Numbers 29:26

And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:

Numbers 29:26 (KJV)

Context

Numbers 29:26 belongs to the instructions for the Feast of Tabernacles, also called the Feast of Booths. This week-long autumn celebration reminded Israel of God’s care and presence during their wilderness journey. The verse gives the offerings for the fifth day of the feast.

Meaning

The verse lists nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year, all without spot. The demand for unblemished animals shows that God required holiness and perfection in worship. The specific numbers and the daily pattern reveal a deliberate, orderly system. Each day of the feast had its own set of sacrifices, and the fifth day followed the same careful structure. The offerings were burnt offerings, made by fire, as a sweet savor to the Lord, emphasizing the seriousness of approaching a holy God.

Biblical connections

These animal sacrifices pointed forward to the perfect and final sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who offered Himself without blemish (Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:19). The unspotted animals foreshadowed the sinless Savior. The decreasing number of bullocks from thirteen on the first day to seven on the seventh day shows a structured progression, though the text does not state its symbolic meaning.

Application

God cares about the details of our devotion, not just our general intentions. Obedience and consistency in worship matter to Him. We approach a holy God with reverence, recognizing the cost and seriousness of true worship. Let this passage remind us that God values wholehearted, obedient worship, offered with awe.

Reflection

Consider how you prepare your heart for worship. Do you offer God your best, or only what is convenient? Let this verse encourage you to worship with wholehearted obedience and gratitude for Christ, who fulfilled what these sacrifices could only symbolize.