They set up the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD—both the morning and evening burnt offerings—even though they feared the people of the land. They also celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles in accordance with what is written, and they offered burnt offerings daily based on the number prescribed for each day. After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings and those for New Moons and for all the appointed sacred feasts of the LORD, as well as all the freewill offerings brought to the LORD. On the first day of the seventh month, the Israelites began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, although the foundation of the temple of the LORD had not been laid. They gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia.
And tell them that this is the offering made by fire you are to present to the LORD as a regular burnt offering each day: two unblemished year-old male lambs. Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight, along with a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with a quarter hin of oil from pressed olives. This is a regular burnt offering established at Mount Sinai as a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD. The drink offering accompanying each lamb shall be a quarter hin. Pour out the offering of fermented drink to the LORD in the sanctuary area. And offer the second lamb at twilight, with the same grain offering and drink offering as in the morning. It is an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
Significance
Ezra 3:3-7 describes the returnees offering "morning and evening burnt offerings" on the restored altar, implementing the tamid (perpetual) offering prescribed in Numbers 28:3-8, which specifies "a regular burnt offering each day: two unblemished year-old male lambs" (עֹלַת תָּמִיד, olat tamid). Numbers 28 provides the quantitative details the Ezra passage assumes: one lamb in the morning, one at twilight, with accompanying grain and drink offerings. The resumption of this specific daily rhythm demonstrates the returnees' commitment to restarting the full Mosaic sacrificial calendar, beginning with the foundational perpetual offering that maintained Israel's ongoing covenant relationship with YHWH.
