🔢WEB · Numbers 28:9
What does Numbers 28:9 mean?
"“‘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:"
— Numbers 28:9 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in Mount Sinai for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
Its drink offering shall be the fourth part of a hin for the one lamb. You shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to Yahweh 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 Yahweh.
“‘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, 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;
Explanation
Numbers 28:9 falls within a larger section of the book (chapters 28-29) where God gives Moses detailed instructions for Israel's calendar of sacrifices—daily, weekly, monthly, and at the annual feasts. This particular verse addresses the Sabbath offering specifically: in addition to the regular daily burnt offering (described just before this in verses 3-8), the priests were to offer two unblemished year-old male lambs, along with a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, plus the accompanying drink offering (usually wine, as specified in the surrounding verses).
The book of Numbers records Israel's experiences during the wilderness wandering, and this section is generally understood to come from a later point, as Moses prepares the new generation for life in the Promised Land, where they will need to maintain ongoing worship at the tabernacle. Moses received these instructions directly from God and passed them to the priests and people, since the text repeatedly frames this material as the LORD speaking to Moses. The purpose of these regulations was to establish a consistent, orderly rhythm of worship once Israel settled in the land, ensuring that sacrifice was not sporadic or left to individual whim but structured according to God's own specifications.
Theologically, this verse reflects the principle that the Sabbath, though a day of rest, was not a day of reduced devotion to God—it required doubled offerings, not fewer. The requirement of unblemished animals underscores the holiness of God and the need for the best, most costly offerings in wor
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