And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:

NUMBERS 29:23KJV
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Numbers 29:23 (KJV)

What does Numbers 29:23 mean?

Numbers 29:23 gives the animal offerings appointed for the fourth day of the Feast of Tabernacles, a seven-day celebration. The verse specifies the number and kind of animals to be brought, as well as the condition required of the young sheep.

The instructions come from the LORD to Moses for the Israelites. After the third day’s offerings, the fourth day continues the pattern with one fewer bull. The animals named in verse 23 are for a burnt offering: an offering burned on the altar.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 29:23

  • “bullocks” — פַּר (par): The word refers to a young bull. The KJV’s “bullocks” may be unfamiliar to a modern reader, but the animals named here are cattle.
  • “without blemish” — תָּמִים (tamim): The word carries the sense of being whole or sound. Here it describes animals fit for the offering, rather than animals with defects.

Why Numbers 29:23 matters

  • The number of bulls changes from day to day. The fourth day calls for ten, following eleven on the third day; the number continues to fall through the seventh day.
  • The verse is part of a larger set of instructions for that day. The following verses add grain and drink offerings, as well as a male goat for a separate offering.

Where else these words appear

“fourth” Hebrew H7243 · used in 54 verses

  • Genesis 1:19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
  • 1 Kings 6:1 And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.
  • 1 Chronicles 27:7 The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.

“blemish” Hebrew H8549 · used in 85 verses

  • Genesis 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
  • Numbers 28:9 And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof:
  • Psalms 18:23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

“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: