King James Version

What Does Numbers 28:17 Mean?

Numbers 28:17 in the King James Version says “And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.” — study this verse from Numbers chapter 28 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.”

Numbers 28:17 · KJV

Context

15

And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the LORD shall be offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.

16

And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD.

17

And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.

18

In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein:

19

But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish:

Read Numbers 28 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
In the fifteenth day of this month (בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם, bachamishah asar yom)—Passover on the 14th was followed immediately by the Chag HaMatzot (חַג הַמַּצּוֹת), the Feast of Unleavened Bread, beginning on the 15th of Nisan/Aviv. While Passover commemorated the death angel's "passing over" Hebrew homes (Exodus 12), the seven days of unleavened bread celebrated Israel's hasty exodus from Egypt.

Seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten—leaven (שְׂאֹר, se'or) symbolized sin and corruption (1 Corinthians 5:6-8). Eating unleavened bread represented purged lives and new beginnings. Paul explicitly connects this feast to Christ as "our Passover" sacrificed for us, calling believers to keep perpetual feast with "the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Corinthians 5:7-8).

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Passover/Unleavened Bread was the first of three pilgrimage festivals requiring male Israelites to appear before the Lord in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:16). Jesus was crucified during Passover (John 19:14), fulfilling the festival's typology. The early church maintained this feast (Acts 12:3, 20:6), though controversy arose over Gentile observance (Galatians 4:10; Colossians 2:16).

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the seven-day feast (versus one-day Passover) emphasize that redemption requires both initial deliverance and ongoing sanctification?
  2. In what ways might "leaven" (sin) subtly infiltrate your life, requiring spiritual house-cleaning?
  3. How does 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 transform this historical feast into a present-tense Christian reality?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 10 words
וּבַֽחֲמִשָּׁ֨ה1 of 10

“And in the fifteenth”

H2568

five

עָשָׂ֥ר2 of 10
H6240

ten (only in combination), i.e., -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth

יָמִ֔ים3 of 10

“day”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

לַחֹ֥דֶשׁ4 of 10

“of this month”

H2320

the new moon; by implication, a month

הַזֶּ֖ה5 of 10
H2088

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

חָ֑ג6 of 10

“is the feast”

H2282

a festival, or a victim therefor

שִׁבְעַ֣ת7 of 10

“seven”

H7651

seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number

יָמִ֔ים8 of 10

“day”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

מַצּ֖וֹת9 of 10

“shall unleavened bread”

H4682

properly, sweetness; concretely, sweet (i.e., not soured or bittered with yeast); specifically, an unfermented cake or loaf, or (elliptically) the fes

יֵֽאָכֵֽל׃10 of 10

“be eaten”

H398

to eat (literally or figuratively)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Numbers. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Numbers 28:17 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Numbers 28:17 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Leviticus 23:6Exodus 23:15Deuteronomy 16:3-8Exodus 34:18Exodus 13:6Exodus 12:15-17

Test Your Knowledge

Numbers 28 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterNumbers Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

Continue Your Study

Read Numbers 28 with CommentaryAll Numbers ChaptersComplete Numbers QuizBible CharactersNave's Topical BibleAll Bible Quizzes