Exodus 29:39-42 Meaning: God's Daily Appointment to Meet You
39The one lamb you shall offer in the morning; and the other lamb you shall offer at evening;
40and with the one lamb a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour mixed with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil, and the fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink offering.
41The other lamb you shall offer at evening, and shall do to it according to the meal offering of the morning and according to its drink offering, for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
42It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the Tent of Meeting before Yahweh, where I will meet with you, to speak there to you.
39The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:
40And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.
41And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
42This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.
39The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:
40and with the one lamb a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour mingled with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil, and the fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink-offering.
41And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meal-offering of the morning, and according to the drink-offering thereof, for a sweet savor, an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
42It shall be a continual burnt-offering throughout your generations at the door of the tent of meeting before Jehovah, where I will meet with you, to speak there unto thee.
39the one lamb thou dost prepare in the morning, and the second lamb thou dost prepare between the evenings;
40and a tenth deal of fine flour, mixed with beaten oil, a fourth part of a hin, and a libation, a fourth part of a hin, of wine, is for the one lamb.
41`And the second lamb thou dost prepare between the evenings; according to the present of the morning, and according to its libation, thou dost prepare for it, for sweet fragrance, a fire-offering, to Jehovah: --
42a continual burnt-offering for your generations, at the opening of the tent of meeting, before Jehovah, whither I am met with you, to speak unto thee there,
39The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer between the two evenings.
40And with the one lamb a tenth part of wheaten flour mingled with beaten oil, a fourth part of a hin; and a drink-offering, a fourth part of a hin of wine.
41And the second lamb shalt thou offer between the two evenings; as the oblation in the morning, and as its drink-offering shalt thou offer with this, for a sweet odour, an offering by fire to Jehovah.
42It shall be a continual burnt-offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before Jehovah, where I will meet with you, to speak there with thee.
Meaning in one sentence
What did the daily morning and evening burnt offerings mean?
Context
This passage comes in the middle of instructions for consecrating the priests and the altar. God is establishing the worship of the tabernacle, the portable tent where He would dwell among Israel. The daily burnt offering, one lamb in the morning, one in the evening, was to be the foundation of that worship, offered perpetually at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. What looks like detailed ritual is really a promise: this is where God will meet His people and speak to them, every single day.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words carry the weight here. The word translated continual is tamid (H8548). It means something that stretches on without interruption, not just often, but perpetually. The daily offering was never meant to stop; it was a constant sign that God's presence never pauses. The phrase Tent of Meeting holds the word mo'ed (from the root ya'ad, H3259), meaning an appointed time or place. God didn't leave meeting to chance. He set a standing appointment for His people, morning and evening. And the sacrifices were described as a soothing aroma (Hebrew nichoach, H5207). This word means something that brings quiet, rest, peace. The offering pleased God not because He needed the smell, but because it expressed a heart turned toward Him in trust and gratitude.
How Christians Read This Verse
Jewish tradition held that the morning sacrifice atoned for sins committed during the night, and the evening sacrifice for sins of the day (Adam Clarke). Protestant commentators like Barnes saw the lamb as an acknowledgment that life belongs to God, the grain offering as consecration of daily work, and the incense as a picture of prayer. Calvin focused on the word meeting, God appointed a place to come together with His people, a convention. Matthew Henry read the daily offering as a clear type of Christ, the Lamb of God. Across these perspectives, all agree that the rhythm of sacrifice was not empty ritual but God's chosen way to stay present with His people.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers dismiss these verses as tedious rules about animal slaughter. In fact, the word tamid (continually) and the repeated promise where I will meet with you reveal that God's primary concern was not the lambs but the daily relationship. He wanted His people to know He was always available. The regularity was a gift, not a burden.
Living This Out
You might feel distant from God by noon. The morning lamb covered the day ahead; the evening lamb covered the night. This rhythm invites you to bookend your day with God, not to earn favor, but to keep company. Try this: when you wake, offer your first thoughts to God. When you lie down, entrust the day to Him. He promises to meet you in that habit, just as He met Israel at the Tent of Meeting.
Main takeaway: God appointed a daily sacrifice so He could dwell among His people, showing He wants constant fellowship, fulfilled in Christ's once-for-all offering.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Every morning and every evening, the priests gave a lamb to God. This was their way of saying, 'We love You, God, and we need You every day.' You can pray to God every morning when you wake up and every night before you sleep.
For ages 9, 12
God told the Israelites to offer two lambs every day, one in the morning and one in the evening. This wasn't a chore, it was God's way of staying close to His people. The animals were a picture of something better: Jesus, who gave Himself once for all. Now you don't need to sacrifice animals, but you can give God your first thoughts in the morning and your last thoughts at night, because He wants to be with you all day long.
Questions People Ask
Why were there two lambs, one in the morning and one in the evening?
The morning lamb atoned for sins committed during the night, and the evening lamb atoned for sins of the day, according to Jewish tradition. More importantly, the double offering bookended each day with worship, reminding Israel that their whole lives belonged to God from dawn to dusk.
What were the grain and drink offerings that accompanied the lambs?
Each lamb came with fine flour mixed with oil (a grain offering) and wine poured out (a drink offering). These represented the worshiper's labor and joy, flour from their harvest, wine from their vine, given back to God as thanks for His provision.
Does this mean Christians should offer sacrifices every day?
Christians believe Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial system by offering Himself once for all (Hebrews 10:10). We don't offer animals, but the New Testament calls us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) and to offer praise and good works to God daily. The rhythm of daily devotion echoes this passage.
What is the Tent of Meeting in Exodus 29:42?
The Tent of Meeting (Ohel Mo'ed) was the tabernacle where God promised to meet with Israel. The word mo'ed means an appointed time or place. This tent was the center of worship, and God said He would speak to Moses there, making it a physical sign that God wanted to be present among His people.
How does the daily sacrifice point to Jesus?
Many Christians see the daily lambs as a foreshadowing of Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Unlike the lambs that had to be offered every day, Jesus' sacrifice was once for all, providing complete and final atonement. The continual offering reminds us that we need a perfect sacrifice, which only Christ provides.
For pastors & researchers
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