Numbers 29: Offerings at the Festival of Trumpets / Offerings on the Day of Atonement / Offerings at the Festival of Booths
In today's reading the Lord gives Moses instructions concerning offerings on specific days. These offerings are not done by the people, but by the priests on behalf of the people. Offerings are listed first by degrees of frequency, and then are given for the festivals and holy days. These are in addition to votive and freewill offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings, and offerings of well being.
The bible may be read here as an instruction manual, and a very precise one at that. Repetitions that may seem unnecessary to us are made over and over. As we will see, the offerings are fairly standardized, with 1/10 an ephah of flour being offered with a lamb, 2/10 with a ram, and 3/10 with a bull. This corresponds with the increasing size of each animal. Were offerings still common today, it might be stated at the beginning that lambs are sacrificed with amount X grain, rams with amount Y, and bulls with amount Z. But that is not how the biblical authors wrote. Likewise, the festival of booths could be significantly shortened by stating that for each of the seven days, 2 rams, 14 lambs, and 1 goat are offered. Though if you really want to get technical, the number of bulls each day is represented by the equation:
in which b is equal to the number of bulls to be sacrificed and d is equal to the day of the festival. That would be some serious scripture.b = 15 - d
There are many theories regarding offerings - too many to describe here. The Israelites might use sacrifice to acknowledge God's presence and gain God's favor. But as a literary function, the daily offering seems to indicate a sort of communion - the way you might commune with a guest. The scent is pleasing to God and the humans partake of some of the meat, the other parts are dedicated to God or disposed of. It is a way of saying, "this is ours." God refers to the offerings as "my offerings by fire, my pleasing odor," that the Israelites "shall take care to offer to me at its appointed time" (Num. 28.2).
Daily Offerings: Numbers 28.1-8
Two offerings, one in the morning and one at midnight.
1 one-year-old male lamb without blemish with 1/10 ephah flour mixed with 1/4 hin oil and1/4 hin strong drink
Sabbath Offerings: Numbers 28.9-10
Made "In addition to the regular [daily] burnt offering and its drink offering" (Num. 28.10).
2 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 2/10 ephah flour mixed with oil per lamb and an unspecified drink offering
Monthly Offerings: Numbers 28.11-15
Burnt offerings made at the beginning of the month.
2 young bulls with 3/10 ephah flour mixed with oil and 1/2 hin per bull
1 ram with 2/10 ephah flour mixed with oil and 1/3 hin strong drink
7 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 1/10 ephah mixed with oil and 1/4 hin strong drink per lamb
1 male goat as a sin offering 7 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 1/10 ephah mixed with oil and 1/4 hin strong drink per lamb
Offerings at Passover: Numbers 28.16-25
Made on the fifteenth day of the first month [the day after passover]. It marks the beginning of the festival of unleavened bread. This offering made every morning for the seven days, in addition to the daily morning burnt offering.
2 young bulls with 3/10 ephah flour mixed with oil per bull
1 ram with 2/10 ephah flour mixed with oil
7 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 1/10 ephah mixed with oil per lamb
1 male goat as a sin offering
Offerings at the Festival of Weeks: Numbers 28.26-31
To be offered on the day of first fruits, marking the harvest of new grain.
2 young bulls with 3/10 ephah flour mixed with oil per bull
1 ram with 2/10 ephah flour mixed with oil
7 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 1/10 ephah mixed with oil per lamb
1 male goat "for atonement" [as a sin offering?]
Offerings at the Festival of Trumpets: Numbers 29.1-6
On the first day of the seventh month the trumpets should be blown and the following offering should be made. These are made in addition to the "burnt offering of the new moon" and the daily offering.
1 young bull with 3/10 ephah flour mixed with oil
1 ram with 2/10 ephah flour mixed with oil
7 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 1/10 ephah mixed with oil per lamb
1 male goat as a sin offering
Offerings on the Day of Atonement: Numbers 29.7-11
On the tenth day of the seventh month the following offering should be made:
1 young bull with 3/10 ephah flour mixed with oil
1 ram with 2/10 ephah flour mixed with oil
7 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 1/10 ephah mixed with oil per lamb
1 male goat as a sin offering
Offerings at the Festival of Booths: Numbers 29.12-40
The fifteenth day of the seventh month kicks off the seven-day festival of booths. Offerings are prescribed for each day, with a burnt offering made as well on the eighth day:
Day 1
13 young bulls with 3/10 ephah flour each
2 rams with 2/10 ephah flour each
14 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 1/10 ephah flour each
1 male goat as a sin offering
Day 2
12 young bulls with 3/10 ephah flour each
2 rams with 2/10 ephah flour each
14 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 1/10 ephah flour each
1 male goat as a sin offering
Day 3
11 young bulls with 3/10 ephah flour each
2 rams with 2/10 ephah flour each
14 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 1/10 ephah flour each
1 male goat as a sin offering
Day 4
10 young bulls with 3/10 ephah flour each
2 rams with 2/10 ephah flour each
14 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 1/10 ephah flour each
1 male goat as a sin offering
Day 5
9 young bulls with 3/10 ephah flour each
2 rams with 2/10 ephah flour each
14 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 1/10 ephah flour each
1 male goat as a sin offering
Day 6
8 young bulls with 3/10 ephah flour each
2 rams with 2/10 ephah flour each
14 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 1/10 ephah flour each
1 male goat as a sin offering
Day 7
7 young bulls with 3/10 ephah flour each
2 rams with 2/10 ephah flour each
14 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 1/10 ephah flour each
1 male goat as a sin offering
Day 8
1 bull with 3/10 ephah flour each, with drink offering
1 ram with 2/10 ephah flour each, with drink offering
7 one-year-old male lambs without blemish with 1/10 ephah flour each, with drink offering
1 male goat as a sin offering
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