Numbers 28: The daily offerings, the Sabbath, new moons, Passover and Weeks

In plain English: Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

In plain English: "Command the Israelites and tell them, 'See that you bring me my offering at its appointed time: my food (literally: my bread) for my offerings made by fire, a pleasant aroma to me.'

The Hebrew word: "Food" is lechem, which the dictionary gives as "food (for man or beast), especially bread". This Bible says "bread" in 230 of its 277 verses.

Good to know: Leviticus 21:6 also calls the offerings "the bread of their God". "A pleasant aroma" is explained at Leviticus 1:9.

In plain English: Tell them, 'This is the offering made by fire that you are to bring to Yahweh: two male lambs a year old with no defect, every day, as a continual (daily) burnt offering.

The Hebrew word: "Continual" is tamid, which the dictionary gives as "constant", and also as a name for "the regular (daily) sacrifice".

How it is translated: In Numbers this Bible says "continual" in 19 of the 20 verses that use the word, and "continually" in the other.

Good to know: The daily offering of two lambs was first given in Exodus 29:38 to 42. In chapters 28 and 29 the offerings of the set times are added on top of this daily offering, as 28:10 says: "in addition to the continual burnt offering".

In plain English: Offer one lamb in the morning, and offer the other lamb in the evening (literally: between the two evenings),

In plain English: with one tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a meal offering, mixed with a quarter of a hin of beaten (pressed) oil.

Good to know: The dictionary gives an ephah as "a measure for grain" and a hin as "a liquid measure". An omer is one tenth of an ephah (Exodus 16:36). The text does not give their size in today's measures.

In plain English: It is a continual burnt offering, which was set up at Mount Sinai, as a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

In plain English: Its drink offering is to be a quarter of a hin for each lamb. In the holy place you are to pour out a drink offering of strong drink to Yahweh.

The Hebrew word: "Strong drink" is shekar, which the dictionary gives as "an intoxicant, i.e. intensely alcoholic liquor". This Bible says "strong drink" in 18 of its 20 verses.

Good to know: Here it is poured out to Yahweh. Leviticus 10:9 says the priests are not to drink wine or strong drink when they go into the Tent of Meeting.

In plain English: Offer the other lamb in the evening. Offer it with the same meal offering and drink offering as in the morning, an offering made by fire, a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.

In plain English: "'On the Sabbath day offer two male lambs a year old with no defect, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a meal offering, with its drink offering.

In plain English: This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.

In plain English: "'At the beginning of each month (at each new moon) offer a burnt offering to Yahweh: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old with no defect,

The Hebrew word: "Months" is chodesh, which the dictionary gives as "the new moon; by implication, a month".

How it is translated: In Numbers this Bible says "month" or "months" in 30 of the 31 verses that use the word, and "new moon" in 1, 29:6.

In plain English: with three tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a meal offering for each bull, and two tenths of fine flour mixed with oil as a meal offering for the one ram,

In plain English: and one tenth of fine flour mixed with oil as a meal offering for each lamb: a burnt offering, a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

In plain English: Their drink offerings are to be half a hin of wine for a bull, a third of a hin for the ram, and a quarter of a hin for a lamb. This is the burnt offering for every month, through all the months of the year.

In plain English: Also one male goat is to be offered to Yahweh as a sin offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.

In plain English: "'In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is Yahweh's Passover.

In plain English: On the fifteenth day of this month there is to be a feast. For seven days unleavened bread (bread made without yeast) is to be eaten.

In plain English: On the first day there is to be a holy gathering (this Bible: convocation). You must do no regular work (literally: no work of labor),

The Hebrew word: "Convocation" is miqra, which the dictionary gives as "something called out, i.e. a public meeting". In Numbers this Bible says "convocation" in 6 of the 7 verses that use it.

In plain English: but offer an offering made by fire, a burnt offering to Yahweh: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old. They are to be without defect,

In plain English: with their meal offering of fine flour mixed with oil. Offer three tenths for a bull and two tenths for the ram.

In plain English: Offer one tenth for each of the seven lambs,

In plain English: and one male goat as a sin offering, to make atonement for you.

In plain English: Offer these in addition to the morning burnt offering, which is the continual burnt offering.

In plain English: In this way you are to offer every day for seven days the food of the offering made by fire, a pleasant aroma to Yahweh. It is to be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.

In plain English: On the seventh day you are to have a holy gathering. You must do no regular work.

In plain English: "'Also on the day of the first fruits, when you bring Yahweh a new meal offering at your Feast of Weeks, you are to have a holy gathering. You must do no regular work,

Good to know: The Feast of Weeks is counted from the day the sheaf of the first fruits is waved before Yahweh: seven Sabbaths, then "fifty days" (Leviticus 23:10 to 16).

Church tradition: In Greek the day is called Pentecost, "fiftieth", the name used in Acts 2:1. Jewish practice keeps the feast as Shavuot (Weeks), and many churches keep Pentecost as a feast of their own. Numbers 28 gives only the offerings for the day.

In plain English: but offer a burnt offering as a pleasant aroma to Yahweh: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old,

In plain English: with their meal offering of fine flour mixed with oil: three tenths for each bull, two tenths for the one ram,

In plain English: and one tenth for each of the seven lambs,

In plain English: and one male goat, to make atonement for you.

In plain English: Offer them, with their drink offerings, in addition to the continual burnt offering and its meal offering. See that they are without defect.