15:8 details specific scenarios requiring the offering of a bull, alongside its prescribed grain and drink offerings. It establishes the required protocols for a large and valuable sacrifice presented for various types of offerings to the Lord: a burnt offering (complete devotion), a general sacrifice, or more specifically, offerings related to fulfilling a personal vow, expressing freewill devotion, or celebrating one of the community's appointed annual feasts. This verse reinforces the commitment required for different aspects of Israelite worship, from personal dedication to communal observance, emphasizing the solemnity and various motivations for approaching God with sacrifice.

Numbers 15 8 Context

Numbers chapter 15 provides detailed instructions for the accompanying grain and drink offerings that are to be made with animal sacrifices once Israel enters the Promised Land. This chapter immediately follows the disheartening rebellion stemming from the spies' report (Num 13-14), which resulted in God condemning that generation to wander and die in the wilderness. By giving laws that pertain to future life in the land, God reaffirms His covenant promises and assures Israel that they will inherit the land, despite their recent failure. This demonstrates God's faithfulness and looks beyond their immediate rebellion to a future of proper worship. Verse 8 specifically expands on the scenarios in which a large and significant sacrifice, a bull, would be offered, emphasizing both voluntary personal dedication and communal ceremonial requirements. The instructions herein ensure orderly, complete, and Spirit-led worship.

Numbers 15 8 Word analysis

• And when you prepare: (וְכִי תַּעֲשׂוּ - vekhi ta'asu) The opening "And when" (וְכִי) connects this instruction closely to the preceding verses (15:3-7), which outline meal and drink offerings for smaller animals. Ta'asu (תַּעֲשׂוּ) means "you do" or "you make," implying the practical action of bringing or setting up the offering. This establishes continuity in sacrificial practices.
• a bull: (פַּר - par) A male bovine, typically three years old or more. Bulls were among the largest and most valuable animals used for sacrifice, often reserved for significant communal offerings, for specific major sin offerings, or for important personal commitments, due to their substantial cost and size. This indicates a notable act of devotion or a weighty occasion.
• as a burnt offering: (עֹלָה - `olah) Literally "that which goes up" or "ascends." This was an offering completely consumed by fire on the altar, symbolizing total dedication and atonement to the Lord, ascending as a pleasing aroma. There was no sharing of this sacrifice by the worshipper.
• or for a sacrifice: (אוֹ־לְזֶבַח - o-l`zevach) Zevach (זֶבַח) is a broad, generic term for an animal sacrifice. It encompasses various types beyond olah, particularly those involving a meal shared between God, the priests, and the worshippers, like peace offerings. Its inclusion here broadens the scope of the instruction beyond only burnt offerings.
• to fulfill a vow: (לְהַפְלִא נֶדֶר - lehaflî neder)
  • Neder (נֶדֶר) is a solemn promise or pledge made to God, often conditional on God's prior blessing or as an expression of devotion.
  • Lehaflî (לְהַפְלִא) literally means "to make distinguished, special, or extraordinary." Here, it signifies the exceptional commitment required in fulfilling such a promise. Vows were serious obligations and not to be taken lightly.
• or for an offering of peace offerings: (אוֹ לְזֶבַח שְׁלָמִים - o l`zevach shelamim)
  • Shelamim (שְׁלָמִים) from the root shalom (peace, wholeness, well-being). These sacrifices were primarily for fellowship and thanksgiving, emphasizing reconciliation and communion between God and the worshipper. Parts were offered to God, parts to the priests, and the remainder consumed by the worshipper in a communal meal before the Lord.
• to the LORD: (לַיהוָה - laYHWH) Explicitly states the sole divine recipient of all these offerings. This differentiates Israelite worship from pagan practices and reinforces the covenant relationship with Yahweh, the one true God.
• or for a freewill offering: (אוֹ בִּנְדָבָה - o bindavah) Nedavah (נְדָבָה) signifies a voluntary gift or offering, given out of pure generosity and a willing heart, without compulsion or a prior obligation (like a vow). It expresses spontaneous devotion and gratitude, highlighting the joyful and unburdened aspect of worship.
• or for your appointed feasts: (אוֹ בְּמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם - o b`mo'adeikhem)
  • Mo'adei (מוֹעֲדֵי) from mo'ed (מוֹעֵד), meaning "appointed time," "assembly," or "fixed feast." These were the annual sacred festivals (e.g., Passover, Weeks, Tabernacles) mandated by God. Sacrifices during these times were communal and celebrated God's mighty acts in Israel's history, requiring large offerings like bulls for the entire community.

Numbers 15 8 Bonus section

This chapter, including verse 8, implicitly stands against surrounding pagan practices in the ancient Near East by specifying highly ordered, blood-based sacrifices solely to YHWH, free from immorality or human sacrifice. It emphasizes the ethical dimension of worship, connecting ritual to covenant fidelity, a stark contrast to fertility cults. The details of precise grain and drink offerings with the animal sacrifices demonstrate a holistic approach to worship, acknowledging God's provision and the worshiper's reliance on Him, showcasing abundance in the Promised Land where these new regulations would be implemented. The requirement of a specific ratio of offerings for each animal (from the smallest lamb to the largest bull) reinforces a consistent divine standard, ensuring that the act of sacrifice was not arbitrary but rooted in divine instruction and intention.

Numbers 15 8 Commentary

Numbers 15:8 provides essential regulations for the proper conduct of the most significant sacrifices in Israel's worship, specifying the offering of a bull in diverse circumstances. This verse underscores the multi-faceted nature of Israelite devotion: the olah for total surrender and atonement, the neder for binding personal commitments, the shelamim for thanksgiving and communal fellowship, and the nedavah for heartfelt, uncoerced generosity. Furthermore, its application to "appointed feasts" highlights the integration of these personal acts within the structured, communal rhythm of the nation's spiritual life. By detailing these requirements for a bull, the text conveys the importance and weightiness of these occasions. The recurring instruction for a "pleasing aroma to the Lord" (Num 15:3) reminds Israel that true worship requires precise obedience and a sincere heart, offered exclusively to the God of the covenant. These sacrificial instructions foreshadow the perfect and singular sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which fulfills all these types and provides eternal fellowship and atonement, allowing believers today to offer "spiritual sacrifices" of worship and good works (Heb 13:15-16; 1 Pet 2:5).