Numbers 15:22-29

22 'But when you ¹unwittingly fail and do not observe all these commandments, which the LORD has spoken to Moses,

23 even all that the LORD has commanded you through Moses, from the day when the LORD gave commandment and onward throughout your generations,

24 then it shall be, if it is done ²unintentionally, without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one bull * * for a burnt offering, as a soothing aroma to the LORD, ³with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin offering.

25 'Then ⁴the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they will be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their error.

26 'So all the congregation of the sons of Israel will be forgiven, with the alien who sojourns among them, for it happened to all the people through ⁵error.

27 'Also if one person sins ⁶unintentionally, then he shall offer a one year old female goat for a sin offering.

28 '⁷The priest shall make atonement before the LORD for the person who goes astray when he sins unintentionally, making atonement for him that he may be forgiven.

29 'You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the sons of Israel and for the alien who sojourns among them.

Numbers 15:22-29 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.

Cross References

• 1. Leviticus 4:2
• 2. Lev 4:2, 22, 27; Leviticus 5:15, 18
• 3. Numbers 15:8-10
• 4. Leviticus 4:20; Hebrews 2:17
• 5. Numbers 15:24
• 6. Leviticus 4:27-31; Luke 12:48
• 7. Leviticus 4:35

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "by the hand of"
• [b] Lit "from the eyes of the congregation"
• [c] Or "and he shall"