Numbers 29:25 (KJV)

What does Numbers 29:25 mean?

Numbers 29:25 instructs that one young goat should be offered as a sin offering, in addition to the regular daily burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering. This verse is part of a list detailing the specific sacrifices required during a festival in ancient Israel.

In this passage, God is giving Moses detailed instructions for the Israelites about the sacrifices to be made during the Feast of Tabernacles. The verse highlights that the sin offering (a young goat) is not a substitute but is to be presented alongside the ongoing daily offerings, showing the importance of both regular and special sacrifices in Israel’s worship.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 29:25

• חַטָּאָה (ḥaṭṭā’āh, “sin offering”): This word emphasizes that the goat is specifically meant to address sin, setting it apart from other types of offerings.
• עֹלָה (ʿōlāh, “burnt offering”): This term refers to the continual burnt offering, which was a regular daily sacrifice, showing that festival offerings were to be added to—not replace—these ongoing rituals.
• מִנְחָה (minḥāh, “grain offering”): This word points to the grain (or meal) offering that accompanied the burnt offering, highlighting the completeness of the sacrificial system.
• נֶסֶךְ (nesekh, “drink offering”): This term refers to the wine poured out as part of the offering, rounding out the picture of the daily worship practices.

Why Numbers 29:25 matters

• Numbers 29:25 clarifies that special festival sacrifices did not replace the daily offerings but were added to them, showing the layered nature of Israel’s worship.
• The verse underscores the seriousness of sin by requiring a separate sin offering even during times of celebration, reminding the people of their ongoing need for atonement.
• This instruction fits into a larger pattern in Numbers 28–29, where each day of the festival has its own set of sacrifices, emphasizing order, repetition, and the importance of following God’s instructions exactly.