Numbers 15:32-36

Violation of the Sabbath

32 When the {Israelites} were in the desert, they found a man who was gathering wood on the day of the Sabbath.

33 The ones who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and to all the community.

34 And they put him under watch because it was not made clear what should be done to him.

35 And Yahweh said to Moses, "Surely the man must be put to death by stoning him; all the community [must stone him] with stones from outside the camp."

36 So the entire community brought him out to a place outside the camp, and {they stoned him to death} just as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Numbers 15:32-36 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]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
• [b]. Literally "they stoned him with stones and he died"