Numbers 15:31-41

31 For he hath despised the word of Jehovah, and hath broken his commandment: that soul shall surely be cut off; his iniquity is upon him.

32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness they found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day.

33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to the whole assembly.

34 And they put him in custody, for it was not declared what should be done to him.

35 And Jehovah said to Moses, The man shall certainly be put to death: the whole assembly shall stone him with stones outside the camp.

36 And the whole assembly led him outside the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died, as Jehovah had commanded Moses.

37 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them tassels on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations, and that they attach to the tassel of the corners a lace of blue;

39 and it shall be unto you for a tassel, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of Jehovah, and do them; and that ye seek not after [the lusts of] your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye go a whoring;

40 that ye may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.

41 I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am Jehovah your God.

Numbers 15:31-41 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or 'fringes' or 'a flower,' i.e. to attract attention.