King James Version

What Does Numbers 7:70 Mean?

Numbers 7:70 in the King James Version says “One kid of the goats for a sin offering:” — study this verse from Numbers chapter 7 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“One kid of the goats for a sin offering:”

Numbers 7:70 · KJV

Context

68

One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:

69

One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

70

One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

71

And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

72

On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince of the children of Asher, offered:

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
One kid of the goats for a sin offering—The chatta'th (חַטָּאת) addresses the fundamental problem separating humanity from God: sin's defilement. The male goat (se'ir, שְׂעִיר) served as the standard sin offering for leaders and rulers (Leviticus 4:22-24). Significantly, the sin offering always preceded the peace offering in the sacrificial sequence, establishing a theological principle: fellowship with God requires atonement, never bypassing it.

The Hebrew word chatta'th means both 'sin' and 'sin offering'—the sacrifice takes the name of what it removes. Similarly, Christ 'who knew no sin' was 'made sin for us' (2 Corinthians 5:21), absorbing our chatta'th so we might become God's righteousness. The sin offering's blood was applied to the altar's horns (Leviticus 4:25), symbolizing the power to atone. Hebrews 9:22 declares 'without shedding of blood is no remission'—no amount of good works, sincere intentions, or religious activity substitutes for blood atonement.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The sin offering system distinguished between unintentional sins (Leviticus 4:2, 13, 22, 27) and defiant, 'high-handed' sins (Numbers 15:30-31). Unintentional sins—failures of knowledge or weakness—received atonement through prescribed sacrifices. But presumptuous sins committed with full knowledge and willful rebellion had no sacrifice; they required cutting off from the community. This underscores sin's seriousness and God's hatred of deliberate rebellion.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the sin offering's required position (before peace offering) demonstrate that we cannot have communion with God while unrepentant sin remains unaddressed?
  2. What does the distinction between unintentional sins (with atonement) and high-handed sins (without sacrifice) teach about the danger of willful, persistent rebellion?
  3. In what ways does Christ's work fulfill and transcend the limited scope of the Old Testament sin offering system (Hebrews 10:1-4)?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 4 words
שְׂעִיר1 of 4

“kid”

H8163

shaggy; as noun, a he-goat; by analogy, a faun

עִזִּ֥ים2 of 4

“of the goats”

H5795

a she-goat (as strong), but masculine in plural (which also is used elliptically for goat's hair)

אֶחָ֖ד3 of 4

“One”

H259

properly, united, i.e., one; or (as an ordinal) first

לְחַטָּֽאת׃4 of 4

“for a sin offering”

H2403

an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concretely) an offender

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 7:70 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

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