And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil: three tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram;

NUMBERS 28:20KJV
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Numbers 28:20 (KJV)

What does Numbers 28:20 mean?

Numbers 28:20 gives instructions for a specific offering: the people are to bring a grain offering made of flour mixed with oil, with the amount depending on the animal being sacrificed—three tenths of a measure for a bull and two tenths for a ram. This verse is part of detailed directions for worship during a special festival.

Moses is relaying God’s commands to the Israelites about how to properly present offerings during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The verse specifies the exact portions of flour and oil to be used with each animal, showing the care and order expected in Israel’s worship practices.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 28:20

  • "offering" (מִנְחָה, minchah): This word refers to a grain or meal offering, not an animal sacrifice. It highlights that worship included gifts from everyday produce, not just livestock.
  • "flour" (סֹלֶת, solet): This means fine flour, the best quality, showing that the offering was to be made from something valuable and carefully prepared.
  • "mingled" (בָּלוּל, balul): This word means mixed or blended, indicating that the oil was thoroughly combined with the flour, not just poured on top.
  • "deals" (עִשָּׂרוֹן, issaron): This refers to a specific measure, about a tenth of an ephah, making the instructions precise and repeatable.

Why Numbers 28:20 matters

  • Numbers 28:20 clears up that offerings were not just about animals but included carefully measured grain and oil, showing the importance of detail in worship.
  • The verse emphasizes that different animals required different amounts of grain offering, underlining the orderliness and fairness in God’s instructions.
  • This verse connects to the larger passage by showing how each part of the festival had its own requirements, helping the community remember and honor God with both their livestock and their crops.

Where else these words appear

“deals” Hebrew H6241 · used in 22 verses

  • Exodus 29:40 And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.
  • Numbers 15:6 Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.
  • Numbers 28:29 A several tenth deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven lambs;

“mingled” Hebrew H1101 · used in 42 verses

  • Genesis 11:7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
  • Numbers 7:13 And his offering was one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
  • Numbers 15:6 Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.

“flour” Hebrew H5560 · used in 52 verses

  • Genesis 18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
  • Numbers 6:15 And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings.
  • Numbers 28:5 And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil.

“bullock” Hebrew H6499 · used in 119 verses

  • Genesis 32:15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.
  • Numbers 7:57 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
  • Numbers 29:33 And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: