What is the meaning of Numbers 7:46?

one

• The offering prescribed is unmistakably singular. One goat, not many, shows that a single sacrifice was sufficient for the tribe’s sin at that moment (Numbers 7:46).

• This highlights God’s orderly plan: every tribal leader brought the exact same items, so each tribe stood on equal footing before the LORD (Numbers 7:12-83).

• It echoes the principle later seen in Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice: “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).

---

male goat

• Goats were appointed specifically for sin offerings (Leviticus 4:27-28). The choice of a goat, not a lamb or bull, shows obedience to that clear command.

• A male goat carried symbolic weight: strength, vigor, and the ability to lead a herd—qualities pointing forward to the strength required to bear sin (Hebrews 9:22-26).

• On the Day of Atonement two male goats bore Israel’s sins, one sacrificed and the other released (Leviticus 16:7-10). This single goat in Numbers 7 previews that redemptive pattern without the second “scapegoat” element.

---

for a sin offering

• A sin offering dealt with unintentional sins that still separated the people from God (Leviticus 4:2-3).

• Blood from the goat would be applied to the altar, making atonement and restoring fellowship (Leviticus 4:30-31).

• The phrase underscores substitution: the goat dies so the worshipers are spared, foreshadowing the gospel truth that “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

• By including a sin offering alongside gifts of worship, the text reminds us that fellowship with God always begins with the removal of sin (Hebrews 9:13-14).

---

summary

Numbers 7:46 records that the leader of Issachar brought “one male goat for a sin offering.” The single goat speaks of sufficiency; its male identity fulfills God’s specific requirement; and its purpose as a sin offering points to substitutionary atonement. Together they reveal God’s consistent plan: sin must be addressed through a divinely appointed sacrifice, ultimately fulfilled in Christ’s once-for-all offering.