Numbers 15:15-25

15 For this community there will be the same law for you as for the foreigner living with you; this is a permanent regulation through all your generations; the foreigner is to be treated the same way before ADONAI as yourselves.

16 The same Torah and standard of judgment will apply to both you and the foreigner living with you.'"

17 ADONAI said to Moshe,

18 "Speak to the people of Isra'el; tell them, 'When you enter the land where I am bringing you

19 and eat bread produced in the land, you are to set aside a portion as a gift for ADONAI.

20 Set aside from your first dough a cake as a gift; set it aside as you would set aside a portion of the grain from the threshing-floor.

21 From your first dough you will give ADONAI a portion as a gift through all your generations.

22 "'If by mistake you fail to observe all these mitzvot that ADONAI has spoken to Moshe,

23 yes, everything that ADONAI has ordered you to do through Moshe, from the day ADONAI gave the order and onward through all your generations,

24 then, if it was done by mistake by the community and was not known to them, the whole community is to offer one young bull for a burnt offering as a fragrant aroma to ADONAI, with its grain and drink offerings, in keeping with the rule, and one male goat as a sin offering.

25 The cohen is to make atonement for the whole community of the people of Isra'el; and they will be forgiven; because it was a mistake; and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire, to ADONAI, and their sin offering before ADONAI for their mistake.

Numbers 15:15-25 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.