Numbers 29 18

Numbers 29:18 kjv

And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:

Numbers 29:18 nkjv

and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance;

Numbers 29:18 niv

With the bulls, rams and lambs, offer their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified.

Numbers 29:18 esv

with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;

Numbers 29:18 nlt

Each of these offerings of bulls, rams, and lambs must be accompanied by its prescribed grain offering and liquid offering.

Numbers 29 verses

Numbers 29 18 Meaning

Numbers 29:18 specifies the meticulous requirements for the grain and drink offerings that were to accompany the animal sacrifices on the fifth day of the Festival of Booths (Sukkot). It mandates that these complementary offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs must be rendered precisely "in proportion to their number" and strictly "according to the rule" established by God. This underscores the divine order, detail, and specific obedience required in all acts of worship.

Numbers 29 18 Context

Numbers chapter 29 outlines the specific and escalating sacrificial requirements for Israel's seven annual feasts, particularly detailing those for the seventh month, which includes the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the multi-day Festival of Booths (Sukkot). Verse 18 is part of the instructions for the fifth day of Sukkot, a seven-day festival with an additional eighth solemn assembly, characterized by a unique pattern of decreasing bull sacrifices each day. Historically and culturally, the meticulous presentation of grain and drink offerings alongside burnt offerings was integral to Israelite worship. These rituals demonstrated Israel's covenant fidelity, thankfulness for divine provision, and their recognition of Yahweh's precise requirements for approaching Him, sharply contrasting with the arbitrary or manipulative rituals of surrounding pagan cultures. The phrase "according to the rule" underscores that Israelite worship was divinely ordained, not humanly contrived.

Numbers 29 18 Word analysis

• And their grain offering (וּמִנְחָתָם - u-minḥatam):
  • וּ (u-): A conjunctive "and," indicating these offerings are inseparable additions to the primary animal sacrifices.
  • מִנְחָתָם (minḥatam): From minḥah (מִנְחָה), meaning "gift" or "tribute," commonly a "grain offering." Composed of fine flour, oil, and frankincense, it symbolized the dedication of sustenance and the fruit of human labor, often completing the burnt offering. It represented dedication and grateful sustenance.
• and their drink offerings (וְנִסְכֵּיהֶם - ve-niskehem):
  • וְ (ve-): Again, "and," linking drink offerings to grain offerings as essential components.
  • נִסְכֵּיהֶם (niskehem): From nesek (נֶסֶךְ), "drink offering" or "libation," typically wine poured out completely. It symbolized joy, blessing, covenant, and a total surrender to the Lord, much like the total consumption of a burnt offering.
• for the bull (לַפָּר - laffar):
  • לְ (le-): "for" or "to," indicating the intended recipient of this specific quantity.
  • פָּר (par): A "bull" or "young bull," a valuable and significant sacrifice, often used for major or corporate offerings.
• for the ram (לָאַיִל - la'ayil):
  • לְ (le-): "for."
  • אַיִל (ayil): "ram," a common burnt offering animal, signifying dedication.
• and for the lambs (וְלַכְּבָשִׂים - velak'vasim):
  • וְ (ve-): "and."
  • לְ (le-): "for."
  • כְּבָשִׂים (k'vasim): Plural of keves (כֶּבֶשׂ), "lambs." Young, male sheep, typically representing purity and humble devotion, used for frequent and smaller offerings.
• in proportion to their number (בְּמִסְפָּרָם - b'mispāram):
  • בְּ (be-): "in," "according to."
  • מִסְפָּרָם (mispāram): From mispar (מִסְפָּר), "number" or "count." This signifies that the amounts of grain and drink offerings were not static but scaled precisely with the quantity of animals being offered on a given day. This underlines precise measurement and divine standardization, unlike pagan rituals that might rely on human judgment.
• according to the rule (כַּמִּשְׁפָּט - kammišpāṭ):
  • כַּ (ka-): "as," "according to."
  • מִשְׁפָּט (mišpāṭ): "judgment," "ordinance," "rule," or "justice." Here, it unequivocally points to a divine, established decree, emphasizing that these procedures were not optional or subject to human alteration. This term highlights God's authority and meticulousness in prescribing the very details of worship.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "And their grain offering and their drink offerings": These twin offerings always accompanied the major animal sacrifices. They collectively represented a holistic offering to God—from the fruit of the land (grain) to the fermented juice of the vine (wine), symbolizing the dedication of resources and life's blessings. This duality underscores a comprehensive approach to worship, reflecting dependence and gratitude.
• "for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs": This phrase details the specific types of animals whose varying quantities necessitated corresponding, precisely scaled grain and drink offerings. It highlights God's demand for tailored adherence to His commands, preventing any generic or careless approach to sacred duties. Each sacrifice type had a prescribed accompanimen.
• "in proportion to their number, according to the rule": This critical coupling stresses both the quantitative precision ("in proportion to their number") and the authoritative source ("according to the rule"). It reveals a God who dictates both the substance and the exact methodology of worship, emphasizing non-negotiable divine protocol over human ingenuity or arbitrary choice. This instruction implicitly stood in stark contrast to pagan worship, which often lacked such rigid, divinely-revealed mandates, asserting Yahweh's unique sovereignty.

Numbers 29 18 Bonus section

The detailed liturgical regulations in Numbers served not only as practical instructions but also as theological instruction for ancient Israel. They cultivated a sense of God's immense holiness, His distinctness from the surrounding world, and His desire for an ordered and purified relationship with His people. The cost and complexity of the sacrificial system constantly reminded Israel of their sinfulness and their absolute dependence on God's provision for atonement and blessing. While superseded by Christ's perfect sacrifice, the underlying principles of disciplined devotion, the importance of divine revelation as the sole basis for worship, and the need for heartfelt obedience (as seen in Old Testament prophetic critiques like 1 Sam 15:22 and Hos 6:6) remain eternally valid for believers.

Numbers 29 18 Commentary

Numbers 29:18 epitomizes the meticulousness God required in Israelite worship. It reinforces that the associated grain and drink offerings were not optional or symbolic add-ons but essential components of the full sacrificial act. The repetition of these precise instructions across the festival calendar (chapters 28-29) was not redundancy but pedagogical reinforcement: God demands worship that is both specific and unreserved, conforming precisely to His revealed will, not to human inclination or innovation. The emphasis on offerings being "in proportion to their number" highlights a divine order where consistency and proportionality are key, while "according to the rule" grounds these practices firmly in divine commandment, distinguishing them from the arbitrary rituals of pagan neighbors. Ultimately, this divine blueprint for ritual devotion foreshadows the New Covenant, where the principle of giving one's whole self precisely "as God commanded" (Rom 12:1) endures, though the forms of sacrifice have changed, fulfilled perfectly in Christ's singular offering.