Numbers 29 34

Numbers 29:34 kjv

And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.

Numbers 29:34 nkjv

also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.

Numbers 29:34 niv

Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

Numbers 29:34 esv

also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.

Numbers 29:34 nlt

You must also sacrifice one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and liquid offering.

Numbers 29 verses

Numbers 29 34 Meaning

Numbers 29:34 details the supplementary offerings of drink and grain that were mandated to accompany the animal sacrifices on the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles. These vital accompaniments were to be offered specifically "for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs," in their precisely prescribed quantities and strictly "according to the rule." This instruction underscores the necessity of complete and meticulously observed worship in accordance with divine command.

Numbers 29 34 Context

Numbers chapter 29 meticulously details the prescribed sacrifices for Israel's annual feasts, establishing a rigorous calendar of sacred offerings. This structure underscores God's ordering of His people's worship life and His expectation of their adherence. Verse 34 falls within the section addressing the seven-day Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), a major autumn harvest festival commemorating God's provision in the wilderness. For the seventh day of this feast (Num 29:32-34), the specific animals were seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish. Verse 34 itself then focuses on the mandatory "drink offering" and "grain offering" that must accompany these substantial animal sacrifices, explicitly stating they must be "by their number" and "according to the rule." This emphasis on precise compliance differentiated Israel's worship from arbitrary pagan practices and ingrained the principle of complete submission to divine ordinances in approaching the Almighty.

Numbers 29 34 Word analysis

• וְנִסְכֵּיהֶם (Wənis'kehem) - "And their drink offerings."

  • From נֶסֶךְ (nesekh), meaning "libation" or "drink offering." This involved pouring out wine or other liquids beside or on the altar.
  • Significance: Drink offerings were always supplementary to animal sacrifices (Num 15:5-10). They represented devotion poured out, completing the total offering presented to God, embodying gratitude and dedication.

• וּמִנְחָתָם (Umin'ḥātam) - "and their grain offering" or "and their meal offering."

  • From מִנְחָה (minchah), a general term for "gift" or "present," but often specifically refers to a "grain offering." It consisted of fine flour, often mixed with oil and frankincense, partly burned, partly for the priests.
  • Significance: These offerings represented the fruits of the land and human labor, acknowledging God as the source of all provision. It was an expression of dependence, thanksgiving, and dedication of their livelihood to God.

• לַפָּר (lapār) - "for the bull."

  • Preposition לְ (l') "to, for," followed by פָּר (pār), "young bull" or "steer."
  • Significance: Bulls were the largest and most significant sacrificial animals, offered for major atonements or solemn feast days. This phrase clarifies that the drink and grain offerings must be correctly proportioned for each bull.

• לָאַיִל (lā'ayil) - "for the ram."

  • Preposition לְ (l') "to, for," followed by אַיִל (ayil), "ram" (a male sheep).
  • Significance: Rams were offered for various purposes and represented another distinct category of animal requiring specific proportional accompanying offerings, highlighting the meticulous detail of God's commands.

• וְלַכְּבָשִׁים (wəlakkəvās̱hīm) - "and for the lambs."

  • Conjunction וְ (wə) "and," preposition לְ (l') "to, for," plural כְּבָשִׁים (kəvās̱hīm) from כֶּבֶשׂ (keves), "lamb." These were male lambs, a year old, consistent with other offerings.
  • Significance: Lambs were common and frequent offerings due to their abundance. Their inclusion underscores that all categories of animal sacrifices required the precise accompanying grain and drink offerings.

• בְּמִסְפָּרָם (bəmisparām) - "by their number" or "according to their count."

  • Preposition בְּ (bə) "by, according to," followed by מִסְפָּר (mispar) "number, count," with the possessive suffix "-ām" "their."
  • Significance: This phrase emphasizes the quantitative exactness required. The specific measurements of drink and grain offerings were directly linked to the number of each type of animal offered, reinforcing precision and strict obedience.

• כַּמִּשְׁפָּט (kammiṣpaṭ) - "according to the rule" or "according to the ordinance."

  • Preposition כְּ (kə) "as, according to," followed by מִשְׁפָּט (mishpaṭ) "judgment, ordinance, rule, custom."
  • Significance: This critical phrase indicates divine prescription. It means the sacrifices were not based on human invention or convenience but on an unchangeable divine decree, signifying the non-negotiable authority of God's Word in worship. It served as a safeguard against corrupted practices.

Words-group analysis

• וְנִסְכֵּיהֶם וּמִנְחָתָם ("And their drink offerings and their grain offerings"): This coupling consistently appears in instructions for major offerings, signifying the comprehensive nature of biblical sacrifices. Offerings were not merely meat, but a holistic presentation that included various forms, emphasizing the full giving of resources and livelihood to God.

• לַפָּר לָאַיִל וְלַכְּבָשִׁים ("for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs"): This grouping clearly lists the different categories of animals for which the supplementary offerings must be distinctively measured. It signifies the comprehensive scope of the festival's demands and the hierarchical importance, yet common necessity, of all sacrificial animals requiring accompanying elements.

• בְּמִסְפָּרָם כַּמִּשְׁפָּט ("by their number, according to the rule"): This culminating phrase forms a powerful summation. It defines the bedrock principles for all temple service: numerical precision and unwavering adherence to God's divine standard. It eliminates any room for human discretion in the details of worship, powerfully emphasizing that acceptability before God depended entirely on strict obedience to His specific, revealed will. This reflects God's ordered nature and His desire for humanity to approach Him with reverence and discipline.

Numbers 29 34 Bonus section

• Theological Progression: The decreasing number of bulls sacrificed each day of Sukkot (13 on day 1 down to 7 on day 7, as mentioned in verses preceding 34) but consistent numbers of rams and lambs, suggested a profound theological rhythm. While the primary animal offering diminished, the consistency of the supplementary offerings, always linked "by their number, according to the rule," subtly pointed to an unchanging principle of precision and total obedience, even amidst a varied expression of worship.

• Preparation for a Future Reality: These physical, material offerings were "shadows" of the spiritual realities that would be fulfilled in Christ (Col 2:17, Heb 8:5). The pouring out of wine in the drink offering and the burning of grain symbolically foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, whose "body once for all" and "precious blood" (Heb 10:10, 1 Pet 1:19) completely fulfilled and superseded these ritual requirements. His self-offering was without blemish and eternally effective.

• Ancient Israel vs. Contemporary Paganism: The exactness commanded in Numbers 29 stood in stark contrast to the often chaotic, arbitrary, or morally questionable practices of surrounding pagan cults. Israel's divinely ordered system was a direct polemic against the "what is right in his own eyes" approach to worship common among other nations (Deut 12:8), establishing a holy standard that precluded syncretism or human-devised ritual.

Numbers 29 34 Commentary

Numbers 29:34, in its concise instruction regarding the supplementary offerings for the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles, underlines a fundamental principle of Old Covenant worship: precision and complete obedience. These detailed mandates for drink and grain offerings, tied directly to the accompanying animal sacrifices (bulls, rams, lambs), emphasize that worship was never a haphazard affair but a divinely ordained, meticulously structured act. The recurrent phrase "by their number, according to the rule" highlights that the validity of an offering was derived from its perfect conformity to God's command, not from the worshipper's sincerity or generosity alone. This relentless demand for accuracy prepared Israel for a deeper spiritual truth: true worship is rooted in conforming to God's character and Word, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ's perfect, singular offering, which wholly accomplished what the temporary rituals foreshadowed. His offering required no additional drink or grain, being complete in itself (Heb 9:26, 10:12).