What Does Numbers 28:31 Mean in the King James?

Ye shall offer them beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, (they shall be unto you without blemish) and their drink offerings.

Numbers 28:31 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

What is appointed for a moment is added to the continual offering, and must itself be whole.

THE MEANING

You see the appointed offering placed beside the continual burnt offering: the added offering does not replace the ongoing one. “Without blemish” names the required condition as whole and sound, with the meal and drink offerings within the same ordered gift.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

This undoes the idea that a special offering can stand in for the continual one: the verse places it beside the ongoing offering.

THE ROOT

תָּמִים

tamim

GROWS FROM

תמם

to be complete or whole

The verse uses tamim for the offerings’ condition; its root tamam means to be complete or whole. The same consonants yield tom, integrity, so “without blemish” carries the sense of an offering kept intact.

ALSO GROWS

tamam: to be complete, to come to an end

תָּמַם

This verb shows the root’s sense of reaching completion, giving “without blemish” the added depth of wholeness.

tom: integrity, wholeness

תֹּם

This noun carries the same root into integrity, linking the offering’s soundness with completeness.

THE PATTERN

What is brought before God is presented as whole and undiminished.

And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

Leviticus 22:21 · KJVThe offering is described as perfect and without blemish, echoing the wholeness required here.

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

1 Peter 1:19 · KJVThe image of an offering without blemish carries the pattern of wholeness into the New Testament.

THE THREAD

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Genesis 17:1 · KJV

The Hebrew ⁨תָּמִים⁩ (tamim, “whole”) is translated “perfect” here and “without blemish” in Numbers. The same word joins an intact offering to a whole manner of walking before God.

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