The fall festival offerings are detailed: Yom Teru'ah (the Day of Trumpet Blasts, first of the seventh month), Yom Kippurim (the Day of Atonement, tenth day), and Sukkot (the Festival of Booths, seven days beginning the fifteenth, plus a closing assembly on the eighth day). The Sukkot offerings are by far the most lavish, with a descending sequence of bulls from thirteen on day one to seven on day seven — seventy bulls total.
What Makes This Chapter Remarkable
The seventh month is the most festival-dense in the Israelite calendar, and its sacrificial demands dwarf all others. The descending bull count across Sukkot's seven days (13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7 = 70 total) has generated extensive commentary: rabbinic tradition connected the seventy bulls to the seventy nations of Genesis 10, reading Sukkot as Israel interceding sacrificially for all humanity. The atseret ('closing assembly') on the eighth day (v. 35) reduces the offering to a single bull — an intimate conclusion after the week's abundance.
Translation Friction
The term yom teru'ah ('day of blasting,' v. 1) denotes staccato trumpet or shofar blasts — later tradition identifies this as Rosh Hashanah, but the Torah does not use that name. We rendered teru'ah as 'trumpet blasts' while noting the later identification. The phrase ve'innitem et nafshoteikhem ('you shall afflict your souls,' v. 7) for Yom Kippur fasting resists modern English — 'afflict your souls' is not self-harm but self-denial, particularly fasting. We retained the traditional phrasing.
Connections
The Day of Atonement offerings here supplement the ritual described in Leviticus 16. The Sukkot festival instructions parallel Leviticus 23:33-43 and Deuteronomy 16:13-15. The eighth-day assembly (v. 35) is the atseret referenced in Nehemiah 8:18 and associated in John 7:37 with Jesus's 'rivers of living water' declaration. The seventy-bulls tradition links to the table of nations in Genesis 10.
In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to hold a sacred assembly. You must not perform any occupational labor. It is a day of trumpet blasts for you.
KJV 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.
Denotes the staccato blasts of the shofar or trumpet; distinct from the long tekiah blast
Translator Notes
The yom teru'ah ('day of blasting/shouting') opens the fall festival season. The term teru'ah denotes a loud blast — whether from a shofar (ram's horn) or silver trumpet — or a shout of alarm/joy. Later Jewish tradition identifies this as Rosh Hashanah ('Head of the Year'), though the Torah does not use that term. The seventh month (Tishrei) is the most festival-dense month in the calendar.
Prepare an ascending offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one young bull, one ram, and seven unblemished yearling lambs.
KJV And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The Trumpets offering is notably smaller than new moon or pilgrimage festivals: only par echad ('one bull') compared to the usual two. This may reflect the day's primary function as proclamation and preparation rather than culmination. The single bull, single ram, and seven lambs create a focused, restrained offering that contrasts sharply with Sukkot's lavish quantities (vv. 13-34).
Their grain offering is fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for the bull and two-tenths for the ram.
KJV And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram,
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The grain offering proportions follow the standard formula: sheloshah esronim laPar ('three-tenths for the bull') and shenei esronim la'ayil ('two-tenths for the ram'). With only one bull here, the total grain offering is smaller than at new moon or Passover.
And one-tenth for each lamb across the seven lambs.
KJV And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The issaron echad lakkevesh ha'echad ('one-tenth for each individual lamb') continues the per-lamb distribution. The slightly different phrasing from 28:13's issaron issaron reflects stylistic variation rather than a different requirement — each lamb receives one-tenth of an ephah of flour.
Also one male goat as a purification offering to make atonement on your behalf,
KJV And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The se'ir-izzim echad chatat ('one male goat as purification offering') appears at every festival. As the first of the fall festivals, this purification offering inaugurates the intensifying sequence of atonement that culminates ten days later on Yom Kippur (v. 11). The verb lekhapper ('to make atonement') here prepares the community for the deeper cleansing ahead.
These are in addition to the new moon ascending offering with its grain offering, the perpetual ascending offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings according to their prescribed measures — a pleasing aroma, a fire-offering to the LORD.
KJV Beside the burnt offering of the month, and his meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, and their drink offerings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Since Trumpets falls on the first day of the seventh month, three layers of offering stack: the tamid (daily), the olat hachodesh ('new moon offering'), and the Trumpets musaf. The phrase kemishpatam ('according to their prescribed measure/regulation') refers to the established drink offering ratios from 28:14. The layering produces an especially full day of sacrifice.
"practice self-denial"—afflict your souls, humble yourselves, fast, practice self-denial
Traditionally understood as fasting plus abstention from bathing, anointing, leather shoes, and conjugal relations
Translator Notes
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is introduced with the command ve'innitem et-nafshoteikhem ('you shall humble/afflict your souls'). The verb innah ('to humble, afflict, deny') encompasses fasting and abstention from bodily comforts. Notably, the prohibition here is kol-melakhah ('any work whatsoever'), stricter than the festival prohibition of melekhet avodah ('occupational work') — placing Yom Kippur's rest on par with the Sabbath.
Present an ascending offering to the LORD as a pleasing aroma: one young bull, one ram, and seven yearling lambs — they must be unblemished for your offering.
KJV But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD for a sweet savour; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you without blemish:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The Yom Kippur musaf offering matches the Trumpets offering exactly: par echad ('one bull'), ayil echad ('one ram'), shiv'ah kevashim ('seven lambs'). This is the musaf (additional) offering; the distinctive Yom Kippur rituals — the two goats, the scapegoat, the High Priest's entry into the Holy of Holies — are detailed in Leviticus 16, not here. The phrase temimim yihyu lakhem ('they shall be unblemished for you') is especially weighty on the day of ultimate purification.
Their grain offering is fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths for the bull and two-tenths for the single ram.
KJV And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals to a bullock, and two tenth deals to one ram,
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The standard grain proportions apply on Yom Kippur as elsewhere: sheloshah esronim laPar ('three-tenths for the bull') and shenei esronim la'ayil ha'echad ('two-tenths for the one ram'). The consistency underscores that even the most solemn day operates within the same sacrificial system.
KJV A several tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The distributive issaron issaron repeats the per-lamb allotment. On Yom Kippur, a day of fasting and self-denial, the grain offerings are presented to God while the people abstain — a powerful contrast between human deprivation and divine provision.
One male goat as a purification offering — this is in addition to the atonement purification offering, the perpetual ascending offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
KJV One kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering of it, and their drink offerings.
Notes & Key Terms
1 term
Key Terms
חַטַּאת הַכִּפֻּרִיםchatat haKippurim
"atonement purification offering"—sin offering of atonement, purification offering of Yom Kippur
The unique Leviticus 16 offering whose blood is brought inside the Holy of Holies; distinct from the musaf goat here
Translator Notes
This verse reveals multiple layers: the se'ir chatat here is the musaf purification offering, distinct from the chatat haKippurim ('the atonement purification offering') of Leviticus 16 — the goat whose blood the High Priest brings into the Holy of Holies. Yom Kippur thus has more purification offerings than any other day, befitting its role as the annual cleansing of the entire sanctuary system.
On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, hold a sacred assembly. You must not perform any occupational labor. Celebrate a festival to the LORD for seven days.
KJV And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days:
From chagag ('to make a pilgrimage, celebrate with dancing'); the most joyous category of sacred occasion
Translator Notes
Sukkot ('Booths/Tabernacles') begins five days after Yom Kippur. The phrase vechagotem chag laYHVH shiv'at yamim ('you shall celebrate a festival to the LORD for seven days') uses the verb chagag, which implies pilgrimage and festive celebration with circular dancing. Sukkot is the most elaborate festival in terms of sacrificial requirements, with the bull count creating a distinctive descending pattern over the week.
Present an ascending offering, a fire-offering of pleasing aroma to the LORD: thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen unblemished yearling lambs.
KJV And ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Day one of Sukkot features the most lavish offering in the entire Torah calendar: sheloshah asar parim ('thirteen bulls'), two rams, and arba'ah asar kevashim ('fourteen lambs'). The thirteen bulls begin a seven-day descending sequence (13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7 = 70 total bulls), which rabbinic tradition associates with the seventy nations of Genesis 10, suggesting Israel's offerings intercede for the entire world.
Their grain offering is fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths for each of the thirteen bulls, and two-tenths for each of the two rams.
KJV And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams,
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The grain offering for day one alone requires thirty-nine tenths (3 × 13) for the parim and four tenths (2 × 2) for the eilim, plus fourteen tenths for the lambs (v. 15) — a total of fifty-seven tenths of an ephah. The phrase lisheloshah asar parim ('for the thirteen bulls') and lishenei ha'eilim ('for the two rams') specifies that each animal receives its individual grain portion.
KJV And a several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen lambs:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Fourteen lambs — double the usual seven — reflect Sukkot's amplified worship. Each of the arba'ah asar kevashim ('fourteen lambs') receives its own issaron of flour. The doubling of the lamb count (from seven at other festivals to fourteen at Sukkot) further distinguishes this festival's extraordinary scale.
Also one male goat as a purification offering — in addition to the perpetual ascending offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
KJV And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Despite Sukkot's dramatically increased ascending offerings, the purification offering remains se'ir echad ('one goat') — the same as every other festival. The chatat is a constant, not scaled to festival importance. The phrase millevad olat hatamid ('apart from the perpetual ascending offering') reiterates that even Sukkot's thirteen bulls do not replace the daily tamid lambs.
On the second day: twelve young bulls, two rams, and fourteen unblemished yearling lambs.
KJV And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Day two reduces by one bull: sheneim asar parim ('twelve bulls'). The rams remain shenayim ('two') and the lambs arba'ah asar ('fourteen') throughout all seven days — only the bull count decreases. This descending sequence (13→12→11→10→9→8→7) creates a liturgical countdown toward the culminating eighth-day assembly.
Their grain offerings and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs are to follow the prescribed quantities according to their number.
KJV And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The abbreviated formula uminchatam veniskehem ('their grain offerings and drink offerings') with bemisparim kamishpat ('according to their number, as prescribed') avoids repeating the detailed proportions from verses 3-4 and 14-15. This shorthand assumes the reader knows the ratios: 3:2:1 tenths of flour and ½:⅓:¼ hin of wine for bull:ram:lamb respectively.
Also one male goat as a purification offering — in addition to the perpetual ascending offering with its grain offering and drink offerings.
KJV And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering thereof, and their drink offerings.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Day two's purification offering remains se'ir-izzim echad ('one male goat'), identical to day one. The consistent single goat amid the changing bull count suggests that communal purification operates on a different principle than the ascending offerings — one act of cleansing suffices regardless of the day's scale.
On the third day: eleven bulls, two rams, and fourteen unblemished yearling lambs.
KJV And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish;
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Day three continues the descent: ashtei-asar parim ('eleven bulls'). The unusual numeral form ashtei-asar is an archaic variant of the more common ashtei-esreh ('eleven'). Rams and lambs remain constant at two and fourteen.
Their grain offerings and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs follow the prescribed quantities according to their number.
KJV And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The formulaic kamishpat ('according to the regulation') here on day three references the same proportional system. As the bull count decreases, the total flour and wine for day three is slightly less than day two — a gradual diminishing of material expenditure across the week.
Also one goat as a purification offering — in addition to the perpetual ascending offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
KJV And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Day three's purification offering uses se'ir chatat echad ('one goat, purification offering') — the slightly shortened form omits izzim ('of the goats'). The term se'ir alone ('hairy one') sufficiently identifies the male goat. The daily tamid continues alongside.
On the fourth day: ten bulls, two rams, and fourteen unblemished yearling lambs.
KJV And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Day four reaches asarah parim ('ten bulls') — the midpoint of the descending sequence. At this point, the cumulative bull total through four days is forty-six (13+12+11+10). The symmetry of the pattern becomes increasingly visible as the count moves toward single digits.
The grain offerings and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs follow the prescribed quantities according to their number.
KJV Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Day four omits the conjunctive vav ('and') at the start — minchatam rather than uminchatam — a minor stylistic variation. The proportional formula kamishpat ('as prescribed') remains unchanged. This day's grain offering for bulls alone totals thirty tenths (3 × 10).
Also one male goat as a purification offering — in addition to the perpetual ascending offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
KJV And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Day four's purification offering is identical to the other days: se'ir-izzim echad chatat ('one male goat as purification offering'). The full form with izzim ('of the goats') returns here after the shortened form in verse 22, alternating without semantic difference.
On the fifth day: nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen unblemished yearling lambs.
KJV And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Day five prescribes tish'ah parim ('nine bulls'). The cumulative total through five days is now fifty-five bulls (13+12+11+10+9). Some commentators note that each day's bull count corresponds to the days remaining in the full sequence plus the eighth day (day 1: 13 = 7+6; day 5: 9 = 7+2), though this pattern is debated.
Their grain offerings and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs follow the prescribed quantities according to their number.
KJV And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The refrain uminchatam veniskehem... bemisparim kamishpat ('their grain offerings and drink offerings... according to their number, as prescribed') anchors each day's account to the established ratios. The repetition creates a liturgical rhythm in the text itself, mirroring the daily rhythm of the festival.
Also one goat as a purification offering — in addition to the perpetual ascending offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
KJV And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Day five's purification offering again uses the short form se'ir chatat echad ('one goat, purification offering'). Through five days, five goats have been offered for communal purification — one per day, constant and unwavering while the bulls diminish.
On the sixth day: eight bulls, two rams, and fourteen unblemished yearling lambs.
KJV And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Day six prescribes shemonah parim ('eight bulls'). The running total reaches sixty-three (13+12+11+10+9+8). The pattern's inevitability creates anticipation — each day draws closer to the final seven bulls on day seven, when the number of bulls will match the number of days.
Their grain offerings and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs are according to the prescribed quantities for their number.
KJV And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Day six's grain and drink offering formula is identical in wording to the other days. The repetitive structure through verses 17-34 is intentional in the Torah — the reader (or listener during public reading) experiences the cumulative weight of each day's dedication.
Also one goat as a purification offering — in addition to the perpetual ascending offering with its grain offering and drink offerings.
KJV And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
A small textual note: this verse ends with unesakheiha ('and its drink offerings') using a feminine plural suffix rather than the masculine forms in other days. This may reflect the feminine grammatical gender of olah ('ascending offering') influencing the pronominal reference. The sixth goat joins the steady procession of daily purification.
On the seventh day: seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen unblemished yearling lambs.
KJV And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Day seven completes the descent: shiv'ah parim ('seven bulls') — the sacred number that pervades Israel's calendar. The grand total for the seven days is seventy bulls (13+12+11+10+9+8+7 = 70), fourteen rams (2 × 7), and ninety-eight lambs (14 × 7). Seventy is the number of the nations in Genesis 10, suggesting a cosmic scope to Sukkot's worship.
Their grain offerings and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs follow the prescribed regulations according to their number.
KJV And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The final day's formula uses kemishpatam ('according to their regulations') with a third-person plural suffix, slightly varying from the usual kamishpat. This minor grammatical shift may reflect the specific reference to each animal category having its own prescribed ratio, summarizing the entire proportional system one last time.
Also one goat as a purification offering — in addition to the perpetual ascending offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
KJV And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Day seven's purification goat brings the Sukkot total to seven goats — matching the seven days and the seven bulls of this final day. The total Sukkot animal count (excluding the tamid) is 70 bulls + 14 rams + 98 lambs + 7 goats = 189 animals, the most elaborate sacrificial week in the Torah.
From atsar ('to restrain, detain'); marks the conclusion of the festival season with an intimate final gathering
Translator Notes
The atzeret ('closing assembly, solemn gathering') on the eighth day is distinct from the seven days of Sukkot proper. The term atzeret derives from atsar ('to restrain, hold back, close'), suggesting a concluding ceremony that 'restrains' the people for one final day of sacred gathering. Later tradition calls this Shemini Atzeret ('Eighth Day of Assembly'), treating it as a separate festival.
Present an ascending offering, a fire-offering of pleasing aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, and seven unblemished yearling lambs.
KJV But ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: one bullock, one ram, seven lambs of the first year without blemish:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The eighth day's offerings plummet from day seven's seventeen animals to just nine: par echad ('one bull'), ayil echad ('one ram'), shiv'ah kevashim ('seven lambs'). This dramatic reduction — matching the Trumpets/Yom Kippur scale — creates an intimate conclusion after the week's crescendo. Rabbinic tradition likens it to a king who dismisses his many guests but asks his closest friend to linger one more day.
The grain offerings and drink offerings for the bull, the ram, and the lambs follow the prescribed quantities according to their number.
KJV Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The singular laPar ('for the bull') and la'ayil ('for the ram') — without plural markers — reflects the reduced eighth-day quantities. The formula kamishpat ('as prescribed') applies the same proportional system: three-tenths for the single bull, two-tenths for the single ram, one-tenth each for the seven lambs.
Also one goat as a purification offering — in addition to the perpetual ascending offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
KJV And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The eighth day's purification offering is the final goat in the fall festival sequence: one each on Trumpets, Yom Kippur (musaf), and eight days of Sukkot/Shemini Atzeret = ten total goats across the autumn season. The daily tamid continues beneath all festival layers, a constant heartbeat of Israelite worship.
These are what you are to prepare for the LORD at your appointed festivals — apart from your vow-offerings and voluntary offerings, whether ascending offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings, or fellowship offerings.
KJV These things ye shall do unto the LORD in your set feasts, beside your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.
From shalom ('wholeness, peace'); shared between God, priest, and offerer in a communal meal
Translator Notes
The concluding verse distinguishes obligatory festival offerings from voluntary ones. The phrase levad minidreikhem venidvoteikhem ('apart from your vows and freewill offerings') establishes that the extensive calendar just prescribed is the minimum — individuals may bring additional nedarim ('vow offerings') and nedavot ('voluntary/freewill offerings'). The shalmim ('fellowship/peace offerings') appear here for the first time in chapters 28-29, reminding readers that communal celebration meals accompany the festivals.