Numberschapter 15
41 verses · Moses, by tradition · 15th to 13th century BC · The Law
Key verse
“Speak to the Israelites and tell them that throughout the generations to come they are to make for themselves tassels for the corners of their garments, with a blue cord on each tassel.
It stands in Blue-corded fringes to remember by, verses 37 to 41.
The chapter
Chapter summary
Offering laws, the Sabbath-breaker, and fringes. Meat and drink offerings in proportion to burnt and peace offerings. A lamb with three-tenths flour and one-third hin of wine; a ram with more; a bullock more still. The one law for native and stranger. Sin unwittingly committed by the congregation. A bullock; by an individual. A female kid. Sin with a high hand. That soul is cut off. A man found gathering sticks on the Sabbath is stoned by the congregation outside the camp. Then fringes with a blue ribband on the borders of every Israelite's garment, ‘that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD’.
Context
Law · Moses · Numbers overview
The world behind this chapter
Numbers 15The history
The chapter is law given to Moses for Israel, and its placing is the first thing to weigh. The sentence to die in the desert has just fallen, and the next words are laws that begin when you come into the land you are to live in.
The rest of the history, and what it meant to them
Every animal sacrifice now carries a fixed measure of fine flour, olive oil and wine, scaled to the size of the beast. Adam Clarke points out that flour, oil and wine come from ploughed ground and planted vineyards. A firstfruits portion of the dough is claimed when the people bake from the land’s grain, which Albert Barnes reads as moving the old claim on the threshing floor into the household oven.
Blue-violet dye in that world came from a shellfish processed on the Phoenician coast, an expensive and famous industry, so the reminder hung on every garment was not a cheap one. A first hearer also knew that gathering sticks was lawful on any other day of the week. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown name the day as the whole of what the case at verses 32 to 36 turns on.
Exodus 12:49 had already given one law to the homeborn and the stranger for the Passover. This chapter carries the same rule into every offering made by fire and into the sin offering as well.
What it meant to them
A generation that had just lost its future heard God legislating for its children's harvests, so their failure had not undone the promise. The chapter also drew a line they could stand on, since sin done in error had a remedy set out at length and sin done with a high hand had none named. And every Israelite was given something to look at, since tassels on the hem meant that whatever a man reached for, the reminder was already in his hand.
Sources cited
- John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews and Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament
- Roland de Vaux, Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions
- Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible , 1832, on Numbers 15:1-5
- Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament , on Numbers 15:17-21 and 15:22-26
- Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible , 1871, on Numbers 15:32
Where the chapter sits
Numbers 15 falls in Wilderness rebellions and instruction (chapters 15–20). Korah's rebellion; Aaron's rod that budded; waters of Meribah; Moses' striking of the rock.
Before it: From Sinai to Kadesh, chapters 11–14. After it: Approach to Moab, chapters 21–25.
The whole shape of Numbers→The structure of this chapter
Places1
The heads below are this chapter's scenes. The numbered points under each are its verses.
A. Meal and drink with every sacrifice
1. (vv. 1-5)
Numbers 15:1
“The Lord spake unto Moses,.... After the murmurings of the Israelites by reason of the spies, Num 14:2; and their being threatened with a consumption of them in the wilderness on that account, Num 14:12; and their defeat at Hormah, Num 14:45, and lest their posterity should be discouraged, and despair of ever enjoying the good land: saying; as follows.”
1 more voice on this verseWhat preachers and commentators have said about this verse, in their own words.
Numbers 15:1
“The contents of the next five chapters must apparently be referred to the long period of wandering to which Num 14:33 the people were condemned.”
Numbers 15:2
“When ye be come into the land - Some learned men are of opinion that several offerings prescribed by the law were not intended to be made in the wilderness, but in the promised land; the former not affording those conveniences which were necessary to the complete observance of the Divine worship in this and several other respects.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Numbers 15:3
“And will make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering,....”
2 more voices on this verse
Numbers 15:3
“And will make an offering - For the different kinds of offerings, sacrifices, etc., see Lev 1:2, Lev 1:7.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Numbers 15:3
“And it was fit that God should keep a good house, that his table should be furnished with bread as well as flesh, and that his cup should run over. In my Father's house there is bread enough. Now the intent of this law is to direct what proportion the meat-offering and drink-offering should bear to several sacrifices to which they were annexed.”
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible (1707-1721)puritan
Numbers 15:4
“Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the Lord,.... Be it of either kind before mentioned: bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil; this was made of the tenth part of an ephah, or of an omer of fine wheaten flour, which was the quantity of about three quarts; and which was mixed and macerated with the fourth part of an hin, or with a quart and more than half a pint of oil: see Exo 29:40; rather this should be called a bread offering.”
1 more voice on this verse
Numbers 15:4
“The meat-offering is treated in Lev. 2. The drink-offering Exo 29:40; Lev 23:13, hitherto an ordinary accessory to the former, is now prescribed forevery sacrifice.”
Numbers 15:5
“And the fourth part of an hin of wine,.... The same measure with the oil, and this was wine of the grapes, as the Targum of Jonathan; other sorts of wine might not be used for the purpose mentioned: for a drink offering shalt thou prepare; with the meat offering, to go along with every burnt offering and peace offering; which, as they were the food of God and the provision of his house, it was proper there should be of every kind fit for an entertainment, as flesh, bread, and wine.”
1 more voice on this verse
Numbers 15:5
“The fourth part of a hin - The quantity of meal and flour was augmented in proportion to the size of the sacrifice with which it was offered. With a Lamb or a Kid were offered one tenth deal of flour, (the tenth part of an ephah, see on Exo 29:40 (note)), the fourth part of a hin of oil, and the fourth part of a hin of wine. With a Ram, two tenth deals of flour, a third part of a hin of oil, and a third part of a hin of wine.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
The sentence at Kadesh has just fallen and the first words after it are about coming into the land. What follows ties a meat offering and a drink offering to every burnt offering, vow and freewill offering, where Exodus 29:40 had fixed flour, oil and wine for the daily lamb alone. Clarke reads the whole set as written for settled fields and vines rather than for a camp in the desert, since flour, oil and wine come from ploughed ground and planted vineyards.
2. (vv. 6-12)
Numbers 15:6
“Or for a ram,.... Whether for a burnt offering or a peace offering; or rather and for a ram (g), as many versions: thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil: which was the quantity of six quarts of fine flour, and about three pints and a quarter of a pint of oil. (g) Vid. Nold. Concord. Ebr. part. p. 4. No. 24. so R. Jonah in Ben Melech in loc.”
Numbers 15:7
“And for a drink offering thou shalt offer a third part of an hin of wine,.... The same quantity of wine was to be used in the drink offering as of oil in the meat offering, Num 15:4, for a sweet savour unto the Lord, that it might be acceptable to him.”
Numbers 15:8
“And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering,.... Which was a larger offering, and required a larger meat offering and drink offering, as Num 15:9 show: or for a sacrifice in performing a vow or peace offerings unto the Lord; by which latter are meant freewill offerings; for though both sorts here mentioned were peace offerings, yet these were more particularly called so.”
Numbers 15:9
“Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering,.... Much larger than either for a lamb or ram, even one consisting of three tenth deals of flour; or nine quarts of it: mingled with half an hin of oil; two quarts and a pint, and somewhat more.”
Numbers 15:10
“And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine,.... The same quantity as of oil, and a little more: for an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the Lord: this, according to Jarchi, refers only to the meat offering and the oil: for the wine was not a fire offering, not being put upon the fire.”
Numbers 15:11
“Thus shall it be done for one bullock,.... Such a quantity of flour and oil for the meat offering, and such a quantity of wine for the drink offering as before expressed; making no difference between one young or old: or for a ram: which, Jarchi says, was thirteen months and one day old: or for a lamb, or a kid; for a young one of the flock, whether of the sheep or goat, whether a lamb or a kid of the goats; which, according to Jarchi, were within a year, not a year old.”
Numbers 15:12
“According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to everyone, according to their number. That is, in proportion to the number of the cattle, be they of which sort they would, should be the quantity of the meat and drink offerings.”
The accompaniment rises with the animal on a fixed scale: a lamb carries one tenth deal of flour with a fourth part of an hin of oil and as much wine, a ram two tenth deals with a third part of an hin, a bullock three tenth deals with half an hin. The proportion is set by the beast and not by the giver, and verse 12 orders the same measure repeated for however many are brought. Gill reckons the tenth deal at about three quarts of fine flour and the fourth part of an hin at rather more than a quart.
3. (vv. 13-16)
Numbers 15:13
“This was an invitation to the Gentiles to become proselytes, and to embrace the faith and worship of the true God. In civil things there was a difference between strangers and true-born Israelites, but not in the things of God; as you are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord, for with him there is no respect of persons.”
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible (1707-1721)puritan
Numbers 15:14
“If a stranger sojourn - See the notes on Lev 19:33;Lev 22:9. When the case of the Jewish people is fairly considered, and their situation with respect to the surrounding idolatrous nations, we shall see the absolute necessity of having but one form of worship in the land. That alone was genuine which was prescribed by the Almighty, and no others could be tolerated, because they were idolatrous.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
1 more voice on this verse
Numbers 15:14
“And if a stranger sojourn with you,....”
Numbers 15:15
“One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation,....”
Numbers 15:16
“One law, and one manner,....”
One ordinance covers the homeborn and the stranger, and four verses say it three times over. Exodus 12:49 had given one law to the homeborn and the stranger for the passover, and here the same rule reaches every offering made by fire. Henry reads the words as an open door to the Gentiles, since Israel kept a difference in civil matters and kept none before the Lord.
B. The first of your doughvv. 17-21
The first of the dough is claimed as a heave offering, so the demand moves from the threshingfloor to the household oven. Barnes traces the principle to Exodus 22:29 and 23:19, where the firstfruits of the field were already the Lord's, and this adds the loaf made out of them. Henry and others set Romans 11:16 beside the verse, where Paul argues that if the firstfruit be holy the lump is also holy, using the word for a lump of dough.
Numbers 15:17
“And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Or continued to speak to him; for the following law was given at the same time as those before: saying; as follows.”
Numbers 15:18
“The general principle which includes the ordinance of this and the three verses following is laid down in Exo 22:29; Exo 23:19.”
Numbers 15:19
“Then it shall be, that when ye eat of the bread of the land,....”
Numbers 15:20
“Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering,....”
4 more voices on this verse
Numbers 15:20
“Ye shall offer - the first of your dough - Concerning the offerings of first-fruits, see the notes on Exo 22:29.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Numbers 15:20
“The holy movements of our senses, which are according to virtues, themselves are the firstfruits of a spiritual ark: therefore they are likened to a rural ark, in which the corn is winnowed.”
Ambrose of Milan· written before 397· On Cain and Abelpatristic
Numbers 15:20
“Dough - “Coarse meal” Neh 10:37; Eze 44:30.”
Numbers 15:20
“28 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the L ORD , to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. 29 Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.”
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible (1707-1721)puritan
Numbers 15:21
“Of the first of your dough shall ye give unto the Lord,....”
C. Sins of ignorance, and sin with a high hand
1. (vv. 22-26)
Numbers 15:23
“Even all that the Lord hath commanded you by the hand of Moses,.... Recorded in this book and the two preceding, whether of a moral, ceremonial, or judicial kind; the whole body of laws given to the people of Israel from the Lord by Moses: from the day that the Lord commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations; all that he had commanded, or should hereafter command.”
Numbers 15:24
“And here is the addition of a kid of the goats for a sin-offering. According to this law, we find that Hezekiah made atonement for the errors of his father's reign, by seven bullocks, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven he-goats, which he offered as a sin-offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah ( 2 Chron. xxix.”
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible (1707-1721)puritan
2 more voices on this verse
Numbers 15:24
“If aught be committed by ignorance - See the notes on Lev 4:2, and Lev 5:17. The case here probably refers to the whole congregation; the cases above, to the sin of an individual.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Numbers 15:24
“Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance,....”
Numbers 15:25
“And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel;....”
1 more voice on this verse
Numbers 15:25
“The priest shall make an atonement - Even sins committed through ignorance required an atonement; and God in his mercy has provided one for them.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Numbers 15:26
“And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel,.... Which is repeated for the certainty of it, and for the sake of what follows: and the stranger that sojourneth among them; the proselyte of righteousness; so the blessing of pardon, through the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, comes upon believing Gentiles as well as Jews, Rom 4:9, seeing all the people were in ignorance; both the congregation of Israel and the stranger; See Gill on Num 15:25.”
The error in view is a national one, the whole congregation failing in some part of what was commanded by the hand of Moses without knowing it. Leviticus 4:13-21 had given a bullock as the sin offering for the assembly, and here the bullock is the burnt offering while a kid of the goats is the sin offering, a difference the text states and never explains. Barnes reads the placing of the law as an answer to fear, given to people who have just heard what one generation's disobedience cost. Verse 26 forgives the stranger along with them.
2. (vv. 27-31)
Numbers 15:27
“And if any soul sin through ignorance,.... Any private or particular person, by breaking any of the above commands, or any other, not rightly understanding them, or not adverting: to the circumstances required in the manner of performing them: then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering; which differed in this from the sin offering of a congregation that sinned through ignorance; that was a kid of the goats, whether male or female, but this was to be a female goat and of a year old.”
Numbers 15:29
“You shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance,.... Which enjoins a she goat for a sin offering for such: both for him that is born amongst the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them; both sinning through ignorance, the same sacrifice was offered for them, by which atonement was made, and through which their sin was forgiven; by whom are meant homeborn Israelites and proselytes of righteousness, who were under the same laws, and enjoyed the same privileges, as do now believing Jews and Gentiles.”
Numbers 15:30
“But the soul that doeth aught presumptuously - Bold daring acts of transgression against the fullest evidence, and in despite of the Divine authority, admitted of no atonement; the person was to be cut off - to be excluded from God’s people, and from all their privileges and blessings. Probably the presumption mentioned here implied an utter contempt of the word and authority of God, springing from an idolatrous or atheistical mind. In such a case all repentance was precluded, because of the denial of the word and being of God.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Numbers 15:31
“There are those who, in many instances, come short of fulfilling the word, and yet have a great value for it, and count the law honourable; but presumptuous sinners despise it, thinking themselves too great, too good, and too wise, to be ruled by it. What is the Almighty that we should serve him? Whatever the sin itself is, it is contumacy that incurs the anathema.”
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible (1707-1721)puritan
One man's error is met with a she goat of the first year, and verse 29 puts the stranger under the same one law that verse 16 gave for the offerings. Verse 30 names a second kind of act and appoints no offering for it anywhere. The word rendered presumptuously is the Hebrew for a high hand, the phrase used of Israel's own departure from Egypt at Numbers 33:3, so what is described is a raised arm rather than a stumble. Henry and Clarke both set Hebrews 10:26 beside it, where there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins for the man who sins wilfully.
D. The man found gathering sticksvv. 32-36
Exodus 31:14-15 and 35:2 had already fixed death for breaking the sabbath, and verse 34 says exactly what was missing, that it was not declared what should be done to him. So the man is held while Moses waits for a ruling, which is the shape of the defiled men at 9:6-8 and of the daughters of Zelophehad at 27:1-11. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown observe that gathering sticks was lawful on any other day of the week, and that the day is the whole of what the case turns on. The narrative stands between the law of presumption and the fringes given to prevent forgetting.
Numbers 15:32
“I find, in taking up the Holy Scripture, that in the Old and New Testament stubbornness toward God is clearly condemned not in consideration of the number or heinousness of transgressions but in terms of a single violation of any precept whatsoever, and, further, that the judgment of God covers all forms of disobedience. In the Old Testament, I read of the frightful end of Achar and the account of the man who gathered wood on the sabbath day.”
Basil of Caesarea· written before 379· PREFACE ON THE JUDGMENT OF GOD 15.32-36patristic
2 more voices on this verse
Numbers 15:32
“They found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath - This was in all likelihood a case of that kind supposed above: the man despised the word of the Lord, and therefore broke his commandment; see Num 15:31. On this ground he was punished with the utmost rigor of the law.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Numbers 15:32
“The mere gathering of sticks was not a sinful act and might be necessary for fuel to warm him or to make ready his food. But its being done on the Sabbath altered the entire character of the action. The law of the Sabbath being a plain and positive commandment, this transgression of it was a known and wilful sin, and it was marked by several aggravations.”
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)reformed
Numbers 15:33
“And they that found him gathering sticks,....”
1 more voice on this verse
Numbers 15:33
“It seems, even common Israelites, though there was much amiss among them, yet would not contentedly see the sabbath profaned, which was a good sign that they had not quite forsaken God, nor were utterly forsaken of him. God was consulted, because it was not declared what should be done to him.”
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible (1707-1721)puritan
Numbers 15:34
“Death had indeed been assigned as the penalty Exo 31:14; Exo 35:2; but it had not been determined how that death was to be inflicted.”
Numbers 15:35
“And the Lord said unto Moses,....”
Numbers 15:36
“And all the congregation brought him without the camp,.... What was done by the order of Moses and the seventy elders is said to be done by the whole congregation, though it was by a few persons only the man was actually brought out, who were the proper officers to do such business: and stoned him with stones, and he died: stoned him to death: as the Lord commanded Moses: at the time he consulted him in the sanctuary, which he acquainted the court with, and they immediately ordered the execution, which was accordingly done.”
E. Blue-corded fringes to remember byvv. 37-41
The fringes come with their reason attached, that ye may look upon it and remember all the commandments, and Deuteronomy 22:12 repeats the command without repeating the reason. The verb behind seek not after your own heart and your own eyes in verse 39 is the verb used of the spies sent to search out the land at 13:2, which sets this rule two chapters from the search that ruined them. Matthew 9:20 has a woman touch the border of the Lord's garment and Matthew 23:5 has him charge the Pharisees with enlarging theirs. The chapter closes on the sentence that opened the ten commandments at Exodus 20:2, I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Numbers 15:37
“And the Lord spoke unto Moses,.... After the giving of the above laws, and the order for stoning the sabbath breaker; and the rather what follows is connected with them, because it was to put them in mind of these and all other commands; and of so much importance is the precept directed to, that the Jews say, and Jarchi particularly, that it is equivalent to all the commands, and which he makes to be the reason of its being placed here: saying; as follows.”
Numbers 15:38
“Provision had been just now made by the law for the pardon of sins of ignorance and infirmity; now here is an expedient provided for the preventing of such sins. They are ordered to make fringes upon the borders of their garments, which were to be memorandums to them of their duty, that they might not sin through forgetfulness.”
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible (1707-1721)puritan
1 more voice on this verse
Numbers 15:38
“In the borders - That is, in the four borders or quarters, as it is, Deut. xxii, 12. Of their garments - Of their upper garments. This was practiced by the Pharisees in Christ's time, who are noted for making their borders larger than ordinary.”
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)evangelical
Numbers 15:39
“For a fringe - That is, the ribband, shall be unto you, shall serve you for a fringe, to render it more visible by its distinct colour, whereas the fringe without this was of the same piece and colour with the garment, and therefore less observeable.”
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)evangelical
Numbers 15:40
“That ye may remember and do all my commandments,.... Which is repeated, that the end and use of these fringes might be particularly taken notice of, and attended to; that so they might not satisfy themselves with and rest in this ceremony of wearing the fringes, but be found in the observance of every moral precept, and of every religious ordinance and duty: and be holy unto your God: as in his presence, according to his will, and for his honour and glory, by keeping his holy commands, and living an holy life and conversation, well pleasing in his sight.”
1 more voice on this verse
Numbers 15:40
“Be ye holy - Purged from sin and sincerely devoted to God.”
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)evangelical
Numbers 15:41
“I am the Lord your God--The import of this solemn conclusion is, that though He was displeased with them for their frequent rebellions, for which they would be doomed to forty years' wanderings, He would not abandon them but continue His divine protection and care of them till they were brought into the land of promise.”
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)reformed
This page carries no textual note on Numbers 15. Where this site has examined a place the manuscripts differ, the examination is in the manuscripts room. Every place this site examines →
Sources for this chapter
The summary
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary.
The exposition
Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
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