Numbers Chapter 29    

“In the seventh month.” The first day of the month Tishri was considered the first day of the year for over 2,500 years, from Adam until the Exodus. At the Exodus, God changed the Jewish calendar and switched it by six months. The seventh month, which had been Nisan (also called Abib), became the first month (Exod. 12:2). That change made the first month (Tishri) become the seventh month (see commentary on Exodus 12:2). The Hebrew “Rosh Hashanah” literally means “head of the year (from the Hebrew rosh, “head”).” This feast occurred on Tishri 1, the beginning of the civil new year (Lev. 23:24-25; Num. 29:1-6). The religious new year began on Nisan 1. Rosh Hashanah was to be a special day of rest and memorialized by blowing shofars, the ram’s horn trumpet, so it became known as the “Feast of Trumpets,” although that name is not in the Bible.

[For more on the feasts and Sabbaths of Israel and their order in the calendar, see commentary on Lev. 23:2.]

“on the first day of the month.” The first day of the month was the new moon, and there were special sacrifices and offerings done on every new moon that dedicated the new month to God (Num. 28:11-15; 10:10). But the first day of the seventh month was the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, literally, the “head (rosh) of the year.” On Rosh Hashanah there were additional sacrifices and offerings, a sabbath day, and a day when Shofars (Ram’s horn trumpets) were blown.

“shofar.” The ram’s horn trumpet, not the metal trumpet.

“in addition to the burnt offering of the regular new moon and its grain offering .” Each new moon, the new month, was dedicated to God by special offerings and blowing of trumpets (Num. 28:11-15; Num. 10:10). But the seventh month, the month Tishri, was to be especially holy. Besides the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles occurring in that month, the first day of the month, the new moon, was to be dedicated with special offerings in addition to the regular offerings of the new moon and the regular offerings at the Tent of Meeting, above and beyond what was offered at the regular new moon.

“On the tenth day of this seventh month.” This is the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16; 23:26-32).

“you are to afflict your souls.” In the context of the Day of Atonement, which was the tenth day of the seventh month (Nisan calendar) the primary meaning of the phrase “afflict your souls” is to go without food, to fast (see commentary on Lev. 16:29).

“On the fifteenth day of the seventh month.” This is the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:33-44). The Feast of Tabernacles had a different order of sacrifices and offerings on each of the seven days.