Numbers 15:24-34

24 then it shall be, if it be done unwittingly, without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bull for a burnt offering, for a sweet savor to the LORD, with the meal-offering of it, and the drink-offering of it, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin-offering.

25 The Kohen shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Yisra'el, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to the LORD, and their sin-offering before the LORD, for their error:

26 and all the congregation of the children of Yisra'el shall be forgiven, and the stranger who sojourns among them; for in respect of all the people it was done unwittingly.

27 If one person sin unwittingly, then he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin-offering.

28 The Kohen shall make atonement for the soul who errs, when he sins unwittingly, before the LORD, to make atonement for him; and he shall be forgiven.

29 You shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is home-born among the children of Yisra'el, and for the stranger who sojourns among them.

30 But the soul who does anything with a high hand, whether he be home-born or a sojourner, the same blasphemes the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

31 Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken his mitzvah, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.

32 While the children of Yisra'el were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the day of Shabbat.

33 Those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moshe and Aharon, and to all the congregation.

34 They put him in custody, because it had not been declared what should be done to him.

Numbers 15:24-34 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 15

In this chapter the children of Israel are instructed about the meat offerings and drink offerings, and the quantities of them, which were always to go along with their burnt offerings and peace offerings they should offer when they came into the land of Canaan, Nu 15:1-12; and they are told that the same laws and ordinances would be binding equally on them that were of the country, and on the strangers in it, Nu 15:13-16; and an order is given them to offer a cake of the first dough for an heave offering, Nu 15:17-21; and they are directed what sacrifices to offer for sins of ignorance, both of the congregation and particular persons, Nu 14:22-29; but as for presumptuous sinners, they were to be cut off, Nu 14:30,31; and an instance is recorded of stoning a sabbath breaker, Nu 14:32-36; and the chapter is concluded with a law for wearing fringes on the borders of their garments, the use of which is expressed, Nu 14:35-41.