Numbers 29 13

Numbers 29:13 kjv

And ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish:

Numbers 29:13 nkjv

You shall present a burnt offering, an offering made by fire as a sweet aroma to the LORD: thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year. They shall be without blemish.

Numbers 29:13 niv

Present as an aroma pleasing to the LORD a food offering consisting of a burnt offering of thirteen young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect.

Numbers 29:13 esv

And you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD, thirteen bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish;

Numbers 29:13 nlt

On the first day of the festival, you must present a burnt offering as a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. It will consist of thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one-year-old male lambs, all with no defects.

Numbers 29 verses

Numbers 29 13 Meaning

Numbers 29:13 outlines the specific accompanying grain offerings required for the burnt sacrifices of bulls and rams on the first day of the Feast of Booths (Sukkot). It details the precise quantities of fine flour mixed with oil—three-tenths of an ephah for each bull and two-tenths of an ephah for each ram—as an essential part of the communal worship and dedication to the Lord during this joyous festival. These offerings represented the nation's reliance on God for provision and their full dedication of the fruits of their labor.

Numbers 29 13 Context

Numbers 29 is situated within the Book of Numbers, specifically in the detailed legislative sections outlining God's commandments for Israel's worship. After describing the daily and weekly offerings (ch. 28), Chapter 29 meticulously itemizes the musaf (additional) offerings required for the major annual festivals: Rosh Hashanah (New Year's Day), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and most extensively, Sukkot (Feast of Booths/Tabernacles).

Verse 13 focuses on the first day of Sukkot, an eight-day festival celebrated from the 15th of the seventh month (Tishrei). Sukkot was one of the three pilgrim festivals, commemorating God's provision and protection during the Israelites' wilderness wanderings by living in temporary dwellings. It was also a harvest festival, giving thanks for the agricultural bounty. The chapter details a significant number of animal sacrifices (bulls, rams, lambs) alongside their precise grain and drink offerings. The decreasing number of bull sacrifices each day of Sukkot highlights a unique pattern, suggesting an overarching structure to their national offerings. The inclusion of "grain offering" (minḥah) indicates the importance of offering the best of their agricultural produce alongside their livestock, symbolizing wholeness of life dedicated to God.

Numbers 29 13 Word analysis

• and their grain offering: וּמִנְחָתָם (ūminḥāṯām)

  • וּ (u-): "and," a conjunction linking this to the preceding animal sacrifices, showing it's an accompanying, integral part of the overall offering.
  • מִנְחָתָם (minḥāṯām): "their grain offering." Derived from מִנְחָה (minḥâ), which means "gift," "tribute," or specifically, a "grain offering." Unlike blood sacrifices, the minḥah typically did not involve atonement for sin but represented dedication, thanksgiving, devotion, and recognition of God's provision. It was often presented with burnt offerings and peace offerings. Its presence here signifies that worship involved both costly animal sacrifices and the best of agricultural produce, symbolizing a comprehensive offering of life and sustenance.

• fine flour: סֹלֶת (sōleṯ)

  • This term refers to the purest, highest quality flour, finely milled. Its selection emphasizes that only the best was acceptable for offerings to the Lord, reflecting the sacredness and dignity of God, and the worshipper's complete devotion. This principle applies across all offerings, demanding excellence in service to God.

• mixed with oil: בְּלוּלָה בַּשֶּׁמֶן (bĕlûlâ baššemen)

  • בְּלוּלָה (bĕlûlâ): "mixed," "saturated," "blended." It implies a thorough intermingling rather than just a superficial addition.
  • בַּשֶּׁמֶן (baššemen): "with oil." Oil (שֶׁמֶן - shemen) in biblical context often symbolizes anointing, consecration, blessing, provision, and frequently, the Holy Spirit. Its mixture with the flour suggests the sanctifying and anointing aspect accompanying the offering, making it holy and acceptable to God. It could also represent the anointing for service or a recognition of God's blessing in their prosperity.

• three-tenths of an ephah for each bull: שְׁלֹשָׁה עֶשְׂרֹנִים לַפָּר הָאֶחָד (shĕloshâh ‘esrōnîm laggār hāʾeḥād)

  • שְׁלֹשָׁה עֶשְׂרֹנִים (shěloshâh ‘esrōnîm): "three tenths." Each "tenth" is a decimal fraction of an ephah, often called an "omer" or "tenth deal." This specific measurement demonstrates divine precision and order in worship. Three-tenths of an ephah is a significant quantity, indicating a substantial grain offering to accompany the costly bull sacrifice.
  • לַפָּר הָאֶחָד (laggār hāʾeḥād): "for each bull" or "for the one bull." This clarifies that the specified quantity of grain offering is individually linked to each animal sacrificed, highlighting the systematic and meticulous nature of the Mosaic covenant's sacrificial requirements. A bull (פָּר - pār) was generally the largest and most expensive sacrificial animal, representing significant corporate and individual offerings.

• two-tenths for each ram: שְׁנֵי עֶשְׂרֹנִים לָאַיִל הָאֶחָד (shĕnê ‘esrōnîm lāʾayil hāʾeḥād)

  • שְׁנֵי עֶשְׂרֹנִים (shĕnê ‘esrōnîm): "two tenths." This quantity, though less than for a bull, still represents a substantial offering for each ram. The varying quantities demonstrate a divinely ordained proportionality in offerings based on the type and size of the animal.
  • לָאַיִל הָאֶחָד (lāʾayil hāʾeḥād): "for each ram" or "for the one ram." A ram (אַיִל - ‘ayil) was also a significant animal sacrifice, commonly used in various burnt offerings and specific rituals like ordination.

Numbers 29 13 Bonus section

The "three-tenths" and "two-tenths" of an ephah were not insignificant amounts; they represented substantial offerings. An ephah was roughly equivalent to half a bushel or 22 liters. Therefore, three-tenths was about 6.6 liters (or 5.7 kg of flour), and two-tenths about 4.4 liters (or 3.8 kg). This indicates a significant expenditure and generous giving on behalf of the community. The large number of total offerings, especially bulls (70 over the 7 days of Sukkot, per Num 29:13, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32), accompanied by thousands of tenths of an ephah of grain offering, showcases the immense scale of the communal worship and commitment during this particular festival, often interpreted as an offering on behalf of the 70 nations of the world, recognized in ancient Israelite tradition. This emphasizes the communal responsibility and the scale of God's provision and expectation for national worship.

Numbers 29 13 Commentary

Numbers 29:13, though seemingly a dry list of measurements, unveils profound theological truths central to Israelite worship and, ultimately, points to greater realities in Christ. This verse highlights God's demand for meticulous obedience and detail in approaching Him, emphasizing that the sacrifices were not arbitrary but divinely ordained with specific proportions and components. The inclusion of the "grain offering" (minḥah) alongside the burnt offerings signifies a holistic dedication: the burnt offering represented total surrender and propitiation through costly animals, while the grain offering (fine flour mixed with oil) represented the giving of one's produce, one's livelihood, and the work of one's hands. It was an acknowledgment of God's blessing in providing sustenance, reflecting thanksgiving and dependence.

The "fine flour" symbolized purity and the "best" of the harvest, indicating that only excellence was fitting for the divine. The "oil" signifies anointing, consecration, and perhaps even the anointing of the Spirit, making the offering acceptable and sanctified. This detailed requirement counters any human inclination to offer haphazard or cheap sacrifices, establishing a pattern of costly, intentional, and Spirit-led devotion.

While these ritual offerings had a specific place under the Old Covenant, they served as types and shadows pointing to the ultimate, perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Heb 10:1-18). He is the flawless "fine flour" and the perfectly "anointed" offering, who fulfilled every type and shadow of the Old Testament sacrifices. Believers today, inspired by this example, are called to offer themselves as "living sacrifices" (Rom 12:1), yielding not only their spiritual worship but also their material resources, time, and talents as an act of thanksgiving and dedication, permeated by the "oil" of the Holy Spirit. Just as the ancient Israelites gave precisely measured portions of their best, Christians are to offer proportional and heartfelt offerings, understanding that genuine worship involves our whole being and all our resources in response to God's ultimate provision in Christ.