← All Chapters The Book of Numbers · Chapter 29

Numbers 29: The Feasts of the Seventh Month

God appoints the offerings for the trumpet blast, the Day of Atonement, and the joyful week of the Feast of Tabernacles.

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Numbers 29 (WEB)

1 “‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no regular work: it is a day of blowing of trumpets to you.

2 You shall offer a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without defect;

3 and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for the bull, two tenth parts for the ram,

4 and one tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs;

5 and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you;

6 besides the burnt offering of the new moon, and its meal offering, and the continual burnt offering and its meal offering, and their drink offerings, according to their ordinance, for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

7 “‘On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall afflict your souls. You shall do no kind of work;

8 but you shall offer a burnt offering to Yahweh for a pleasant aroma: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old; all without defect;

9 and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for the bull, two tenth parts for the one ram,

10 a tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs:

11 one male goat for a sin offering; besides the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and its meal offering, and their drink offerings.

12 “‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work. You shall keep a feast to Yahweh seven days.

13 You shall offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh: thirteen young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; all without defect;

14 and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for every bull of the thirteen bulls, two tenth parts for each ram of the two rams,

15 and a tenth part for every lamb of the fourteen lambs;

16 and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering, and its drink offering.

17 “‘On the second day you shall offer twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without defect;

18 and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;

19 and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, with its meal offering and their drink offerings.

20 “‘On the third day eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without defect;

21 and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;

22 and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, and its meal offering, and its drink offering.

23 “‘On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without defect;

24 their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;

25 and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering, and its drink offering.

26 “‘On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without defect;

27 and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;

28 and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, and its meal offering, and its drink offering.

29 “‘On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without defect;

30 and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;

31 and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering, and the drink offerings of it.

32 “‘On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without defect;

33 and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;

34 and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, its meal offering, and its drink offering.

35 “‘On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly: you shall do no regular work;

36 but you shall offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without defect;

37 their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the ordinance:

38 and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, with its meal offering, and its drink offering.

39 “‘You shall offer these to Yahweh in your set feasts, besides your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meal offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.’”

40 Moses told the children of Israel according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses.

Summary

The seventh month was the high point of Israel's sacred calendar, and this chapter gives the offerings for its three great occasions. On the first day comes the day of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation with its burnt offering, meal offering, and a sin offering to make atonement. On the tenth day is the most solemn day of all, when the people are to afflict their souls and do no work; this is the Day of Atonement, and again offerings are made “besides the sin offering of atonement.” Then on the fifteenth day begins the Feast of Tabernacles, a seven-day celebration of joy. Its offerings are remarkable for their scale and pattern: thirteen bulls on the first day, twelve on the second, and so on, decreasing by one each day until seven are offered on the seventh, with rams, lambs, and sin offerings throughout. On the eighth day a closing solemn assembly is held with its own simpler offering. The chapter ends by noting that all these are presented besides Israel's vows and freewill offerings, and Moses tells the people everything just as Yahweh commanded. The carefully ordered abundance shows a God who delights in the joyful, atoning worship of his people gathered before him.

Key Themes

  • The day of trumpets — The first day of the seventh month, a holy convocation announced by the blowing of trumpets, calling Israel to attentive worship.
  • The Day of Atonement — The tenth day, the most solemn of the year, when Israel afflicts their souls and atonement is made for the people's sin.
  • The Feast of Tabernacles — The seven-day festival of joy beginning on the fifteenth day, marked by an abundance of offerings and a closing eighth-day assembly.
  • Moses — The mediator who faithfully tells the people “according to all that Yahweh commanded,” delivering God's instructions in full.

Key Verse

Numbers 29:39 (WEB)

“‘You shall offer these to Yahweh in your set feasts, besides your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meal offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.’”

Lessons Learned

  • God appoints set times for his people to gather, remember, and rejoice before him.
  • Genuine joy in worship is built upon atonement for sin, not a denial of it.
  • God's commanded worship is marked by costly, generous abundance offered gladly.
  • Beyond what is required, God welcomes the freewill offerings of grateful hearts.
  • The feasts of the seventh month foreshadow the rest, atonement, and ingathering fulfilled in Christ.
  • God calls his people to attentive assembly. The day of trumpets summons Israel to “a holy convocation” (Numbers 29:1, WEB). God gathers his people and bids them listen and respond.
  • Joy rests on atonement. The joyful feasts surround the Day of Atonement, when Israel must “afflict your souls” (Numbers 29:7, WEB). Celebration is grounded in cleansing from sin.
  • Worship is lavish and wholehearted. The Feast of Tabernacles pours out bulls, rams, and lambs day after day (Numbers 29:13-34, WEB). God's people honor him with abundance, not the bare minimum.
  • Free hearts give beyond duty. These offerings are presented “besides your vows, and your freewill offerings” (Numbers 29:39, WEB). Grateful love overflows past what is merely commanded.
  1. What is the significance of God setting aside the seventh month with its trumpets, atonement, and feasting?
  2. How does the placement of the Day of Atonement among the joyful feasts shape our understanding of true celebration?
  3. Why might God command such an abundance of offerings during the Feast of Tabernacles?
  4. How do these autumn feasts point us toward the rest, atonement, and final ingathering found in Christ?
  5. What rhythms of gathered worship and joyful generosity could you cultivate in your own life and community?
  1. The seventh month concentrated Israel's most important holy days into a single season of remembrance and rejoicing (29:1-39). By setting apart these times, God taught his people to order their year around him—pausing to listen, to be cleansed, and to celebrate his goodness together.
  2. Real joy is not naivety about sin; it flows from atonement. The feasting of the seventh month frames the solemn Day of Atonement (29:7-11), so that Israel rejoices precisely because their sin has been dealt with. Lasting celebration rests on reconciliation with God.
  3. The descending tally of bulls and the sheer quantity of sacrifices express extravagant, sustained worship (29:13-34). God's people honored him not grudgingly but generously, with a fullness of offering that matched the fullness of their joy in his provision.
  4. These feasts anticipate gospel realities: trumpets that call God's people to attention, the atonement accomplished fully at the cross, and Tabernacles' ingathering pointing to the final harvest when God dwells with his people. Help the group see Christ as the substance these shadows foreshadowed.
  5. This is a personal-application question. Invite members to consider regular gathered worship, seasons of repentance, and glad generosity as connected rhythms. As leader, encourage joy rooted in the gospel and giving that flows from gratitude rather than obligation.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.