Numbers 15:17-27

17 The LORD also spoke unto Moses, saying,

18 Speak unto the sons of Israel and say unto them, When ye have come into the land where I bring you,

19 then it shall be that when ye begin to eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an offering unto the LORD.

20 Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an offering; as the offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye offer it.

21 Of the firstfruits of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD an offering in your generations.

22 And when ye err and do not observe all these commandments which the LORD has spoken unto Moses,

23 even all that the LORD has commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded Moses and from then on, for your ages,

24 then it shall be, if the sin was committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock as a burnt offering, for an acceptable savour unto the LORD with its present and its drink offering, according to the law, and one he goat as the sin.

25 And the priest shall reconcile all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them, for it is ignorance; and they shall bring their offering, an offering on fire unto the LORD and their sins before the LORD which they committed in their ignorance.

26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the sons of Israel and the stranger that sojourns among them, seeing all the people were in ignorance.

27 And if any person sins through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year as the sin.

Numbers 15:17-27 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.