Numbers 28

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

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

You shall tell them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the LORD: male lambs a year old without defect, two day by day, for a continual burnt offering.

You shall offer the one lamb in the morning, and you shall offer the other lamb at evening,

with one tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil.

It is a continual burnt offering which was ordained in Mount Sinai for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.

Its drink offering shall be the fourth part of a hin for each lamb. You shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD in the holy place.

The other lamb you shall offer at evening. As the meal offering of the morning, and as its drink offering, you shall offer it, an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to the LORD.

“‘On the Sabbath day, you shall offer two male lambs a year old without defect, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering mixed with oil, and its drink offering:

this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.

“‘In the beginnings of your months, you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without defect,

and three tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering mixed with oil, for each bull; and two tenth parts of fine flour for a meal offering mixed with oil, for the one ram;

and one tenth part of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering to every lamb, as a burnt offering of a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.

Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, 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.

Also, one male goat for a sin offering to the LORD shall be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.

“‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is the LORD’s Passover.

On the fifteenth day of this month shall be a feast. Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days.

In the first day shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work,

but you shall offer an offering made by fire, a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old. They shall be without defect,

with their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil. You shall offer three tenths for a bull, and two tenths for the ram.

You shall offer one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs;

and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you.

You shall offer these in addition to the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.

In this way you shall offer daily, for seven days, the food of the offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD. It shall be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.

On the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work.

“‘Also in the day of the first fruits, when you offer a new meal offering to the LORD in your feast of weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work;

but you shall offer a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old;

and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths for each bull, two tenths for the one ram,

one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs;

and one male goat, to make atonement for you.

Besides the continual burnt offering and its meal offering, you shall offer them and their drink offerings. See that they are without defect.

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview. This chapter details the divinely appointed schedule of regular and festival offerings to be presented by Israel at the tabernacle, establishing the rhythm of worship tied to daily, weekly, monthly, and annual cycles. It emphasizes the constancy and orderliness of Israel’s priestly service, grounded in God’s commandments given at Sinai, and centers on the fulfillment of sacrificial duties as an act of devotion and atonement.

Flow.

The chapter begins with the command to offer a daily burnt offering of two unblemished lambs—one in the morning, one in the evening—accompanied by precise amounts of grain and drink offerings.
It then expands to the additional offerings required on the Sabbath and at the beginning of each month, increasing in scale with bulls, rams, lambs, and a sin offering.
Next, it outlines the specific sacrifices for Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, emphasizing holiness and communal assembly.
Finally, it concludes with instructions for the Feast of Weeks (Firstfruits), specifying burnt and sin offerings alongside the continual daily sacrifices.

Connections. Following chapter 27, which ends with Moses’ concern for Israel’s leadership after his death, this chapter returns to the subject of divine instruction through Moses, reinforcing the stability of God’s covenant order. The focus shifts from inheritance and succession to the ongoing worship life of the people, which sustains their identity before God. The meticulous attention to sacrificial timing and formality sets the stage for chapter 29, which continues the liturgical calendar with instructions for the autumn festivals, particularly the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles.

What it teaches. This chapter teaches that God is to be honored through a structured, continual pattern of worship that reflects both constancy and seasonal remembrance. The daily burnt offering (WCF 21.5) symbolizes Israel’s unbroken duty to approach God in devotion, while the additional offerings on Sabbaths, new moons, and feasts mark sacred times of communal holiness and atonement. These sacrifices, described as a “pleasant aroma” to the Lord, point forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ (Eph. 5:2), whose perfect offering fulfills what the Levitical system typified (HC LD 16). The inclusion of sin offerings alongside burnt offerings underscores the need for atonement even in regular worship (LC 78, WCF 7.3).

Apply. The regularity of Israel’s offerings calls attention to the grace of a covenant God who draws near to His people through prescribed means of worship.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.