Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, by R.A. Torrey, [ca. 1880], at sacred-texts.com
Numbers Chapter 29
Overview
Num 29:1, The offering at the feast of trumpets; Num 29:7, at the day of afflicting their souls; Num 29:12, and on the eight days of the feast of tabernacles.
the seventh: That is, the month Tisri, the seventh month of their ecclesiastical year, but the first of their civil year, answering to our September. This, which was their new year's day, was a time of great festivity, and ushered in by the blowing of trumpets; whence it was also called the feast of blowing the trumpets. In imitation of this Jewish festival, different nations began the new year with sacrifices and festivity. The ancient Egyptians did so; and the Persians also celebrated their nawee rooz, or new year's day, which they held on the vernal equinox, and which "lasted ten days, during which all ranks seemed to participate in one general joy. The rich sent presents to the poor; all were dressed in their holiday clothes; all kept open house; and religious processions, music, dancing, a species of theatrical exhibition, rustic sports, and other pastimes, presented a continued round of varied amusement. Even the dead, and the ideal beings were not forgotten; rich viands being placed on the tops of houses and high towers, on the flavour of which the Peris, and spirits of their departed heroes and friends, were supposed to feast." After the Mohammedan conquest of Persia, the celebration of this period sensibly declined, and at last totally ceased, till the time of Jelaladdin (about ad 1082), who, coming to the crown at the vernal equinox, re-established the ancient festival, which has ever since been celebrated with pomp and acclamations. Lev 23:24, Lev 23:25; Ezr 3:6; Neh 7:73
the first day of the month: The monthly sacrifices were regulated by the new moons; and it is probable that the solemn sacrifices were appointed by God, to prevent the idolatry which was usual among the heathen at this period; who expressed the most extravagant rejoicings on the first appearance of the new moon. Moses, however, used the return of the moon only as one of the most natural and convenient measures of time; and appointed sacrifices to Jehovah, to prevent the Israelites from falling into the idolatries of their heathen neighbours. In the serene climate of Arabia and Judea, its first faint crescent is, for the most part, visible to all.
blowing: Num 10:1-10; Ch1 15:28; Psa 81:3, Psa 89:15; Isa 27:13; Zac 9:14; Mar 16:15, Mar 16:16; Rom 10:14-18, Rom 15:16-19
Num 29:8, Num 29:36, Num 28:19, Num 28:27; Heb 10:10-14
Num 28:15, Num 28:22, Num 28:30
the burnt: Num 28:11-15
the daily: Num 28:3-8; Exo 29:38-42; Lev 6:9
according: Num 29:18, Num 29:21, Num 9:14, Num 15:11, Num 15:12, Num 15:24; Ezr 3:4
on the tenth: Lev 16:29-31, Lev 23:27
afflict: Lev 16:29; Ezr 8:21; Psa 35:13, Psa 126:5, Psa 126:6; Isa 22:12, Isa 58:3-5; Zac 7:3; Zac 12:10; Mat 5:4; Luk 13:3, Luk 13:5; Act 27:9; Rom 6:6; Co1 9:27; Co2 7:9-11; Jam 4:8-10
without blemish: Num 29:2, Num 29:13, Num 28:19
beside: Lev 16:3, Lev 16:5, Lev 16:9; Isa 53:10; Dan 9:24-26; Heb 7:27, Heb 9:25-28
the continual: Num 29:6, Num 28:3-8
the fifteenth day: This was the feast of Tabernacles, kept in commemoration of their dwelling in tents in the wilderness for forty years. The first and last days were to be kept as sabbaths, on which there were solemn assemblies; and for seven days sacrifices were offered. On the other festivals, two bullocks sufficed (Num 28:11, Num 28:19, Num 28:27), and on the festival at the beginning of this month, only one was appointed; but, on the first day of this festival, thirteen young bullocks were appointed; and so on each successive day, with the decrease of only one bullock, till on the seventh day, there were only seven, making in all seventy bullocks. The lambs, and the rams also, were in a double proportion to the number sacrificed at any other festival. This was an expensive service; but more easy at this time of the year than any other, as Bishop Patrick observes, because now their barns were full, and their wine-presses overflowed; and their hearts might well be supposed to be more enlarged than at other times, in thankfulness to God for the multitude of his mercies. The Jewish doctors give this reason for the daily diminution of the number of the bullocks. the whole number, say they, was according to the languages of the seventy nations of the world; and the diminution of one every day signified, that there should be a gradual diminution of those nations till all things were brought under the government of the Messiah; in whose days "no sacrifices shall remain, but those of thanksgiving, prayer, and praise." Exo 23:16, Exo 34:22; Lev 23:33-43; Deu 16:13, Deu 16:14; Neh 8:14, Neh 8:18; Eze 45:25; Zac 14:16-19; Joh 1:14; Heb 11:9-13
thirteen young bullocks: Num 29:2, Num 29:8, Num 28:11, Num 28:19, Num 28:27; Ezr 3:4; Heb 10:12-14; At this feast thirteen bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs, were to be offered. It is worthy of remark, that in each of the seven days of this feast one bullock is to be abated, so that on the seventh day (Num 29:32) they were to offer seven bullocks, but the rams and lambs were every day alike; which appointment might signify a diminishing and wearing away of the legal offerings, to lead them to the spiritual and reasonable service, by presenting their own bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God. Rom 12:1
Num 29:13, 20-40; Psa 40:6, Psa 50:8, Psa 50:9, Psa 51:16, Psa 51:17, Psa 69:31; Isa 1:11; Jer 7:22, Jer 7:23; Hos 6:6; Rom 12:1; Heb 8:13, Heb 9:3-14
after the manner: That is, after the manner already prescribed. Num 29:3, Num 29:4, Num 29:6, Num 29:9, Num 29:10, Num 15:4-12, Num 28:7, Num 28:14
Num 29:11, Num 29:22, Num 29:25; Amo 8:14
after the manner: Num 29:18
drink offering: Psa 16:4; Joe 1:9, Joe 1:13, Joe 2:14
Num 29:11; Joh 8:31; Act 13:43; Rom 2:7; Gal 2:5, Gal 6:9; Th2 3:13; Heb 3:14; Heb 10:39, Heb 13:15
eighth day: Though this day was properly a distinct festival, and esteemed the chief or high day of the feast, yet fewer sacrifices are appointed for it than for any of the foregoing seven. On every one of them two rams and fourteen lambs were offered; but on this day there were but half as many; and whereas seven bullocks were the fewest that were offered on any of those days, on this there was only one. At this feast, there was an extraordinary ceremony of which the rabbins inform us, namely, the drawing water out of the pool of Siloam, and pouring it, mixed with wine, on the sacrifice as it lay on the altar. This they are said to have done with such expressions of joy, that it became a common proverb, "He that never saw the rejoicing of drawing of water, never saw rejoicing in all his life." The Jews pretend to ground this custom on the following passage of Isaiah (Isa 12:3), "With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation;" and to this ceremony Jesus is supposed to refer, when "in the last day, the great day of the feast, he stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink: he that believeth on me, as the Scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (Joh 7:37, Joh 7:38), thereby calling off the people from their carnal mirth and festive and pompous ceremonies, to seek spiritual refreshment for their minds. Lev 23:36; Joh 7:37-39; Rev 7:9-17
do: or, offer
in your set feasts: It appears from the account in these two chapters, that there were annually offered to God, at the public charge, independently of a prodigious number of voluntary, vow, and trespass offerings, 15 goats, 21 kids, 72 rams, 132 bullocks, and 1,101 lambs. But how little is all this compared with the lambs slain every year at the passover. Cestius, the Roman general, asked the priests how many persons had come to Jerusalem at their annual festivals. the priests, numbering the people by the lambs that had been slain, said, "twenty-five myriads, 5,000, and 600." Lev 23:2; Ch1 23:31; Ch2 31:3; Ezr 3:5; Neh 10:33; Isa 1:14
beside your vows: Num 6:21; Lev 7:11, 16-38, Lev 22:21-23, Lev 23:28; Deu 12:6; Co1 10:31
Exo 40:16; Deu 4:5; Mat 28:20; Act 20:27; Co1 15:3; Heb 3:2, Heb 3:5