John Calvin Commentary Numbers 28
John Calvin Commentary
Numbers 28
John Calvin Commentary
Numbers 28
"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying," — Numbers 28:1 (ASV)
And the Lord spoke to Moses. Moses, being about to speak again of the “continual” sacrifice, premises that the people should diligently follow in their offerings whatever God has commanded; for by the word “observe,” (custodiendi,) not only diligence, but obedience is also expressed. But, so that they might more earnestly beware of every transgression, God calls either that which was usually placed daily on the table, or that which was added to the burnt offerings, His bread, as if He ate of it like humans do. It is indeed a difficult expression, but the unrefined nature of His ancient people obliged Him to speak in such a tangible way, so that, on the one hand, they might learn this rite to be acceptable to God, just as food is acceptable to humans; and, on the other, that they might strive to offer their sacrifices more purely and chastely.
"And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto Jehovah: he-lambs a year old without blemish, two day by day, for a continual burnt-offering." — Numbers 28:3 (ASV)
And thou shalt say unto them. He repeats what we have seen in Exodus, that they should kill two lambs daily, one in the morning and the other in the evening; but he speaks more fully of the accompanying elements of flour and wine, and also refers to the antiquity of this kind of sacrifice as its recommendation, because it began to be offered to God on Mount Sinai and was a “savor of rest.”236
The libation of wine, of which mention is made, was also in use among pagan nations; but, since it was without the command and promise of God, it could only be meaningless (insipidum).237 And it is probable (as we have seen elsewhere) that many of the pagan rites descended from the ancient fathers but as a false and empty imitation; for when they had forgotten the reason for them, all they did could only be mere theatrical pageantry. But we have said that in this way men were reminded always to have God before their eyes in their daily food, and therefore in every way to accustom themselves to cultivate holiness.
236 A.V., “a sweet savor.” “a sweet savor.” Margin, “Heb., a savor of my rest."a savor of my rest."
237 Fr., “c’a este moins que ripopper, comme on dit;” ;” Ripope, i.e., bad wine.i.e., bad wine.
"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:" — Numbers 28:9 (ASV)
And on the Sabbath-day. What was omitted in the former passage is supplied here: that is, on the Sabbath the continual sacrifice was to be doubled, and two lambs offered instead of one. This was reasonable because, as the seventh day was especially dedicated to God, it should be exalted above other days by some extraordinary and distinctive mark.
He also commands greater sacrifices to be offered at the beginning of the month or new moon, namely, two bullocks, one ram, and a goat for a sin-offering. For we know that the first day of every month was consecrated to God, so that the people might more frequently have the remembrance of their religious duties renewed. Furthermore, the goat for an atonement for sin was added, so that every month they should present themselves as guilty before God to avert His wrath.
"And in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is Jehovah`s passover." — Numbers 28:16 (ASV)
And in the fourteenth day. It is true that the instruction given here has some connection with the Feast of the Passover. However, since the sacrifices are explicitly discussed, and no mention is made of its other observances except in this place, I have connected it with the continual sacrifice as its associated part.
Moses briefly refers, indeed, to what we have already seen, that is, that the people should abstain from leaven for seven days and eat unleavened bread. But he afterwards addresses the main point he intended to discuss here, namely, that the people should slay two bullocks as a burnt offering, a ram, and seven lambs, together with a goat for a sin offering, and that this sacrifice should be repeated throughout the whole week.
Therefore, so that the reverence for the Passover would be increased, this extraordinary sacrifice was added to the continual one: partly that they might thus be more and more stimulated to devote themselves to God; partly that they might acknowledge how intimately He had embraced them with His favor, since He took these offerings from their flocks and herds, and required the sacred feast to be prepared for Him from their cellars and granaries also; and partly, too, that professing themselves to be worthy of eternal death, they should turn to Him to ask for pardon and, at the same time, should understand that there was only one way of reconciliation, that is, when God would be propitiated by sacrifice.
"Also in the day of the first-fruits, when ye offer a new meal-offering unto Jehovah in your [feast of] weeks, ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work;" — Numbers 28:26 (ASV)
Also in the day of the firstfruits. Moses delivers the same commandment concerning another festival, namely, the one on which they offered their firstfruits. Then, also, he instructs them that the continual sacrifice was to be increased by the addition of two bullocks, one ram, seven lambs, a goat for a sin-offering, together with the minha and a libation, for the purpose I have already discussed.
A perplexing difficulty arises here because in Leviticus 23, one bullock is mentioned instead of two, and, conversely, two rams instead of one.238
Some think that an option was left to the priests in this matter; however, when I consider how precisely God’s commands were given in everything, I question whether such an alternative was truly left to their discretion. The notion that God had once been content with a single bullock because, as some believe, they were not abundant in the desert, appears to me a subterfuge. I confess I do not know how to resolve this difficulty, unless perhaps we might say that since sufficiently exact provision had been made in all other details that nothing was to be done without reason, in this respect alone they were reminded that God Himself does not care for more or fewer victims.
Nor does any reverence prevent us from saying that, as sometimes happens in minor matters, a wrong number may have crept in through the carelessness of scribes;239 and this is probably the most natural solution. In my opinion, the more correct reading is that they should offer two bullocks and one ram; but since it is explained elsewhere why God appointed this day, he only briefly states here: When they bring the minha with the firstfruits.
238 “Josephus and Maimonides understand that they were distinct sacrifices. Aben-Ezra and others think that it was left to the priest which he would offer.” — Brightwell on the Pentateuch, in loco..
239 The conjecture of C. receives no support from the modern collections of various readings; for though the number receives no support from the modern collections of various readings; for though the number two is wanting in one of Kennicott’s is wanting in one of Kennicott’s MSS., the word for bullocks is in the plural in that same the word for bullocks is in the plural in that same MS.; and the two most ancient versions, viz., the and the two most ancient versions, viz., the LXX. and the and the Syriac agree with the received text both here and in agree with the received text both here and in Leviticus 23:8. — . — W.
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