Numbers 28 3

Numbers 28:3 kjv

And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.

Numbers 28:3 nkjv

"And you shall say to them, 'This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs in their first year without blemish, day by day, as a regular burnt offering.

Numbers 28:3 niv

Say to them: 'This is the food offering you are to present to the LORD: two lambs a year old without defect, as a regular burnt offering each day.

Numbers 28:3 esv

And you shall say to them, This is the food offering that you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a regular offering.

Numbers 28:3 nlt

"Say to the people: This is the special gift you must present to the LORD as your daily burnt offering. You must offer two one-year-old male lambs with no defects.

Numbers 28 verses

Numbers 28 3 Meaning

Numbers 28:3 outlines the fundamental requirement for the daily communal burnt offering in ancient Israel. It specifies that two year-old male lambs, without any physical blemish, were to be offered each day—one in the morning and one in the evening—as a continual offering to the LORD. This regular, prescribed sacrifice served as a perpetual act of national worship, atonement, and communion with God.

Numbers 28 3 Context

Numbers chapters 28 and 29 serve as a meticulous re-statement and amplification of the laws concerning public offerings previously established in Exodus and Leviticus. After recounting Israel's desert wanderings and preparing them for entry into the Promised Land, these chapters emphasize the crucial importance of a structured, continual worship life as integral to their covenant relationship with God. This verse (Num 28:3) lays the foundation for all subsequent festival offerings by first detailing the daily public sacrifices that sustained the altar's fire and maintained a constant presence of atonement and praise before the LORD on behalf of the entire nation. It underscores God's demand for holiness, order, and perpetual devotion from His people.

Numbers 28 3 Word analysis

• And thou shalt say unto them, (וְאָמַרְתָּ לָהֶם - Ve'amarta Lahem):

  • אָמַר (Amar): "to say," "to speak," "to command." This indicates a divine mandate, not a suggestion. Moses is commanded to deliver this instruction to the people of Israel. It emphasizes the authoritative source of these regulations.
  • This is a direct command from God, highlighting the divine origin and non-negotiable nature of the laws.

• These are the offerings made by fire (זֶה הַקָּרְבָּן אֲשֶׁר תַּקְרִיבוּ לַיהוָה - Zeh haQorban asher taqrivu la-Adonai):

  • קָרְבָּן (Qorban): "offering," "sacrifice." Derived from קָרַב (qarab), meaning "to draw near." This term underscores the purpose of sacrifice: to enable worshippers to draw near to a holy God. It signifies bringing something from one's possessions or life to God as an act of worship or propitiation.
  • "Made by fire": Implies that these are burnt offerings, where the consuming fire signifies God's acceptance and the complete dedication of the offering.
  • "Unto the LORD (לַיהוָה - la-YHVH)": Designates the specific recipient of the offering as Yahweh, the covenant name of God, emphasizing the exclusive focus of Israelite worship. This reinforces His singular authority and sovereignty over His people.

• two lambs (כְּבָשִׂים שְׁנַיִם - Ke'vasim Shenayim):

  • כְּבָשִׂים (Ke'vasim): "lambs." Specifically, young male sheep. Lambs were valued for their purity, innocence, and economic significance. In sacrificial theology, a lamb often represents purity and vulnerability.
  • שְׁנַיִם (Shenayim): "two." This specifies the number, reflecting the dual timing of the offering (morning and evening).

• of the first year (בְּנֵי שָׁנָה - B'ney Shana):

  • "Sons of a year." Indicates they are yearlings. This age ensured the animal was young, healthy, and in its prime, representing the best quality an Israelite could offer to God. It symbolized vitality and freshness, distinguishing it from animals that were too old or past their prime.

• without spot (תְּמִימִים - T'mimim):

  • תָּמִים (Tamim): "whole," "complete," "perfect," "blameless," "without blemish." This is a crucial requirement. The offering must be physically flawless, reflecting the absolute holiness and perfection of God to whom it is offered. It symbolized the requirement of spiritual purity for those who approach God. It also points prophetically to the perfect, unblemished nature of the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus Christ (1 Pet 1:19).

• day by day (לַיּוֹם - LaYom):

  • "For the day," or daily. This emphasizes the continuous, regular nature of the offering, not an occasional act. It meant a constant communion, a daily reminder of Israel's relationship with God and need for His provision and forgiveness.

• for a continual burnt offering (עֹלַת תָּמִיד - Olat Tamid):

  • עֹלָה (Olah): "burnt offering," "ascension offering." From עָלָה (alah), "to go up." The entire animal (except for the hide) was consumed by fire on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication, worship, and atonement where the offering "ascended" to God in smoke.
  • תָּמִיד (Tamid): "continual," "perpetual," "regular." This adverb stresses the uninterrupted nature of this daily sacrifice. It was an enduring obligation, reflecting an ever-present need for divine grace and a constant expression of national devotion and acknowledgment of God's sovereignty.

Numbers 28 3 Bonus section

The "continual burnt offering" (Korban Tamid) was not merely a ritual but a vital spiritual artery for Israel. Its cessation in periods of apostasy or persecution (e.g., Dan 8:11, 11:31) was viewed as a profound national disaster, signifying a broken relationship with God. In Second Temple Judaism, the daily tamid defined the rhythm of sacred time and reinforced Jerusalem's centrality. The early Christians, even while recognizing Christ as the ultimate sacrifice, initially continued to participate in these temple rhythms, highlighting the transition from the shadows of the Old Covenant to the substance of the New. Spiritually, for believers, the call to daily, continuous worship is answered through living out the "fruits of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (Heb 13:15) and through presenting our entire lives as an acceptable sacrifice, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Numbers 28 3 Commentary

Numbers 28:3 lays out the core requirement for Israel's worship: the daily Korban Tamid, or continual burnt offering. This offering was foundational, a perpetual expression of national consecration and atonement before God. The choice of two spotless, year-old male lambs—one for morning, one for evening—underscored purity, vitality, and constant vigilance in devotion. "Without spot" points to God's demand for perfection in worship and ultimately foreshadowed the unblemished character of Christ, the true "Lamb of God" (Jn 1:29; 1 Pet 1:19). The olah (burnt offering), being wholly consumed, signified complete dedication and total surrender, highlighting Israel's ongoing covenant responsibility. This daily act kept the people continually in God's thoughts and reminded them of their dependence on His grace, acting as a constant national prayer and purification. While these animal sacrifices are no longer necessary due to Christ's definitive "once for all" sacrifice (Heb 7:27, 9:26, 10:10-14), the principle of "continual" and "spotless" offering endures for believers (Rom 12:1). It translates into a call for daily surrender, ongoing spiritual purity, and unceasing prayer and worship (1 Thess 5:17), offering ourselves as "living sacrifices" acceptable to God.