Bible Commentaries
Numbers 28

Verses 1-8

NUMBERS - TWENTY-EIGHT

Verses 1-8:

This text is God’s reminder to the new generation of Israel, of the rituals and sacrifices He ordained at Sinai. Two sacrifices were to be made daily, one each morning and one each evening. These were to be a Burnt Offering, a Meat (food) Offering, and a Drink Offering. They were to follow the form given in Le chapters 1 and 2, q. v.

"Offering," qorban, "what is brought near." It is a general term denoting anything offered to God, see Nu 7:3; Mr7:11. The term is translated "offering" sixty-six times, "oblation" twelve times, and "sacrifice" once.

"Ephah," a unit of measure of about three-fifths of a bushel.

"Deal," a unit of measure of an ephah.

"Hin,’ about one gallon.

These offerings were to be in addition to those brought by the individual Israelis in acknowledgment of their sins.

Verses 9-10

Verses 9, 10:

This text is the first mention of the Sabbath offering. The sacrifices of this occasion were to be double that of the daily sacrifices. This illustrates the importance of the Sabbath in the Divine plan for Israel.

Verses 11-15

Verses 11-15:

The new moon festival is mentioned briefly in Nu 10:10. The present text is the first regulation given for the offerings of the new moon, the "beginning of months."

The new moon festival was common among all the nations of that day, including Israel. Among the heathen, idolatry was involved, see De 4:19; Job 31:26, 27; Jer 7:18; 8:2. These statutes were given to regulate this observance in Israel, in order that it might not degenerate into idolatry as among the heathen.

The new moon was a time for social gathering (1Sa 20:5), as well as a time for religious instruction (2 Kings 4:23). For later customs, see Eze 46:1; Am 8:5.

"Strong wine," shekar, "what satiates, pleases," translated "strong drink" in every other occurrence, twenty-one times. The term apparently refers to intoxicating "spirits" of any variety. The quantity prescribed for each offering was considerable:

(1) For a bullock, half a hin, or about two quarts.

(2) For a ram, a third part of a hin, or about one-third gallon.

(3) For a lamb, a fourth part of a hin, about one quart.

The considerable quantity of meat, food, and drink indicated God’s provision for the priests and those Levites who assisted them in the Tabernacle services. A portion of the sacrifices was regarded as food for these ministers.

Verses 16-25

Verses 16-25:

This text lists the regulations regarding observance of the Passover, and its related festival.

The Passover observance was to be the fourteenth day of the first month of the religious year, Nisan (abib). This was a fast day, not a feast day. It was to be ended by the Passover meal in the evening, see Ex 12:6; De 16:1.

A week of religious festivities began the fifteenth day of the first month of the year, Ex 12:16; Le 23:6-8.

"The first day" (verse 18), or the first day of the feast, which was the fifteenth day of the month.

Sacrifices offered during this week were to be in addition to the regular daily offerings.

No "servile" or common labor was to be performed during the first and the seventh days of the week-long festival. And on the first and the seventh days there was to be an "holy convocation," or gathering, of the people.

Verses 26-31

Verses 26-31:

The "day of firstfruits" is Pentecost, see Ex 23:16; 34:22; Leviticus 23:10-21; Deuteronomy 16:10, q.v.

The sacrifices prescribed for this festival were identical to those of the new moon festival. The order is not the same as that of Le 23. This implies that the sacrifices prescribed in Leviticus were to be in addition to those of the present text.

The sacrifices in this text were to be offered in addition to the regular daily offerings.