Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
a. NLT: “These are the sacrifices you are to offer regularly on the altar. Each day, offer two lambs that are a year old, [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]
b. ASV: Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar: two lambs a year old day by day continually. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]
c. YLT: 'And this is that which thou dost prepare on the altar; two lambs, sons of a year, daily continually; [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]
d. Classic Amplified: Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old shall be offered day by day continually. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]
e. Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary: This is what you shall offer upon the Altar: two sheep within their first year every daycontinually. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]
f. The Israel Bible: Now this is what you shall offer upon the Mizbayach: two yearling lambs each day, regularly. [The English Translation was adapted by Israel 365 from the JPS Tanakh. Copyright Ⓒ 1985 by the Jewish Publication Society. All rights reserved.]
g. NIV: “This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day: two lambs a year old. [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]
1. “Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar…”
a. [Now] this is [that] [Strong: 2088 zeh zeh a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, X thus, very, which.]
b. which [Strong: 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]
c. [thou shalt] offer [Strong: 6213 `asah aw-saw' a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be (warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.]
d. upon [Strong: 5921 `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]
e. [the] altar [Strong: 4196 mizbeach miz-bay'-akh from 2076; an altar:--altar.]
2. “...two lambs of the first year day by day continually.”
a. two [Strong: 8147 shnayim shen-ah'-yim dual of 8145; feminine shttayim {shet-tah'-yim}; two; also (as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, + twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.]
b. lambs [Strong: 3532 kebes keh-bes' from an unused root meaning to dominate; a ram (just old enough to butt):--lamb, sheep.]
c. [of the] first [Strong: 1121 ben bane from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]
d. year [Strong: 8141 shaneh shaw-neh' (in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year (as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old, year(X -ly).]
e. day by day [Strong: 3117 yowm yome from an unused root meaning to be hot; 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 associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, + chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, + (for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually, presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space, then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole (+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.]
f. continually [Strong: 8548 tamiyd taw-meed' from an unused root meaning to stretch; properly, continuance (as indefinite extension); but used only (attributively as adjective) constant (or adverbially, constantly); ellipt. the regular (daily) sacrifice:--alway(-s), continual (employment, -ly), daily, ((n-))ever(-more), perpetual.]
1). This is referring to the morning and evening sacrifice which was to be offered every day for ever. The instructions for this offering were repeated in at least two other places.
a). Numbers 28:3-8 And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the Lord; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.
28:4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even;
28:5 And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil.
28:6 It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord.
28:7 And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering.
28:8 And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
b). Leviticus 6:8-13 And the Lord said to Moses,
6:9 Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: The burnt offering shall remain on the altar all night until morning; the fire shall be kept burning on the altar.
6:10 And the priest shall put on his linen garment and put his linen breeches on his body, and take up the ashes of what the fire has consumed with the burnt offering on the altar and put them beside the altar.
6:11 And he shall put off his garments and put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.
6:12 And the fire upon the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be allowed to go out. The priest shall burn wood on it every morning and lay the burnt offering in order upon it and he shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings.
6:13 The fire shall be burning continually upon the altar; it shall not go out.
2). In the first two passages referring to the morning and evening sacrifice, which of course were burnt offerings there is no mention of the responsibility of the priest regarding the maintenance of the fire, but the passage in Leviticus 6 mentions it four times. The original fire on the altar was ignited by God. This occurred at the dedication of the Tabernacle after all the instructions were given and carried out concerning the Tabernacle, the furniture in the Tabernacle, the priestly garments, everything God instructed Moses on had to be carried out and made before the dedication. Then at the dedication, when the sacrifices had been laid on the altar the fire from the LORD consumed the sacrifices.
a). Leviticus 9:23, 24 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people.
9:24 And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
3). The evidence which disputes this are the obvious times in Leviticus 9 where it clearly mentions fire being used in the previous offerings.
a). Leviticus 9:10 But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the Lord commanded Moses.
b). Leviticus 9:12-22 And he slew the burnt offering; and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the altar.
9:13 And they presented the burnt offering unto him, with the pieces thereof, and the head: and he burnt them upon the altar.
9:14 And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt them upon the burnt offering on the altar.
9:15 And he brought the people's offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first.
9:16 And he brought the burnt offering, and offered it according to the manner.
9:17 And he brought the meat offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning.
9:18 He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about,
9:19 And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver:
9:20 And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar:
9:21And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave offering before the Lord; as Moses commanded.
9:22 And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.
4). The following note is found in the Chumash Jewish Commentary: “There was no permanent fire on the Altar until the Heavenly fire came down (v. 24) and consumed the sacrificial parts. Thus, the intent of the term in our verse [Leviticus 9:10] is that Aaron placed it on the pyre, so that it would be ready to be burned when the Heavenly fire descended upon the Altar (Rashburn to v. 13; Haamek Davar).
5). Instances in Scripture where the fire of God manifested during the offerings.
a). Judges 6:21 Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight.
b). Judges 13:19, 20 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord: and the angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.
13:20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.
c). 1 Kings 18:38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
d). 1 Chronicles 21:26-28 And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the Lord; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.
21:27 And the Lord commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.
21:28 At that time when David saw that the Lord had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
e). 2 Chronicles 7:1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.
6). On a important side note, when Elijah’s challenge and confrontation with the prophets of Baal took place (1 Kings 18), when it was Elijah’s turn, it was the time of the evening sacrifice (1 Kings 18:36-40).
