And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
At the dedication ceremony for this house of God, they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs as sacrifices. They also offered twelve male goats as sin offerings for all of Israel, one goat for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The writer is describing the grand sacrifice ceremony when the rebuilt temple was dedicated, with offerings representing all twelve tribes of Israel coming together in worship.
📚 Historical Context
This verse describes the dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem around 516 BC, after the Jewish people returned from their exile in Babylon. The temple had been destroyed by the Babylonians about 70 years earlier, and now the rebuilt temple was being consecrated with great ceremony. The twelve goats specifically represented the unity of all Israel's tribes, even though only some had returned from exile.
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