Numbers 15:7 (KJV)

What does Numbers 15:7 mean?

Numbers 15:7 instructs that a third of a hin of wine should be offered as a drink offering, creating a pleasing aroma for the LORD. This verse is part of the guidelines for offerings that the Israelites were to bring to God as acts of worship and obedience.

In this passage, God is speaking to Moses, who is then to relay these instructions to the Israelites. The context is a set of detailed rules about how to present offerings, specifically what quantities and types of materials to use. The "drink offering" here refers to pouring out wine as part of a larger sacrificial ceremony, and the phrase "sweet savour" means the offering is considered pleasing or acceptable to God.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 15:7

• הִין (hin, transliterated "hin") refers to an ancient Hebrew unit of liquid measure, roughly equivalent to about 3.8–6 liters. Specifying "a third part of a hin" gives a precise amount, showing the importance of careful obedience in worship.
• יַיִן (yayin, transliterated "yayin") means "wine." Wine was a valued commodity, and its use in offerings highlights giving something significant to God.
• רֵיחַ (reyach, transliterated "reyach") means "savour" or "aroma," and נִיחוֹחַ (nichoach, transliterated "nichoach") means "sweet" or "pleasing." Together, these words describe the offering as something that brings pleasure or satisfaction to the LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH).

Why Numbers 15:7 matters

• Numbers 15:7 clarifies that worship involved not just animal sacrifices but also offerings of wine, showing the variety and richness of Israelite worship practices.
• The verse emphasizes that specific instructions and measurements were important in the Israelites’ relationship with God, reflecting order and reverence.
• This instruction is part of a larger passage that underscores God’s desire for offerings to be given thoughtfully and in the right way, not just as empty rituals.