Question 1

What is happening in this passage about the seventh month?

Accepted Answer

This passage sets out what Israel was to do in the seventh month of their year. It names three main occasions: the day of blowing trumpets on the first day, the Day of Atonement on the tenth day, and the Feast of Tabernacles beginning on the fifteenth day. Each is called a holy convocation, a time when they were not to do ordinary work. The chapter mainly lists in detail which animals, grain offerings, and drink offerings were to be brought on each of these days, and it states that these were in addition to the regular daily and monthly sacrifices.

Question 2

What is the day of blowing the trumpets in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The first day of the seventh month is called a day of blowing the trumpets. It is a holy convocation on which the people must do no servile work. Trumpets are blown, and on that day they are to offer a burnt offering of one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish, with their grain offerings of flour mixed with oil and their drink offerings, plus one kid of the goats for a sin offering to make atonement. The passage also notes that these offerings are besides the regular monthly and daily burnt offerings with their grain and drink offerings.

Question 3

What does it mean to afflict your souls on the Day of Atonement in this passage?

Accepted Answer

In this passage, the tenth day of the seventh month is the Day of Atonement. The people are told to have a holy convocation, to afflict their souls, and not to do any work. While the exact actions of afflicting their souls are not explained here, the language shows they were to humble themselves. The text then specifies additional offerings for that day: one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, with their grain and drink offerings, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering, besides the sin offering of atonement and the continual burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

Question 4

Why are there so many sacrifices at the Feast of Tabernacles?

Accepted Answer

The Feast of Tabernacles begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month and lasts seven days, with a holy convocation on the first day and no servile work. During these seven days, the passage lists a large number of animals for burnt offerings: thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year on the first day, with one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and then on each of the next six days the same number of rams and lambs but one fewer bullock each day, plus a goat for a sin offering. On the eighth day there is a solemn assembly with one bullock, one ram, seven lambs, and one goat for a sin offering. The text presents these as required sacrifices for this feast, in addition to the continual burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

Question 5

What is the significance of the decreasing number of bullocks in this passage?

Accepted Answer

During the Feast of Tabernacles, the passage states that on the first day thirteen young bullocks are to be offered, then twelve on the second day, eleven on the third, and so on down to seven on the seventh day, while the number of rams and lambs remains the same. The text itself simply gives this as the required order of sacrifices for each day of the feast and does not explain a reason for the decrease.

Question 6

What does this passage teach about atonement and sin offerings?

Accepted Answer

Throughout the seventh month, this passage repeatedly mentions sin offerings along with the burnt offerings. On the day of blowing trumpets there is one kid of the goats for a sin offering to make atonement. On the Day of Atonement there is one kid of the goats for a sin offering, besides the sin offering of atonement mentioned separately. During the Feast of Tabernacles, there is one goat or kid of the goats for a sin offering each day, and also on the eighth day. The repeated mention of sin offerings shows that atonement is part of these appointed times, but the passage limits itself to prescribing which animals are to be offered and when.

Question 7

How do the daily and monthly offerings relate to these festival sacrifices?

Accepted Answer

The passage repeatedly states that the sacrifices of the seventh month are "beside" or "besides" the burnt offering of the month and the daily burnt offering with their grain and drink offerings. The offerings on the day of blowing trumpets, on the Day of Atonement, during the seven days of the feast, on the eighth day, and the offerings mentioned at the end for set feasts are all said to be in addition to the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering, and also besides vows and freewill offerings. This shows that the regular daily and monthly offerings continued and were not replaced by the festival sacrifices.

Question 8

What does this passage show about God’s instructions for worship?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that God gave very detailed instructions for Israel’s worship in the seventh month. It specifies the exact days, calls them holy convocations or a solemn assembly, forbids servile work on those days, and lists the number and type of animals, along with their grain and drink offerings, that were to be offered on each day. It also states that these offerings are for a sweet savour to the LORD and that they are to be done according to the manner. The chapter ends by saying that Moses told the children of Israel what the LORD commanded him, showing that these directions came from God and were to be followed as given.

Numbers 29:1

And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.

The Feast of Trumpets

The Day of Atonement

The Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast of Trumpets

Cross References

Numbers 29:1

And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.

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The Feast of Trumpets

The Day of Atonement

The Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast of Trumpets

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