This verse highlights the importance of dedicating a portion of what God provides back to Him as an act of worship and humility.
In this passage, we see the command, “Then the drink offering with it shall be a fourth of a hin for each lamb” (v.7) as part of the daily offerings that Israel was to present. A hin was an ancient unit of measure, and a fourth of a hin likely amounted to roughly a quart of liquid. The verse continues, “in the holy place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD” (v.7), specifying that this offering was to be poured out in the sacred space of the tabernacle, the portable structure where the Israelites worshiped during their wilderness wanderings. The “holy place” refers to the inner portion of the tabernacle, which Moses and the Israelites constructed in the Sinai region around 1446 BC. Over time, this practice of pouring out the drink offering formed part of Israel’s broader sacrificial system, signifying devotion and obedience to God.
According to Israel’s procedures for worship, the drink offering was often poured out along with burnt offerings or grain offerings. It typically consisted of wine, though this passage notes it could be strong drink, and it symbolized giving back to the LORD what He had graciously provided for His people’s sustenance. Later in Scripture, the Apostle Paul picks up the imagery of a “drink offering” to describe dedicating his own life sacrificially in service to Christ (Philippians 2:17; 2 Timothy 4:6). Thus, even in the New Testament era, believers saw this humble act of pouring out as a vivid picture of total surrender and worship, trusting God for provision just as the ancient Israelites did.
Jesus ultimately fulfills the requirements of the entire Old Testament sacrificial system by perfectly offering Himself once for all (Hebrews 10:10). The drink offering here anticipates our own call to give everything we have—our time, our talents, and our resources—in gratitude for God’s faithfulness and care.
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Numbers 28:7 meaning
In this passage, we see the command, “Then the drink offering with it shall be a fourth of a hin for each lamb” (v.7) as part of the daily offerings that Israel was to present. A hin was an ancient unit of measure, and a fourth of a hin likely amounted to roughly a quart of liquid. The verse continues, “in the holy place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD” (v.7), specifying that this offering was to be poured out in the sacred space of the tabernacle, the portable structure where the Israelites worshiped during their wilderness wanderings. The “holy place” refers to the inner portion of the tabernacle, which Moses and the Israelites constructed in the Sinai region around 1446 BC. Over time, this practice of pouring out the drink offering formed part of Israel’s broader sacrificial system, signifying devotion and obedience to God.
According to Israel’s procedures for worship, the drink offering was often poured out along with burnt offerings or grain offerings. It typically consisted of wine, though this passage notes it could be strong drink, and it symbolized giving back to the LORD what He had graciously provided for His people’s sustenance. Later in Scripture, the Apostle Paul picks up the imagery of a “drink offering” to describe dedicating his own life sacrificially in service to Christ (Philippians 2:17; 2 Timothy 4:6). Thus, even in the New Testament era, believers saw this humble act of pouring out as a vivid picture of total surrender and worship, trusting God for provision just as the ancient Israelites did.
Jesus ultimately fulfills the requirements of the entire Old Testament sacrificial system by perfectly offering Himself once for all (Hebrews 10:10). The drink offering here anticipates our own call to give everything we have—our time, our talents, and our resources—in gratitude for God’s faithfulness and care.