Numbers 28:29 — Word Study
WLCעִשָּׂרוֹן֙ עִשָּׂר֔וֹן לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ הָאֶחָ֑ד לְשִׁבְעַ֖ת הַכְּבָשִֽׂים׃
BSAand a tenth [of an ephah]ʻissârôwn [separate, tenth part, a unit of dry measure, about 0.2 bushels] with eachʼechâd of the sevenshebaʻ [young ram or] lambskebes [old enough to butt or fight]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עִשָּׂרוֹן֙ | a tenth | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| עִשָּׂר֔וֹן | a tenth | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ | for the lamb | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| הָאֶחָ֑ד | one | Particle |
| לְשִׁבְעַ֖ת | for [the] seven | Preposition |
| הַכְּבָשִֽׂים׃ | the lambs | Particle, noun common masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | and a tenth of an ephah with each of the seven lambs. |
| KJV | A several tenth deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven lambs; |
| ASV | a tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs; |
| YLT | a several tenth deal to the one lamb, for the seven lambs; |
| WEB | one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs; |
| BBE | And a separate tenth part for every one of the seven lambs; |
Where they part company is over the phrase עִשָּׂרוֹן — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause presents the measurement, with a subordinate phrase specifying the recipients of the offering.
2 commentators on this verse
Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Numbers 28:29
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Instructions for Offeringsgenerated
Numbers 28:29 provides specific guidelines for offerings to be made during sacrifices. This verse highlights the requirement of a tenth of an ephah for each of the seven lambs, which underscores the importance of measurement and precision in the sacrificial system outlined in the Law.
Cross References
The Key Word — עִשָּׂרוֹן, 'i.sa.rOngenerated
The word עִשָּׂרוֹן ('i.sa.rOn) refers to a fractional measure, specifically a tenth part or tithe. It is derived from a root meaning to divide, indicating a portion taken from a larger whole.
This term emphasizes the concept of giving a specific portion, which is foundational in the context of offerings, as seen in other passages like Leviticus 27:32. The parsing as a masculine singular noun suggests it is treated as a discrete unit in the sacrificial system.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause centers on the noun phrase עִשָּׂרוֹן, a tenth, which serves as the object of the action described in the verse. The structure builds around this noun, indicating what is required for the lambs.
The prepositional phrases clarify the relationship between the measurement and the lambs, emphasizing the specific nature of the offering required.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עִשָּׂרוֹן as δέκατον (dekaton), which also means 'tenth'. This choice maintains the fractional aspect of the offering, showing consistency in the understanding of the measure across different texts.
This alignment suggests a shared understanding of the importance of precise measurements in sacrificial offerings.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 28:29 states that a tenth of an ephah is to be offered with each of the seven lambs. This specifies the exact measurement required for the offerings, emphasizing the importance of precision in sacrificial practices.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It represents a specific measurement used in the sacrificial system, indicating a portion of grain to be offered.
Seven often symbolizes completeness or perfection in the Bible, making it significant in the context of offerings.
The lambs are designated for sacrifice, symbolizing innocence and purity in the offerings.
It provides a specific guideline that complements the broader sacrificial system established in the Law.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can I apply the principle of giving a portion in my own life?
- What does the significance of the number seven teach us about completeness?
- In what ways can I ensure that I give my best in my offerings?
- How does understanding the specifics of offerings enhance my appreciation of the sacrificial system?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 28:29 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and CollegesChapters 28, 29. P The amounts of public offerings at the sacred seasons The following are the seasons for which offerings are enjoined:—(1) every morning and evening (Numbers 28:3-8), (2) the Sabbath (Numbers 28:9 f.), (3) the first day of each month (Numbers 28:11-15) [the Passover is mentioned Numbers 28:16), but no offering is commanded], (4) the seven days of Unleavened Cakes (Numbers 28:17-25), (5) the Feast of Weeks (Numbers 28:26-31), (6) the first day of the sacred seventh month, i.e. the Feast of Trumpets (Numbers 29:1-6), (7) the tenth day of the seventh month, i.e. the Day of Atonement (Numbers 29:7-11), (8) the fifteenth to the twenty-first day of the seventh month, i.e. the…
Read Cambridge on Numbers 28 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible27-31. Two… bullocks — These. the ram, and seven lambs were in addition to the one bullock, two rams, and seven lambs offered with the firstfruits, (Leviticus 23:18, note,) and besides the daily
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 28 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
and a tenth of an ephah with each of the seven lambs.
one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs;
and a tenth of an ephah with each of the seven lambs.
with one-tenth for each of the seven lambs,
Tyndale line
A several tenth deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven lambs;
a tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs;
a several tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs;
A several tenth part to one lamb, throughout the seven lambs;
And one tenth deale vnto euery lambe throughout the seuen lambes,
Strictly literal
one tenth part for each lamb of the seven lambs;
a several tenth deal to the one lamb, for the seven lambs;
a tenth—a tenth part for one lamb, for the seven lambs;
A tenth part each for every sheep, of the seven sheep;
Offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for each of the seven lambs,
From the Latin
The tenth of a tenth to every lamb, which in all are seven lambs: a buck goat also,
Simplified
and one tenth of an ephah for each of the seven lambs.
And a separate tenth part for every one of the seven lambs;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text aligns with the Septuagint in word choice, with all six words matched. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly by adding 'and' at the beginning. The Dead Sea Scrolls show no variation in meaning but contain editorial restorations.
עִשָּׂרוֹן֙ עִשָּׂר֔וֹן לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ הָאֶחָ֑ד לְשִׁבְעַ֖ת הַכְּבָשִֽׂים׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ועשׂרון עשׂרון לכבשׂ האחד לשׁבעת הכבשׂים
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: ו (and)
[ועשרון] [עשרון] [לכבש] [האחד] [לשבעת] [הכבשים]
nothing on the leather here — 6 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Numbers 28:29
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
עִשָּׂרוֹן (issarown) refers to a fractional measure, specifically a tenth part or tithe. It is derived from the root meaning to divide, and is used in contexts such as Leviticus 14:10, where it denotes a tenth of an ephah. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to a tenth.
H6241 עִשָּׂרוֹן
6241 `issarown is-saw-rone'
or oissaron {is-saw-rone'}; from 6235; (fractional) a tenth
part:--tenth deal.
see HEBREW for 06235
עִשָּׂרוֹן (is.sa.ron) — tenth.
tenth part, tithe
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
See TITHE.
עִשָּׂרוֹן (issarown) refers to a fractional measure, specifically a tenth part or tithe. It is derived from the root meaning to divide, and is used in contexts such as Leviticus 14:10, where it denotes a tenth of an ephah. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to a tenth.
H6241 עִשָּׂרוֹן
6241 `issarown is-saw-rone'
or oissaron {is-saw-rone'}; from 6235; (fractional) a tenth
part:--tenth deal.
see HEBREW for 06235
עִשָּׂרוֹן (is.sa.ron) — tenth.
tenth part, tithe
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
See TITHE.
כֶּ֫בֶשׂ (*kebes*) means 'lamb' and can also refer to a young ram or sheep. The word is derived from an unused root suggesting a meaning related to dominance. It appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, primarily denoting young sheep.
כֶּ֫בֶשׂ 107 n.m. lamb
base
H3532 כֶּ֫בֶשׂ lamb
3532 kebes keh-bes'
from an unused root meaning to dominate; a ram (just old
enough to butt):--lamb, sheep.
כֶּ֫בֶשׂ (ke.ve.s) — lamb.
lamb, sheep, young ram
Art | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
Lamb
(1.) Heb. kebes, a male lamb from the first to the third year. Offered daily at the morning and the evening sacrifice (Ex. 29:38-42), on the Sabbath day (Num. 28:9), at the feast of the New Moon (28:11), of Trumpets (29:2), of Tabernacles (13-40), of Pentecost (Lev. 23:18-20), and of the Passover (Ex. 12:5), and on many other occasions (1 Chr. 29:21; 2 Chr. 29:21; Lev. 9:3; 14:10-25).
The young of the sheep, and also the kid of the goat, Ex 12:5, Christ is the Lamb of God, Joh 1:29, as being the accepted sacrifice for human sin. The sacrifices of the Old Testament were an ordained and perpetual foreshadowing not only of his spotless holiness and his unresisting meekness, Isa 53:4-9. He is described in Re 5:6 12:11, as wearing the form of a sacrificial lamb in heaven itself. See PASSOVER and SACRIFICES.
→ Offering of Ex 29:38-41; Le 3:7; 4:32; 5:6; 22:23; 23:12; Nu 6:12; 7:15,21; 28:3-8
→ Not to be seethed (boiled) in its own mother's milk Ex 23:19
אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.
אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one
one
= each, every
= a certain
= indef. art.
only, & (fem.) once
one … another, one … the other
as ordinal first
in combin.
base
H259 אֶחָד one . one
. = each, every
. = a certain
. = indef. art.
. only, & (fem.) once
. one … another, one … the other
. as ordinal first
. in combin.
259 'echad ekh-awd'
a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an
ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,
any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +
eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,
other, some, together,
see HEBREW for 0258
אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.
1) one (number)
1a) one (number)
1b) each, every
1c) a certain
1d) an (indefinite article)
1e) only, once, once for all
1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one
1g) first
1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)
Art | Adj — ParticleHTd/Acfsa
wun.
See NUMBER.
שֶׁ֫בַע (sheba`) means 'seven' and is a cardinal number. It can also imply 'seven times' or refer to a week. The term appears in various contexts, including combinations like 17 or 700. Its Aramaic equivalent is שִׁבְעָה (shiv.ah), also meaning 'seven'.
שֶׁ֫בַע, שִׁבְעָה 394 n.m. et f. seven
base
H7651 שֶׁ֫בַע, שִׁבְעָה seven
7651 sheba` sheh'-bah
or (masculine) shibrah {shib-aw'}; from 7650; a primitive
cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also
(adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by
extension, an indefinite number:--(+ by) seven(-fold),-s,
(-teen, -teenth), -th, times). Compare 7658.
see HEBREW for 07650
see HEBREW for 07658
שֶׁ֫בַע (she.va) — seven.
1) seven (cardinal number)
1a) as ordinal number
1b) in combination-17, 700 etc
Aramaic equivalent: shiv.ah (שִׁבְעָה "seven" H7655)
Prep | Adj — PrepositionHR/Acbsc
sev'-'-n (shebha`; hepta).
See NUMBER.
Seven
This number occurs frequently in Scripture, and in such connections as lead to the supposition that it has some typical meaning. On the seventh day God rested, and hallowed it (Gen. 2:2, 3). The division of time into weeks of seven days each accounts for many instances of the occurrence of this number. This number has been called the symbol of perfection, and also the symbol of rest. “Jacob’s seven years’ service to Laban; Pharaoh’s seven fat oxen and seven lean ones; the seven branches of the golden candlestick; the seven trumpets and the seven priests who sounded them; the seven days’ siege of Jericho; the seven churches, seven spirits, seven stars, seven seals, seven vials, and many others, sufficiently prove the importance of this sacred number” (see Lev. 25:4;
The frequent recurrence of certain numbers in the sacred literature of the Hebrews is obvious to the most superficial reader, but seven so far surpasses the rest, both in the frequency with which it recurs and in the importance of the objects with which it is associated, that it may fairly be termed the representative symbolic number. The influence of the number seven was not restricted to the Hebrews; it prevailed among the Persians, ancient Indians, Greeks and Romans. The peculiarity of the Hebrew view consists in the special dignity of the seventh, and not simply in that of seen. The Sabbath being the seventh day suggested the adoption of seven as the coefficient, so to say, for their appointment of all sacred periods; and we thus find the 7th month ushered in by the Feast of Trumpets, and signalized by the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Great Day of Atonement; 7…
As from the beginning this was the number of days in the week, so it often has in Scripture a sort of emphasis attached to it, and is very generally used as a round or perfect number. Clean beasts were taken into the ark by sevens, Ge 7:1-24. The years of plenty and famine in Egypt were marked by sevens, Ge 41:1-57. With the Jews, not only was there a seventh day Sabbath, but every seventh year was a Sabbath, and after every seven times seven years came a jubilee. Their great feasts of unleavened bread and of tabernacles were observed for seven days; the number of animals in many of their sacrifices was limited to seven. The golden candlestick had seven branches. Seven priests with seven trumpets went around the walls of Jericho seven days, and seven times on the seventh day. In…
כֶּ֫בֶשׂ (*kebes*) means 'lamb' and can also refer to a young ram or sheep. The word is derived from an unused root suggesting a meaning related to dominance. It appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, primarily denoting young sheep.
כֶּ֫בֶשׂ 107 n.m. lamb
base
H3532 כֶּ֫בֶשׂ lamb
3532 kebes keh-bes'
from an unused root meaning to dominate; a ram (just old
enough to butt):--lamb, sheep.
כֶּ֫בֶשׂ (ke.ve.s) — lamb.
lamb, sheep, young ram
HTd/Ncmpa — Particle · noun common masculine plural absoluteHTd/Ncmpa
are the young of sheep, but originally included also the young of goats. They formed an important part of almost every sacrifice. (Exodus 29:38-41; Numbers 28:9,11; 29:2,13-40) etc. [On the paschal lamb see PASSOVER]