Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 28:2
Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, [and] my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, [for] a sweet savor unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.
My offering, and my bread … – Or, my offering, even my bread, etc. Offering is here qorban (compare Lev 1:2; Mar 7:11), a term in itself of quite general import, but often especially applied, as apparently in this instance, to the meat-offering which accompanied the sacrifices. This meat-offering connected itself, from its very nature, with the life of the Israelites in Canaan, not with their life in the wilderness; and it was annexed to the animal sacrifices as a token that the people must dedicate to God their property and the fruits of their labor as well as their own persons. See Num 15:2 note and Lev 21:6.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. Command the children of Israel, c.] It is not easy to account for the reason of the introduction of these precepts here, which had been so circumstantially delivered before in different parts of the books of Exodus and Leviticus. It is possible that the daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly services had been considerably interrupted for several years, owing to the unsettled state of the people in the wilderness, and that it was necessary to repeat these laws for two reasons:
1. Because they were now about to enter into the promised land, where these services must be established and constant.
2. Because the former generations being all dead, multitudes of the present might be ignorant of these ordinances.
In their due season] Moses divides these offerings into: –
1. DAILY. The morning and evening sacrifices: a lamb each time, Nu 28:3-4.
2. WEEKLY. The Sabbath offerings, two lambs of a year old, Nu 28:9, c.
3. MONTHLY. At the beginning of each month two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs of a year old, and a kid for a sin-offering, Nu 28:11, &c.
4. ANNUAL. 1. The passover to last seven days the offerings, two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of a year old, and a he-goat for a sin-offering, Nu 28:16, &c. 2. The day of FIRST-FRUITS. The sacrifices, the same as on the beginning of the month, Nu 28:26, &c.
With these sacrifices were offered libations, or drink-offerings of strong wine, Nu 28:7, Nu 28:14, and minchahs, or meat-offerings, composed of fine flour mingled with oil, Nu 28:8, Nu 28:12, &c. For an ample account of all these offerings, See Clarke on Le 7:38 and Ex 12:1-51.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
God here repeats some of the former laws about sacrifices, not without great reason, partly, because they had been generally discontinued for thirty-eight years together; partly, because the generation to which the former laws had been given about these things was wholly dead, and it was fit the new generation should be instructed about them, as their parents were; partly, to renew the testimonies of Gods grace and mercy, notwithstanding their frequent forfeitures thereof by their horrid apostacies and rebellions; and principally, because they were now ready to enter into that land, in which they were obliged to put these things in practice, Deu 12:8, &c.
Made by fire. According to this translation the sense is, My offering, i.e. my offering or sacrifices, and my bread, i.e. either my shew-bread, or rather my meat-offering made of bread or meal, for my sacrifices made by fire, i.e. which is to accompany my burnt-offerings. Or thus, My offering, to wit, my bread, i. e. my meat-offering, which was made of bread or meal, which is oft expressed by this very name of corban or offering, as Lev 2:1; 6:20; but because corban signifies not only a meatoffering, but other offerings also, as Lev 7:37,38, therefore he limits that general word by adding my bread with (so the Hebrew lamed is oft used, as Gen 46:26; Ezr 1:5; 2:63, &c.) my sacrifices made by fire, which may be understood either,
1. Generally for all the sacrifices, as that phrase is sometimes taken, as 1Sa 2:28, where it must needs be so meant, because the burntofferings properly so called were not given to the priest, but reserved to God himself, and the priests portion lay in the other sacrifices only; or,
2. Specially and properly for burnt-offerings; and so under them, as the most eminent kind, are contained all other sacrifices; as under the meat-offering here is contained the drink-offering. And according to this translation and explication these words contain a full and general rule, comprehending all the particulars following in this chapter, as in reason they ought to do, and which otherwise they do not.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. Command the children of Israel,and say unto themThe repetition of several laws formerlyenacted, which is made in this chapter, was seasonable and necessary,not only on account of their importance and the frequent neglect ofthem, but because a new generation had sprung up since their firstinstitution and because the Israelites were about to be settled inthe land where those ordinances were to be observed.
My offering, and mybreadused generally for the appointed offerings, and theimport of the prescription is to enforce regularity and care in theirobservance.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Command the children of Israel, and say unto them,…. For what follows concerned them all; namely, the offering of their daily, weekly, monthly, and anniversary sacrifices, which were not for private persons, but for the whole congregation; and these might be considered by them not merely as commands and duties to be observed, but as tokens of the divine favour to them, that notwithstanding all their rebellions and provocations in the wilderness, sacrifices for sin were ordered, continued, and accepted of by the Lord; and his acceptance of them, and well pleasedness in them, may easily be observed in the expressions used concerning them:
my offering, and my bread; by “offering” may be meant in general all sacrifices which were offered to the Lord, and by his command; and more especially the burnt offering, which was wholly and peculiarly his, and is after explained by sacrifices made by fire, and it is chiefly of burnt offerings this chapter treats; and by “bread” may be meant either the shewbread, which was set upon a table before the Lord continually, as his bread; so the Targum of Jonathan,
“my oblation, the bread of the order of my table, shall the priests eat, but what ye offer on the altar no man has power to eat;”
or else the meat offering, or rather, as it may be called, the bread offering, which always went along with burnt offerings; though the copulative “and”, which is not in the text, may be omitted, and both may signify the same, “my offering”, that is, “my bread”; for the sacrifices were the food of God, the provisions of his house, of which there were all sorts in the sacrifices, flesh, bread, and wine; particularly the daily sacrifice was his food every day, and the fat of sacrifices burnt is called the food of the offering made by fire, Le 3:16, so Jarchi interprets it, “my offering”, this is the blood; “my bread”, the “amurim”, or fat that covereth the inward parts, which were burnt on the altar:
for my sacrifices made by fire for a sweet savour unto me; which respects burnt offerings, wholly consumed by fire, and were entirely the Lord’s, and which he smelled a sweet savour in, or were acceptable to him: these the children of Israel were
to observe to offer unto him in their due season; the daily sacrifice, morning and evening; not before morning, nor after evening, as Aben Ezra observes; and so all the rest at the proper time fixed, whether weekly, monthly, or yearly. The Jews, from this phrase, “observe to offer unto me”, conclude the necessity of fixing stations, or stationary men, as Jarchi notes; so the tradition is,
“these are the stations, as it is said, “command the children of Israel, c.” but how can the offering of a man be offered, and he not stand by it? wherefore the former prophets appointed twenty four courses, and to every course there was a station at Jerusalem of priests, Levites, and Israelites and when the time of each course came to go up, the priests and Levites went up to Jerusalem, and the Israelites who belonged to that course went into their cities, and read the history of the creation d:”
now these stations, or stationary men, were substitutes for, or representatives of all Israel, and stood by the sacrifices when they were offered, in which all Israel were concerned, as particularly in the daily sacrifice, which is here first taken notice of.
d Taanith, c. 4. sect. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Num 28:2 contains the general instruction to offer to the Lord His sacrificial gift “ at the time appointed by Him.” On corban, see at Lev 1:2; on “ the bread of Jehovah,” at Lev 3:11; on the “ sacrifice made by fire,” and “ a sweet savour,” at Lev 1:9; and on “ moed,” at Lev 23:2, Lev 23:4.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(2) My offering, and my bread . . . Better, My oblation (even) my bread, &c. The offering, though presented by the hands of men, was Gods, not theirs. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts (Hag. 2:8). Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills (Ps. 1.10). The word korban is a general term for an oblation. It may denote in this place the minchah, or meal offering, or the shew-bread, offerings which were directly connected with a settled life in Canaan rather than with a nomadic life in the wilderness. Or the word lehem (bread) may be used to denote food generally, the sacrificial offerings being symbolically regarded as the Lords food. (Comp. Lev. 3:11; Lev. 3:16, where the same word is rendered food, and where the reference is to a portion of the flesh of the lamb and of the goat of the peace offering. See also Mal. 3:7.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
SACRIFICES REQUIRED BY JEHOVAH, Num 28:1-2.
2. My offering Korban. Lev 1:2, note.
My bread Lev 3:11, note.
By fire sweet savour Lev 1:9, note.
Due season The festal times of Jehovah, (Lev 23:2,) appointed by him as days or times which were to be sanctified to his service, include the sabbath, new moon, the yearly feasts, and the daily sacrifices.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Num 28:2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, [and] my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, [for] a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.
Ver. 2. My offering. ] He is owner of all; and of his own we give him. T , said that great emperor.
And my bread.
In their due season.
a August.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
children = sons.
offering = approach offering Hebrew. korban. App-43.
bread. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species), App-6, put for all kinds of food.
sweet savour. See note on Lev 1:9.
offer = bring near. Hebrew. karab. App-43.
due season = appointed time. Hebrew. mo’ed. See note on Gen 1:14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
sweet savour
Or, savour of satisfaction. (See Scofield “Lev 1:9”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
my bread: Lev 3:11, Lev 21:6, Lev 21:8, Mal 1:7, Mal 1:12
for a sweet savour unto me: Heb. savour of my rest, Num 15:3, Num 15:7, Num 15:24, Gen 8:21, Exo 29:18, Lev 1:9, Lev 1:13, Lev 1:17, Lev 3:11, Eze 16:19, Eze 20:41, *marg. 2Co 2:15, Eph 5:2, Phi 4:18
in their due season: The stated sacrifices and service of the tabernacle having, probably, been greatly interrupted for several years, and a new generation having arisen, who were children or minors when the law was given respecting these ordinances; and as they were now about to enter into the promised land, where they must be established and constantly observed; God commands Moses to repeat them to the people in the following order:
Offering Schedule
1. Daily morning and evening sacrifices a lamb each time Num 28:3, Num 28:4,2. Weekly sabbath offerings two lambs of a year old Num 28:9, Num 28:10,3. Monthly beginning of each month two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs of a year old, and a kid for a sin offering Num 28:11-15,4. Annually – 1Passover to last seven days the offerings, two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of a year old, and a he-goat Num 28:16-25 – 2 day of first-fruits the sacrifices the same as on the beginning of the month Num 28:26-31, Num 9:2, Num 9:3, Num 9:7, Num 9:13, Exo 23:15, Psa 81:3
Reciprocal: Lev 2:14 – a meat offering Num 28:13 – for a burnt 2Ki 16:15 – the morning 2Ch 24:14 – And they offered Ezr 3:3 – even burnt Hos 9:4 – their bread Heb 7:27 – daily
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 28:2. Command the children of Israel God here repeats some of the former laws about sacrifices, not without great reason; 1st, Because they had been generally discontinued for thirty-eight years together. 2d, Because the generation to which the former laws had been given about these things was wholly dead, and it was fit the new generation should be instructed about them, as their parents were. 3d, To renew the testimonies of Gods grace and mercy, notwithstanding their frequent forfeitures thereof by their rebellion. And, 4th, and principally, Because they were now ready to enter into that land, in which they were obliged to put these things in practice. It is observable that God commands Moses to repeat them in the following order of daily, weekly, monthly, and anniversary sacrifices.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
28:2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, [and] {a} my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, [for] a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.
(a) By bread he means all manner of sacrifice.