Chapter Twenty-Nine
Offerings for the Feast of Trumpets
29:1 “On the first day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a day for you to blow the trumpets, 2 and you shall offer a burnt offering, for a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; 3 also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the ram, 4 and one tenth for each of the seven lambs; 5 with one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6 besides the burnt offering of the new moon, and its grain offering, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offering, according to the rule for them, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.
This chapter pertains to the final three Mosaic festivals beginning with the Feast of Trumpets. On the first day of the seventh month (of the religious year, also the first day of the civic year)[1] no one is to do any ordinary work, they are to blow trumpets. They are to sacrifice one bull, one ram, and seven male lambs as a burnt offering, along with their various grain offerings. Plus, one goat is to be sacrificed for a sin offering to make atonement for them. Verse six serves as another reminder that this requirement is in addition to the daily and monthly offerings.
Offerings for the Day of Atonement
29:7 “On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation and afflict yourselves. You shall do no work, 8 but you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old: see that they are without blemish. 9 And their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the one ram, 10 a tenth for each of the seven lambs: 11 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the sin offering of atonement, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
On the tenth day of the seventh month is the Day of Atonement, the only day when the High Priest is allowed to enter the Most Holy Place and make atonement for him, his family, and the people of Israel (see Leviticus 16:29-34; 23:26-32), a solemn day as there is to be a holy assembly and everyone is to ‘afflict’ themselves. The term ‘afflict’ is the Hebrew word ‘in·nî·ṯěm’,[2] it can be translated in a variety of ways; however, it primarily carries the meaning of humility.[3] On this day, God requires the same number and types of sacrifices as He did for the Feast of Trumpets.
Offerings for the Feast of Booths
29:12 “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall keep a feast to the LORD seven days. 13 And you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD, thirteen bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish; 14 and their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two tenths for each of the two rams, 15 and a tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; 16 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.
The final Mosaic festival, the Feast of Booths (also known as the Feast of Tabernacles) begins on the 15th day of the seventh month. This is to be a week-long celebration, plus one day (often called ‘Atzeret’ or ‘Shemini Atzeret’ meaning “eighth day of assembly”).[4] The number of sacrifices required for this feast are significantly greater and vary for each day (there is a summary at the end of this chapter).
On the first day there is to be a holy assembly, and no ordinary work was to be done. The burnt offering was to consist of 13 bulls, 2 rams, and 14 male lambs, along with the appropriate grain offerings. And one male goat was to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
29:17 “On the second day twelve bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 18 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 19 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
On the second day of the festival, 12 bulls, 2 rams, and 14 male lambs are to be sacrificed, plus one male goat for a sin offering. The text simply states that prescribed quantities be followed for the grain offerings and drink offerings. Presumably as previously prescribed.
29:20 “On the third day eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 21 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 22 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.
On the third day, 11 bulls, 2 rams, and 14 male lambs are to be sacrificed as a burnt offering, along with the appropriate grain and drink offerings. One male goat is to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
29:23 “On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 24 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 25 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.
On the fourth day, 10 bulls, 2 rams, and 14 male lambs are to be sacrificed as a burnt offering, along with the appropriate grain offerings and drink offerings. Plus, one male goat is to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
29:26 “On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 27 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 28 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.
On the fifth day of the festival, 9 bulls, 2 rams, and 14 male lambs are to be sacrificed as a burnt offering, along with the appropriate grain and drink offerings and one male goat as a sin offering.
29:29 “On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 30 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 31 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offerings.
On the sixth day, 8 bulls, 2 rams, and 14 male lambs are to be sacrificed, along with the appropriate grain offerings and drink offerings. In addition to one male goat is to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
29:32 “On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 33 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 34 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
On the seventh day, 7 bulls, 2 rams, and 14 male lambs are to be sacrificed, along with the appropriate grain and drink offerings, plus one male goat is to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
29:35 “On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly. You shall not do any ordinary work, 36 but you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish, 37 and the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 38 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.
On the eighth day of the festival, there is to be a “solemn assembly” (Hebrew ‘ǎṣě’·rěṯ’,[5] meaning assembly, the root is believed to be the Hebrew ‘āsar’,[6] meaning to hold back, restrain, giving the gathering of people a solemn feeling).[7] Just like the first day of the feast, no ordinary work was to be done. On this day one bull, one ram, and seven male lambs were to be sacrificed as burnt offerings combined with the affiliated grain and drink offerings. Plus, one male goat was to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
29:39 “These you shall offer to the LORD at your appointed feasts, in addition to your vow offerings and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your grain offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.”
This section closes with a reminder that these sacrifices are to be offered on the appropriate days, which are to be made in addition to all the other offerings that are required.
29:40 So Moses told the people of Israel everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Moses then told the people of Israel everything YHWH told him. Based on a year having 360 days, 52 weeks, and 12 months, the total number would be 1,006 lambs, 37 rams, 113 bulls, and 30 goats, for a minimum total of 1,186 animals sacrificed per year.
Summary of the Number of Animal Sacrifices
| Occasion | Lambs | Rams | Bulls | Goats |
| Daily (see Numbers 28:3–8) | 2 | — | — | — |
| Every Sabbath Day (see Numbers 28:9–10) | 2 | — | — | — |
| Beginning of Every Month (see Numbers 28:11–15) | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 1st Day of Feast of Unleavened Bread (see Numbers 28:16–25) | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2nd Day of Feast of Unleavened Bread (see Numbers 28:16–25) | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 3rd Day of Feast of Unleavened Bread (see Numbers 28:16–25) | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 4th Day of Feast of Unleavened Bread (see Numbers 28:16–25) | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 5th Day of Feast of Unleavened Bread (see Numbers 28:16–25) | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 6th Day of Feast of Unleavened Bread (see Numbers 28:16–25) | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 7th Day of Feast of Unleavened Bread (see Numbers 28:16–25) | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Feast of Weeks (see Numbers 28:26–31) | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Feast of Trumpets (see Numbers 29:1–6) | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Day of Atonement (see Numbers 29:7–11) | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1st Day of Feast of Booths (see Numbers 29:12–16) | 14 | 2 | 13 | 1 |
| 2nd Day of Feast of Booths (see Numbers 29:17–19) | 14 | 2 | 12 | 1 |
| 3rd Day of Feast of Booths (see Numbers 29:20–22) | 14 | 2 | 11 | 1 |
| 4th Day of Feast of Booths (see Numbers 29:23–25) | 14 | 2 | 10 | 1 |
| 5th Day of Feast of Booths (see Numbers 29:26–28) | 14 | 2 | 9 | 1 |
| 6th Day of Feast of Booths (see Numbers 29:29–31) | 14 | 2 | 8 | 1 |
| 7th Day of Feast of Booths (see Numbers 29:32–34) | 14 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| 8th Day of Feast of Booths ('Shemini Atzeret', see Numbers 29:35–38) | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Note: The total number of sacrifices per day can vary significantly depending on whether the day is a Sabbath, beginning of month, one of the festival days or any combination as the number is cumulative.
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[1] See Considerations under Exodus 12:28 regarding the two-calendar system.
[2] Strong’s Hebrew 6031.
[3] See commentary under Leviticus 16:29-34.
[4] See considerations under Leviticus 23:44.
[5] Strong’s Hebrew 6116.
[6] Strong’s Hebrew 6113.
[7] See commentary under Leviticus 23:33-36.