🔢WEB · Numbers 28:13
What does Numbers 28:13 mean?
"and one tenth part of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering to every lamb; for a burnt offering of a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh."
— Numbers 28:13 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering, and its drink offering.
“‘In the beginnings of your months, you shall offer a burnt offering to Yahweh: two young bulls, and 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; for a burnt offering of a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, 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.
One male goat for a sin offering to Yahweh; it shall be offered besides the continual burnt offering, and its drink offering.
“‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is Yahweh’s Passover.
Explanation
Numbers 28:13 sits within a detailed list of instructions for Israel's regular sacrificial worship, specifically describing the monthly new moon offerings. In plain language, the verse specifies that alongside each lamb offered as part of the burnt offering, the worshiper was to bring one-tenth of an ephah (a specific dry measure) of fine flour mixed with olive oil. This flour-and-oil mixture is called a "meal offering" or "grain offering," and it accompanied the lamb as it was burned on the altar. The passage emphasizes that this combined offering—the lamb and its accompanying grain—produced a "pleasant aroma" and was made "by fire to Yahweh," meaning it was consumed entirely by fire as a gift to God.
The book of Numbers records the laws and history of Israel during their wilderness wanderings after the Exodus from Egypt, traditionally attributed to Moses as the covenant mediator who received these instructions from God. Numbers 28 specifically outlines the calendar of Israel's public worship—daily, weekly (Sabbath), and monthly (new moon) offerings that the whole nation was to bring, distinct from personal or occasional sacrifices. This chapter functions as a kind of liturgical calendar, ensuring that Israel's worship life was structured and continuous, marking time itself as belonging to God. The new moon offerings mentioned here reflect the ancient Hebrew calendar, which was lunar-based, so each new month began with a specific act of corporate worship.
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