Numbers 28 Footnotes

28:1-8 Daily offerings began early in the day with a whole burnt offering and concluded with the same at twilight. This passage complements the instructions for daily offerings in Ex 29:38-45. The high priest represented the community in the substitutionary identification ritual, placing his hand on the head of the lamb. After slaughtering the animal, he extracted its blood, which he poured out to the Lord on the sides of the altar. Then the priest burned the offering completely on the altar as a consecration ritual on behalf of the entire community (Lv 1:10-13). The animal offering was supplemented by the offering of grain with oil and the libation, or offering of strong drink (shekar, “fermented beverage”). Only the highest quality, unblemished animals could be presented to the Lord.

28:16-25 The essential Passover elements were the Passover lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs according to Ex 12:8. Here several elements are added to the celebration: (1) Sabbath designation (hence no work) for the first and final days of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, with a congregational assembly at the sanctuary; (2) additional sacrifices equivalent to those offered on the new moon (two bulls, one ram, seven lambs, plus grain and libation offerings).