Numbers 15:16-26

16 One law and one ordinance shall be for you, and for the stranger who sojourns with you.

17 The LORD spoke to Moshe, saying,

18 Speak to the children of Yisra'el, and tell them, When you come into the land where I bring you,

19 then it shall be that when you eat of the bread of the land, you shall offer up a heave- offering to the LORD.

20 Of the first of your dough you shall offer up a cake for a heave-offering: as the heave-offering of the threshing floor, so shall you heave it.

21 Of the first of your dough you shall give to the LORD a heave-offering throughout your generations.

22 When you shall err, and not observe all these mitzvot, which the LORD has spoken to Moshe,

23 even all that the LORD has commanded you by Moshe, from the day that the LORD gave mitzvah, and onward throughout your generations;

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.

Numbers 15:16-26 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.