Numbers 28 25

Numbers 28:25 kjv

And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work.

Numbers 28:25 nkjv

And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work.

Numbers 28:25 niv

On the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.

Numbers 28:25 esv

And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work.

Numbers 28:25 nlt

The seventh day of the festival will be another official day for holy assembly, and no ordinary work may be done on that day.

Numbers 28 verses

Numbers 28 25 Meaning

Numbers 28:25 specifies a key observance for the final day of the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread. It mandates that this seventh day be a "holy convocation," a divinely summoned and set-apart assembly, during which no "servile work"—typical, laborious, or income-producing toil—is permitted. This command emphasizes the day's sacredness, dedicating it wholly to communal worship, rest, and reflection on God's provision and deliverance.

Numbers 28 25 Context

Numbers chapter 28 initiates a detailed account of the offerings and sacrifices Israel was to present at various times throughout their sacred calendar year, following God's commands delivered through Moses. This specific section (Num 28:16-25) pertains to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, immediately following Passover (Num 28:16). The Israelites, as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, received meticulous instructions for worship, ensuring fidelity to their covenant with Yahweh and distinguishing them from surrounding nations.

The historical context places this revelation shortly before the second generation of Israelites entered Canaan, highlighting the establishment of permanent worship practices for their settled life. Culturally, these prescribed observances created a rhythm of life centered on God, reminding them annually of His redemptive acts (especially the Exodus from Egypt) and their dependence on His provision. The specific mandate for "holy convocations" with a prohibition on "servile work" served as a direct counter-narrative to the idolatrous, often chaotic, and morally corrupt festivals prevalent in surrounding pagan cultures, emphasizing instead divine holiness, order, communal reverence, and dedication to the one true God, Yahweh.

Numbers 28 25 Word Analysis

• And on the seventh day

  • Hebrew: bayôm hâshviʽi (בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִֽי) – literally "in the day, the seventh."
  • Significance: This precisely specifies the end of the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread. The emphasis on the "seventh day" evokes the foundational principle of the Sabbath, a concept deeply ingrained in Israelite theology, highlighting continuity in God's commands regarding sacred time and rest. It completes the week-long festival cycle, bringing it to a hallowed conclusion.

• ye shall have

  • Hebrew: yiheyeh lakem (יִהְיֶה לָכֶם) – "it shall be for you," or "there shall be to you."
  • Significance: This phrasing implies a divine imposition and also a blessing or possession. It's not merely a suggestion, but an obligation and a designated privilege that Israel must receive and observe. The community's active participation and acceptance are inherent.

• an holy convocation

  • Hebrew: miqra kodesh (מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ)
    • Miqra (מִקְרָא): "a calling," "an assembly," "a reading." It conveys the idea of a divinely summoned gathering, not a voluntary or casual meeting. It suggests God Himself is calling His people together.
    • Kodesh (קֹדֶשׁ): "holy," "set apart," "sacred." This signifies that the assembly is consecrated to God, distinct from common affairs, and imbued with His presence.
  • Significance: These were solemn, sacred assemblies where God's people gathered for worship, instruction, and to make offerings. They were foundational for fostering communal identity, reinforcing covenant relationship, and reminding the people of their special status as God's chosen.

• ye shall do

  • Hebrew: lo' ta'asun (לֹא־תַעֲשׂוּ) – "you shall not do/make."
  • Significance: A clear, unequivocal negative command, highlighting the mandatory nature of the prohibition. There is no ambiguity in the divine directive.

• no servile work

  • Hebrew: kol meleket 'avodah (כָּל־מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָֽה) – literally "any work of service/labor."
    • Meleket (מְלֶאכֶת): "work," "labor," "task," often related to skilled or specialized work, or a craft.
    • Avodah (עֲבֹדָה): "service," "bondage," "labor," "worship." This word denotes laborious, toilsome, or occupational work, such as farming, building, or trading – the kind of work one performs as a "servant" or for an income. It explicitly distinguishes it from preparing food for consumption, which was permitted on most feast days (Ex 12:16), although some rabbinic traditions debate what exactly falls under "servile work" vs. necessary "food preparation" on such days.
  • Significance: The prohibition reinforces the sanctity of the day. By refraining from customary labor, the people demonstrated their trust in God for their provision and dedicated their focus to spiritual matters. It symbolizes a break from earthly toil to embrace divine rest, a shadow of the ultimate spiritual rest offered by Christ.

Words-group analysis:

• "an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work therein": This dual command defines the essence of the designated holy day. The miqra kodesh signifies the purpose—assembly for sacred worship, remembrance, and communal bond—while the prohibition of meleket 'avodah provides the practical means to achieve that purpose by freeing the people from their daily cares and distractions. This pairing creates a sacred time distinct from mundane life, facilitating spiritual engagement and teaching absolute dependence on God. It stands as a consistent pattern throughout the Mosaic Law for major feast days, demonstrating a unified principle of resting in God on His designated days.

Numbers 28 25 Bonus Section

• Typological Significance: The Feasts of the Lord, including the Feast of Unleavened Bread, serve as powerful prophetic shadows pointing to Christ and His work. The unleavened bread itself foreshadows Christ as the "Bread of Life" without sin (leaven often symbolizes sin). The seven days, culminating in a holy convocation and rest, prefigure the completeness of Christ's work in establishing spiritual purity and ushering believers into God's eternal rest (Heb 4).
• Divine Ordering: The meticulous detail concerning these offerings and observances throughout Numbers (and Leviticus) demonstrates God's demand for order, precision, and holiness in worship. This reflects His own nature and instructs His people on how to approach a holy God. It serves as a stark contrast to any chaotic or arbitrary worship practices that Israel might have observed among pagan nations.
• The Discipline of Holy Time: The consistent theme of ceasing from "servile work" across multiple feasts instilled a spiritual discipline within the nation. It taught Israel to prioritize spiritual well-being and communal worship over material gain, forcing a regular surrender of personal toil to God's ordained rest. This principle remains applicable for believers today in valuing spiritual rest and corporate worship.

Numbers 28 25 Commentary

Numbers 28:25 encapsulates God's precise instruction for the observance of the seventh day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This command is more than a mere ritualistic detail; it reveals the divine principle of setting aside time as holy to the Lord. By calling for a "holy convocation," God mandates communal assembly and worship, signifying that faith is both personal and collective, expressed through shared reverence. The accompanying prohibition of "servile work" further underscores the sacred nature of the day, demanding cessation from the burdens of everyday labor to allow for complete focus on God's covenant and His goodness. This act of resting in faith and worshiping in unity teaches Israel dependence on God's provision and sanctifies their time, preparing them to enter and thrive in the promised land through covenant faithfulness. It ultimately points to the ultimate rest and spiritual freedom found in Christ, who fulfills the shadow of these Old Testament observances.