This verse shows how God calls His people to bring every aspect of their sustenance before Him in worship.
“Their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bull, for the ram and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance.” (v.37)
In this verse, Moses completes the instructions for the sacrifices to be offered during Israel’s final holy assembly in the seventh month, often associated with the Feast of Booths (Numbers 29:12-38). The phrase “their grain offering and their drink offerings” (v.37) describes elements that were to accompany each animal sacrifice: the grain offering (Hebrew “minḥāh”) was a tribute of fine flour typically mixed with oil, while the drink offering was a measured amount of wine poured out before the LORD as a symbol of gratitude and dedication. These instructions emphasized that every part of daily sustenance—grain and wine—belonged to God, reminding worshipers that their blessings came from Him and were to be offered back in faithful obedience.
By specifying “for the bull, for the ram and for the lambs” (v.37), the text acknowledges that each type of burnt offering required its own portion of grain and wine. This combination ensured that worship was neither random nor incomplete; the people were to follow God’s exact “ordinance” so that they might remember His holiness and their dependence upon His provision. Throughout these ritual laws, the LORD’s desire was to cultivate in His people a heart posture of reverence, humility, and thanksgiving. According to other passages, the grain and drink offerings also aligned Israel’s worship with the truth that every crop, herd, and vineyard was the result of God’s sustaining grace.
In a broader biblical context, the pattern of pouring out a drink offering can be seen as foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice made by Jesus, who gave His life so that believers might enjoy eternal fellowship with God. The apostle Paul even used the imagery of a drink offering to describe being poured out for the Lord’s service (2 Timothy 4:6), reflecting the same principle of wholehearted surrender. Israel’s faithful observance of offerings during festivals punctuated the year with tangible reminders to honor God with the best of their resources, all “according to the ordinance” given by His command.
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Numbers 29:37 meaning
“Their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bull, for the ram and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance.” (v.37)
In this verse, Moses completes the instructions for the sacrifices to be offered during Israel’s final holy assembly in the seventh month, often associated with the Feast of Booths (Numbers 29:12-38). The phrase “their grain offering and their drink offerings” (v.37) describes elements that were to accompany each animal sacrifice: the grain offering (Hebrew “minḥāh”) was a tribute of fine flour typically mixed with oil, while the drink offering was a measured amount of wine poured out before the LORD as a symbol of gratitude and dedication. These instructions emphasized that every part of daily sustenance—grain and wine—belonged to God, reminding worshipers that their blessings came from Him and were to be offered back in faithful obedience.
By specifying “for the bull, for the ram and for the lambs” (v.37), the text acknowledges that each type of burnt offering required its own portion of grain and wine. This combination ensured that worship was neither random nor incomplete; the people were to follow God’s exact “ordinance” so that they might remember His holiness and their dependence upon His provision. Throughout these ritual laws, the LORD’s desire was to cultivate in His people a heart posture of reverence, humility, and thanksgiving. According to other passages, the grain and drink offerings also aligned Israel’s worship with the truth that every crop, herd, and vineyard was the result of God’s sustaining grace.
In a broader biblical context, the pattern of pouring out a drink offering can be seen as foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice made by Jesus, who gave His life so that believers might enjoy eternal fellowship with God. The apostle Paul even used the imagery of a drink offering to describe being poured out for the Lord’s service (2 Timothy 4:6), reflecting the same principle of wholehearted surrender. Israel’s faithful observance of offerings during festivals punctuated the year with tangible reminders to honor God with the best of their resources, all “according to the ordinance” given by His command.