Numbers 29:15
And a several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen lambs:
Original Language Analysis
הָֽאֶחָ֑ד
to each
H259
הָֽאֶחָ֑ד
to each
Strong's:
H259
Word #:
4 of 7
properly, united, i.e., one; or (as an ordinal) first
Historical Context
Lamb sacrifice permeated Israelite worship from Passover's origin (Exodus 12) through daily tamid offerings. The fourteen lambs on each of seven Sukkot days (98 total) plus rams and descending bullocks created the festival calendar's most elaborate sacrificial sequence, distinguishing it from Passover and Pentecost.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the precision and repetition in these sacrificial laws combat the modern notion that worship style is merely preferential?
- What does the fourteen-lamb pattern (double perfection) suggest about abundance in Christ who fulfills all festivals?
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Analysis & Commentary
A several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen lambs—Again issaron la-keves ha-echad stresses individual allocation. Fourteen lambs (double seven) amplified the covenant fullness symbolized by seven, befitting the grandest festival. The repetition across verses 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33 underscores the unchanging pattern.
This regularity taught dependability in worship. God's commands weren't arbitrary mood-based preferences but covenant stipulations demanding faithful adherence. The lambs' consistency (always fourteen, always one issaron each) mirrored God's faithfulness—'the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever' (Hebrews 13:8).