Bible/Numbers/28

Numbers 28:2

28:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.

KJV

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“Command the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘See that you present my offering, my food for my offerings made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to me, in their due season.’

Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.

Command the children of Israel, and say to them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet smell to me, shall you observe to offer to me in their due season.

Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My oblation, my food for my offerings made by fire, of a sweet savor unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.

28:3 And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the Lord; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.

What does Numbers 28:2 mean?

Numbers 28:2 is a verse in the book of Numbers, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include צָוָה (tsâvâh), בֵּן (bên), יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl). It connects to 26 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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Commandצָוָהtsâvâh/tsaw-vaw'/H6680(intensively) to constitute, enjoin
the
childrenבֵּןbên/bane/H1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
of
Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלYisrâʼêl/yis-raw-ale'/H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
and
sayאָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)
unto
them,
My
offering,קׇרְבָּןqorbân/kor-bawn'/H7133something brought near the altar, i.e. a sacrificial present
and
my
breadלֶחֶםlechem/lekh'-em/H3899food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)
for
my
sacrifices
made
by
fire,אִשָּׁהʼishshâh/ish-shaw'/H801properly, a burnt-offering; but occasionally of any sacrifice
for
a
sweetנִיחוֹחַnîychôwach/nee-kho'-akh/H5207properly, restful, i.e. pleasant; abstractly, delight
savourרֵיחַrêyach/ray'-akh/H7381odor (as if blown)
unto
me,
shall
ye
observeשָׁמַרshâmar/shaw-mar'/H8104properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.
to
offerקָרַבqârab/kaw-rab'/H7126to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose
unto
me
in
their
due
season.מוֹעֵדmôwʻêd/mo-ade'/H4150properly, an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally ayear; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand)
a
sweet:
Heb.
a
savour
of
my
rest

Commentary on Numbers 28:2

CLARKE · whole chapter
een 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, Num 28:3, Num 28:4. 2. Weekly. The Sabbath offerings, two lambs of a year old, Num 28:9, etc. 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, Num 28:11, etc. 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, Num 28:16, etc. 2. The day of First-Fruits. The sacrifices, the same as on the beginning of the month, Num 28:26, etc. With these sacrifices were offered libations, or drink-offerings of strong wine, Num 28:7, Num 28:14, and minchahs, or meat-offerings, composed of fine flour mingled with oil, Num 28:8, Num 28:12, etc. For an ample account of all these offerings, see the notes on Leviticus 7 (note) and Exodus 12 (note). Verse 7 Strong wine - Sikera; see the note on Lev 10:9, where this is largely explained. Verse 26 Day of the first-fruits - Called also the feast of weeks, and the feast of pentecost. See it explained Exo 23:14 (note), and Lev 23:15 (note). Verse 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. Introduction The feast of trumpets on the first day of the seventh month, and its sacrifices, Num 29:1-6. The feast of expiation, or annual atonement, on the tenth day of the same month, with its sacrifices, Num 29:7-11. The feast of tabernacles, held on the fifteenth day of the same month, with its eight days' offerings, Num 29:12. The offerings of the first day, thirteen bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs, and one kid, Num 29:13-16. The offerings of the second day, twelve bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs, and one kid, Num 29:17-19. The offerings of the third day, eleven bullocks; the rest as before, Num 29:20-22. The offerings of the fourth day, ten bullocks; the rest as before, Num 29:23-25. The offerings of the fifth day, nine bullocks, etc., Num 29:26-28. The offerings of the sixth day, eight bullocks, etc.,
HENRY_FULL · Numbers 28:1–8
Laws Concerning Sacrifices. ( b. c. 1452.) 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season. 3 And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the Lord ; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering. 4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even; 5 And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil. 6 It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in Mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord . 7 And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering. 8 And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord . Here is, I. A general order given concerning the offerings of the Lord, which were to be brought in their season, v. 2 . These laws are here given afresh, not because the observance of them was wholly disused during their thirty-eight years' wandering in the wilderness (we cannot think that they were so long without any public worship, but that at least the daily lamb was offered morning and evening, and doubled on the sabbath day; so bishop Patrick conjectures); but that many of the sacrifices were then omitted is plainly intimated, Amos v. 25 , quoted by Stephen, Acts vii. 42 . Did you offer unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? It is implied, "No, you did not." But, whether the course of sacrifices had been interrupted or no, God saw fit now to repeat the law of sacrifices, 1. Because this was a new generation of men, that were most of them unborn when the former laws were given; therefore, that they might be left without excuse, they have not only these laws written, to be read to them, but again repeated from God himself, and put into a less compass and a plainer method. 2. Because they were now entering upon war, and might be tempted to think that while they were engaged in that they should be excused from offering sacrifices. Inter arma silent leges—law is little regarded amidst the clash of arms. No, says God, my bread for my sacrifices even now shall you observe to offer, and that in the due season. They were peculiarly concerned to keep their peace with God when they were at war with their enemies. In the wilderness they were solitary, and quite separate from all other people, and therefore there they needed not so much their distinguishing badges, nor would their omission of sacrifices be so scandalous as when they came into Canaan, when they mingled with other people. 3. Because possession was now to be given them of the land of promise, that land flowing with milk and honey, where they would have plenty of all good things. "Now" (says God), "When you are feasting yourselves, forget not to offer the bread of your God." Canaan was given to them upon this condition, that they should observe God's statutes, Ps. cv. 44, 45 . II. The particular law of the daily sacrifice, a lamb in the morning and a lamb in the evening, which, for the constancy of it as duly as the day came, is called a continual burnt-offering ( v. 3 ), which intimates that when we are bidden to pray always, and to pray without ceasing, it is intended that at least every morning and every evening we offer up our solemn prayers and praises to God. This is said to be ordained in Mount Sinai ( v. 6 ), when the other laws were given. The institution of it we have, Exod. xxix. 38 . Nothing is here added in the repetition of the law, but that the wine to be poured out in the drink-offering is ordered to be strong wine ( v. 7 ), the riches and most generous and best-bodied wine they could get. Though it was to be poured out upon the altar, and not drunk (they therefore might be ready to think the worst would serve to be so thrown away), yet God requires the strongest, to teach us to serve God with the best we have. The wine must be strong (says Ainsworth) because it was a figure of the blood of Christ, the memorial of which is still left to the church in wine, and of the blood of the martyrs, which was poured out as a drink-offering upon the sacrifice and service of our faith, Phil. ii. 17 .
WESLEY · Numbers 28:2
Command the children of Israel - God here repeats some of the former laws about sacrifices, not without great reason, partly because they had been generally discontinued for thirty eight years together; partly because the generation to which the former laws had been given about these things was wholly dead, and it was fit the new generation should be instructed about them, as their parents were; partly to renew their testimonies of God's grace and mercy, notwithstanding their frequent forfeitures thereof by their rebellion: and principally because they were now ready to enter into that land, in which they were obliged to put these things in practice.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 8:21

And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

Exodus 23:15

Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)

Exodus 29:18

And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the Lord: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

Leviticus 1:9

But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

Leviticus 1:13

But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

Leviticus 1:17

And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

Leviticus 3:11

And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the Lord.

Leviticus 21:6

They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.

Leviticus 21:8

Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the Lord, which sanctify you, am holy.

Numbers 9:2

Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.

Numbers 9:7

And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the Lord in his appointed season among the children of Israel?

Numbers 9:13

But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.

Numbers 14:37

Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord.

Numbers 15:3

And will make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the Lord, of the herd, or of the flock:

Numbers 15:7

And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the Lord.

Numbers 15:24

Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the Lord, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering.

Numbers 16:33

They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

1 Kings 13:24

And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.

Psalms 81:3

Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

Ezekiel 16:19

My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord God.

Ezekiel 20:41

I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.

Malachi 1:7

Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.

Malachi 1:12

But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.

2 Corinthians 2:15

For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

Ephesians 5:2

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Philippians 4:18

But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Numbers 28:2.

Exodus 16:32

And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.

Exodus 29:18

And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the Lord: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

Exodus 29:25

And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the Lord: it is an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

Exodus 29:41

And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

Genesis 2:16

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

Genesis 3:11

And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

Genesis 3:16

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Genesis 3:17

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Frequently asked questions

What does Numbers 28:2 say?

Numbers 28:2 (King James Version) reads: "Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season."

Is Numbers 28:2 in the Old or New Testament?

Numbers 28:2 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Numbers.

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As you read Numbers 28:2, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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