Numbers 15:17-27

17 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

18 Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you,

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

20 Ye shall offer a cake of the first of your dough [for] a heave-offering: as [ye do] the heave-offering of the threshing-floor, so shall ye heave it.

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

22 And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments which the LORD hath spoken to Moses,

23 [Even] all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded [Moses], and henceforward among your generations;

24 Then it shall be, if [aught] shall be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt-offering, for a sweet savor to the LORD, with his meat-offering, and his drink-offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin-offering.

25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it [is] ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire to the LORD, and their sin-offering before the LORD, for their ignorance:

26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people [were] in ignorance.

27 And if any soul shall sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she-goat of the first year for a sin-offering.

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.