Bible Commentaries
Numbers 28

Verse 1

CHAPTER XXVIII

All the offerings of God to be offered in their due season,

1, 2.

The continual burnt-offering for the morning, 3-6;

and its drink-offering, 7.

The continual burnt-offering for the evening, 8.

The offerings for the Sabbath, 9, 10.

The offerings for the beginning of each month, 11-15.

Repetition of the ordinances concerning the passover, 16-25.

Ordinances concerning the day of first-fruits or pentecost,

26-31.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXVIII

Verse 2

Verse Numbers 28:2. Command the children of Israel, c. — It is not easy to account for the reason of the introduction of these precepts here, which had been so circumstantially delivered before in different parts of the books of Exodus and Leviticus. It is possible that the daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly services had been considerably interrupted for several years, owing to the unsettled state of the people in the wilderness, and that it was necessary to repeat these laws for two reasons:

1. Because they were now about to enter into the promised land, where these services must be established and constant.

2. Because the former generations being all dead, multitudes of the present might be ignorant of these ordinances.

In their due season — Moses divides these offerings into: -

1. DAILY. The morning and evening sacrifices: a lamb each time, Numbers 28:3-4.

2. WEEKLY. The Sabbath offerings, two lambs of a year old, Numbers 28:9, c.

3. MONTHLY. At the beginning of each month two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs of a year old, and a kid for a sin-offering, Numbers 28:11, &c.

4. ANNUAL. 1. The passover to last seven days the offerings, two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of a year old, and a he-goat for a sin-offering, Numbers 28:16, &c. 2. The day of FIRST-FRUITS. The sacrifices, the same as on the beginning of the month, Numbers 28:26, &c.

With these sacrifices were offered libations, or drink-offerings of strong wine, Numbers 28:7, Numbers 28:14, and minchahs, or meat-offerings, composed of fine flour mingled with oil, Numbers 28:8, Numbers 28:12, &c. For an ample account of all these offerings, Numbers 28:12- : and Exodus 12:1-51.

Verse 7

Verse Numbers 28:7. Strong wine — Sikera; Leviticus 10:9; Leviticus 10:9, where this is largely explained.

Verse 26

Verse Numbers 28:26. Day of the first-fruits — Called also the feast of weeks, and the feast of pentecost. See it explained, Clarke "Exodus 23:14", and "Leviticus 23:15".

Verse 31

Verse Numbers 28:31. Without blemish — This is to be understood as applying, not only to the animals, but also to the flour, wine, and oil; every thing must be perfect in its kind.