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:

NUMBERS 29:18KJV
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Numbers 29:18 (KJV)

What does Numbers 29:18 mean?

Numbers 29:18 gives instructions about the grain and drink offerings that should be given alongside the animal sacrifices—the bullocks, rams, and lambs—during a festival. The verse says these offerings must match the number of animals and follow the established rules for such sacrifices.

In this part of Numbers, God is giving Moses detailed directions for Israel’s worship during the Feast of Tabernacles. Moses is to tell the Israelites exactly how many offerings to bring and in what manner, ensuring everything is done according to God’s previous instructions. This verse emphasizes careful obedience and the importance of following set patterns in worship.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 29:18

  • "Offering" (מִנְחָה, minchah): This word refers to the grain or meal offering, a non-animal sacrifice that often accompanied animal offerings. It highlights that worship involved more than just animal sacrifices.
  • "Offerings" (נֶסֶךְ, nesech): This term means "drink offerings," usually wine poured out as part of the sacrifice. Including both food and drink offerings shows the completeness of the ritual.
  • "Bullocks" (פַּר, par), "rams" (אַיִל, ayil), "lambs" (כֶּבֶשׂ, keves): These words specify the animals required, showing the variety and scale of the sacrifices.
  • "Number" (מִסְפָּר, mispar): This word stresses that the offerings must correspond exactly to the number of animals sacrificed, underlining precision in worship.
  • "Manner" (מִשְׁפָּט, mishpat): This word means "custom" or "ordinance," pointing to the fact that these offerings must follow the established rules, not be improvised.

Why Numbers 29:18 matters

  • Numbers 29:18 clarifies that worship in ancient Israel was not left to personal preference but was carefully regulated, with each offering having a set pattern and quantity.
  • The verse connects to the larger passage by showing the detailed planning and reverence involved in the Feast of Tabernacles, one of Israel’s most significant festivals.
  • By specifying both the number and the manner of offerings, the verse helps prevent misunderstandings about what God required, ensuring that the people’s worship was unified and orderly.

Where else these words appear

“offerings” Hebrew H5262 · used in 62 verses

  • Genesis 35:14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.
  • Numbers 28:24 After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
  • 2 Kings 16:15 And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire by.

“lambs” Hebrew H3532 · used in 100 verses

  • Exodus 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
  • Numbers 7:53 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.
  • Numbers 29:17 And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:

“bullocks” 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:

“number” Hebrew H4557 · used in 129 verses

  • Genesis 34:30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
  • Deuteronomy 33:6 Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.
  • Ezra 3:4 They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required;