UNROLL
At dawn on a low rise above the camp, a man seen from behind lifts a long, curved ram's horn to his lips; rows of dark tents and the small white linen court lie below under a clear early-autumn sky.

The Book of

Numbers 29

One month held three holy days: a day of trumpets, a day of atonement, and seven days of joy.

40 verses≈ 7 min1 personBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–10Ready at SinaiCounted and ordered
  2. 11–14GrumblingTo Kadesh and refusal
  3. 15–21Forty yearsRebellion and mercy
  4. 22–25BalaamA curse turned to blessing
  5. 26–36A new generationReady for the landChapter 29

The Feast of Trumpets

“On the first day of the seventh month, you are to hold a sacred assembly, and you must not do any regular work. This will be a day for you to sound the trumpets.

Numbers 29:1

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What to bring

The first day of the seventh month

  1. Burnt offering

    A bull, a ram and seven lambs

    As a pleasing aroma to the LORD, you are to present a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished,

  2. Grain offering

    Flour and oil with each

    together with their grain offerings of fine flour mixed with oil—three-tenths of an ephah with the bull, two-tenths of an ephah with the ram, and a tenth of an ephah with each of the seven male lambs.

  3. Sin offering

    A goat to make atonement

    Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you.

  4. Besides the monthly and daily offerings

    These are in addition to the monthly and daily burnt offerings with their prescribed grain offerings and drink offerings.

  5. A pleasing aroma to the LORD

    They are a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.

Early morning in the camp: families step out of their tent doors and turn toward the sound of the horns; a child points, an old woman shades her eyes, work tools lie where they were left.

Reflect

A day to stop

The holiest month of Israel’s year began with a call: “you must not do any regular work. This will be a day for you to sound the trumpets.” Before the fast of the tenth day and the feast of the fifteenth, God’s people stopped and gathered. What would it take for you to stop this week and listen to Him? Write it down. Then pray: Lord, when You call, help me put down my work and come.

The Day of Atonement

A pale dawn over the silent wilderness camp: rows of dark tents with closed doors and no cooking fires, the small white linen court of the tabernacle in the distance with one thin line of smoke rising.

On the tenth day of this seventh month, you are to hold a sacred assembly, and you shall humble yourselves; you must not do any work.

Present as a pleasing aroma to the LORD a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished, together with their grain offerings of fine flour mixed with oil—three-tenths of an ephah with the bull, two-tenths of an ephah with the ram, and a tenth of an ephah with each of the seven lambs.

Include one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering of atonement and the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offerings.

0:36

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

The Feast of Tabernacles

On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, you are to hold a sacred assembly; you must not do any regular work, and you shall observe a feast to the LORD for seven days.

A small herd of healthy young red-brown bulls grazing at the green edge of the Jordan's thickets in early-autumn morning light, a herdsman with a staff far off.

Day by day

Seven days of offerings

  1. 2 rams, 14 lambs

    Day 1: 13 bulls

    As a pleasing aroma to the LORD, you are to present a food offering, a burnt offering of thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil with each of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths of an ephah with each of the two rams, and a tenth of an ephah with each of the fourteen lambs. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

  2. Day 2: 12 bulls

    On the second day you are to present twelve young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

  3. Day 3: 11 bulls

    On the third day you are to present eleven bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

  4. Day 4: 10 bulls

    On the fourth day you are to present ten bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

  5. Day 5: 9 bulls

    On the fifth day you are to present nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

  6. Day 6: 8 bulls

    On the sixth day you are to present eight bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

  7. Day 7: 7 bulls

    On the seventh day you are to present seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

Israel’s calendar

Every daytwo lambs (28:3)EverySabbathtwo more lambs(28:9)Every newmoonbulls, a ram,lambs (28:11)Appointed timesset by God (29:39)Passover andWeeksmonth one; firstfruitsThe seventhmonthtrumpets, atonement,feast

Whiteboard

Chapters 28 and 29 set out Israel’s whole year. Two lambs every day, morning and evening. Two more every Sabbath. Bulls, a ram and lambs at every new moon. Passover and the Feast of Weeks in the spring, and in the seventh month the trumpets, the Day of Atonement and seventy bulls at the autumn feast. All of it was offered “at your appointed times,” and every feast included a male goat “to make atonement.”

Question

Quick question

The Feast of Tabernacles lasted seven days, and the bulls offered changed from day to day.

How many bulls were offered on the first day of the feast?

You’ve experienced

Numbers 29

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A verse to carry with you

On the first day of the seventh month, you are to hold a sacred assembly, and you must not do any regular work. This will be a day for you to sound the trumpets.

Numbers 29:1

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