Albert Barnes Commentary Numbers 28
Albert Barnes Commentary
Numbers 28
Albert Barnes Commentary
Numbers 28
"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying," — Numbers 28:1 (ASV)
The daily offering had already been commanded (Exodus 29:38), and no doubt additional offerings had become customary on festivals. But no such elaborate system as is here prescribed was or could possibly have been observed in the wilderness: compare Deuteronomy 12:8-9. The regulations of this and the next chapter therefore point to the immediate prospect of that settlement in Canaan which alone could enable the Israelites to obey them. Compare the ordinances in Numbers 15:0.
"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." — Numbers 28:2 (ASV)
My offering, and my bread ... - Or, my offering, even my bread, etc. Offering is here קרבן qorbân (Mark 7:11), a term that in itself has quite general significance, but is often especially applied, as apparently in this instance, to the grain offering which accompanied the sacrifices.
This grain offering connected itself, by its very nature, with the life of the Israelites in Canaan, not with their life in the wilderness; and it was added to the animal sacrifices as a sign that the people must dedicate to God their property and the fruits of their labor, as well as their own persons. See Numbers 15:2 note and Leviticus 21:6.
"And the drink-offering thereof shall be the fourth part of a hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou pour out a drink-offering of strong drink unto Jehovah." — Numbers 28:7 (ASV)
The original of the word “strong wine” שׁכר shêkār is a term usually employed to describe strong drink other than wine (Leviticus 10:9 note). The Israelites in the wilderness had, in their lack of wine, substituted shechar made from barley for it. They had thus observed the spirit, though not the letter of the ordinance. The drink-offering was either poured around the foot of the altar; or on the altar, and so upon the flesh of the sacrifice by which the altar was covered .
"And on the sabbath day two he-lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenth parts [of an ephah] of fine flour for a meal-offering, mingled with oil, and the drink-offering thereof: this is the burnt-offering of every sabbath, besides the continual burnt-offering, and the drink-offering thereof." — Numbers 28:9-10 (ASV)
The Sabbath-offering, not previously enjoined, consisted of two lambs, properly accompanied, in addition to the regular daily offering.
"And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt-offering unto Jehovah: two young bullocks, and one ram, seven he-lambs a year old without blemish; and three tenth parts [of an ephah] of fine flour for a meal-offering, mingled with oil, for each bullock; and two tenth parts of fine flour for a meal-offering, mingled with oil, for the one ram; and a tenth part of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal-offering unto every lamb; for a burnt-offering of a sweet savor, an offering made by fire unto Jehovah. And their drink-offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bullock, and the third part of a hin for the ram, and the fourth part of a hin for a lamb: this is the burnt-offering of every month throughout the months of the year. And one he-goat for a sin-offering unto Jehovah; it shall be offered besides the continual burnt-offering, and the drink-offering thereof." — Numbers 28:11-15 (ASV)
The New-moon offering is also commanded here for the first time. The goat as a sin-offering, though mentioned last, would seem in fact to have been offered first (compare the precedents in Exodus 29; Leviticus 5; Leviticus 8; Leviticus 9; Leviticus 14; Leviticus 16). The sin-offering, which had been contemplated in Numbers 15:22-26 for cases where a sin had been committed ignorantly without the knowledge of the congregation, was from then on not to be offered merely at discretion, as circumstances might seem to require, but to be regularly repeated, at least once a month.
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