What is the meaning of Numbers 7:34? One - In the long list of tribal gifts (Numbers 7:10-88), each leader brings the exact same items. The word “one” underscores that every tribe, no matter its size or prominence, approaches God on equal footing. - “One” also hints at the unity God desires among His people (Ephesians 4:4-6). Though twelve leaders appear over twelve days, their sacrifices point to a single covenant community. - The repetition of “one” male goat day after day shows how God’s requirement for atonement never changes; there is a single, unwavering standard (Hebrews 10:10, 12). Male goat - Goats were commonly used for sin offerings (Leviticus 4:23-24), and a male goat, in particular, symbolized vigor and completeness—nothing deficient was brought before the Lord (Malachi 1:8). - On the Day of Atonement, one male goat was sacrificed and another released, illustrating both propitiation and expiation (Leviticus 16:15-22). This daily dedication gift echoes that dramatic annual picture. - The goat carried the people’s guilt figuratively just as Christ bore ours literally: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24). For a sin offering - Before any fellowship (peace) offerings could follow (Numbers 7:35), sin had to be addressed. The sin offering came first, declaring that reconciliation with God is foundational. - The ritual looked ahead to the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ: “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). - By specifying “sin offering,” the text reminds every generation that sin is real and must be dealt with God’s way (Leviticus 6:25-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21). summary Numbers 7:34’s brief phrase—“one male goat for a sin offering”—wraps profound truth into a single line. Each tribe brought one, emphasizing unity; it was a male goat, symbolizing strength and completeness; and it served as a sin offering, declaring that atonement is the necessary first step before deeper fellowship with God can occur. The verse quietly but powerfully points forward to the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ, the true and final sin offering for His people. |
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