How Many Animals Were Sacrificed Each Day In The Temple

Question

How was the extremely big number of creature sacrifices in the One-time Testament possible?

Respond

The Law of Moses required animal sacrifices to atone for sin in State of israel, and there were a lot of sacrifices fabricated: "the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year later on twelvemonth" (Hebrews 10:ane). Well-nigh one sixth of the laws under the Mosaic system pertained to sacrifices and offerings.

There were v master types of sacrifices in the Old Testament: the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the trespass offer, and diverse types of peace offerings. The God-appointed feasts of Israel required sacrifices, and there were also the daily burnt offerings: a lamb was sacrificed every morning, and another lamb every evening at the tabernacle/temple (Exodus 29:38–42).

There were a large number of animate being sacrifices offered every year in Israel. All sin had to be atoned for, including sin committed by a common person (Leviticus iv:27), the priests (Leviticus 4:3), the leaders (Leviticus iv:22), and the nation equally a whole (Leviticus four:xiii). In improver to the sacrifices made for sin were offerings for ceremonial cleansing, which involved no moral failing, and voluntary sacrifices made in thanksgiving to God.

Given the sheer number of animals required to fulfill the requirements of the Mosaic Law, we may rightly wonder how the Israelites were able to go on up. The cardinal is that, in the agrarian civilization of the day, livestock was e'er almost and unremarkably plentiful. In that location were few occupations also farming back then, so most Israelite families endemic some livestock. The ones who didn't knew someone who did. Also, since sacrifices were not simply a national religious obligation but too a mode to back up the tribe of Levi, plans were laid to assure a ready supply.

On certain occasions, huge numbers of animals were sacrificed. For example, at the dedication of Male monarch Solomon'south temple, about 960 BC, the celebrants sacrificed 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep over a ii-week period. At that place were and so many offerings that Solomon had to set up upward additional altars in the temple courtyard (i Kings 8:63–65). As large equally those numbers seem, they are not at all inconceivable. The previous census by Solomon'due south father, David, had put the number of able-bodied fighting men over age 20 at 1.three million (ii Samuel 24:9), so it would be reasonable to assume a national population in Solomon's time of over iv meg. Most of the nation probably would have been present in Jerusalem for at least some of a great celebrated event such every bit the dedication of the new temple. The sacrifices made by Solomon were "fellowship offerings" (1 Kings 8:63), which were partly burned on the altars and partly eaten past the people. Even if only half the population attended, 142,000 animals is a reasonable number to feed 2 million people during two weeks.

We who alive in advanced societies with massive food industries and complex transportation systems that do most everything for u.s. but put the food into our mouths may find it difficult to imagine the huge amounts of livestock recorded in the Bible. Simply, almost likely, the ancients would find it but as difficult to believe how much food modern societies throw away every day.

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How was the extremely large number of animal sacrifices in the Quondam Testament possible?

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This page last updated: January 4, 2022

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