And one kidde of the goats for a sinne offring, beside the continual burnt offering, his meate offering, and his drinke offering. Numbers 29:16 (KJV)
And one kid of the goats
for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering. Numbers 29:16 (KJV)
The book of Numbers opens the Pentateuch and records the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness toward the Promised Land. Chapter 29 belongs to a larger section that details the offerings required for the appointed feasts, especially the Feast of Tabernacles, a week‑long celebration in the seventh month that expressed thanksgiving and remembrance of God’s provision in the desert.
Numbers 29:12‑34 gives the specific sacrificial schedule for the feast. On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the people were to hold a holy convocation and begin a seven‑day celebration. The first day’s offerings included thirteen bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs, and a kid of the goats for a sin offering, together with the continual burnt offering, its accompanying meat offering, and its drink offering. Verse 16 isolates the kid of the goats, emphasizing its role as the sin offering.
The sin offering represented atonement for unintentional sins committed by individuals or the community. In the Old Testament sacrificial system the goat symbolized the transfer of sin and guilt, carrying the people’s transgressions away so that reconciliation with God could be achieved.
The continual burnt offering was offered each morning and evening, signifying the Israelites’ ongoing devotion to God. The accompanying meat and drink offerings expressed gratitude and dedication, reinforcing the pattern of regular worship.
Although the Levitical sacrifices are no longer performed, the passage teaches enduring spiritual principles. It reminds believers of the seriousness of sin, the need for atonement, and the value of continual worship. The New Testament presents Jesus Christ as the ultimate sin offering—“the Lamb of God” who takes away the world’s sins (John 1:29). His death fulfills the purpose of the Old‑covenant sacrifices, providing eternal forgiveness and reconciliation for all who trust in Him.
In summary, Numbers 29:16 highlights the specific sin offering of a kid of the goats within the broader festival context, pointing forward to the perfect sacrifice of Christ and urging today’s believers to maintain a heart of repentance and steadfast worship.
