Numbers 15:24
in Numbers 15and if it was done unintentionally without the knowledge of the congregation, then the whole congregation is to prepare one young bull as a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD, with its grain offering and drink offering according to the regulation, and one male goat as a sin offering.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
then it shall be, if it be done unwittingly, without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt-offering, for a sweet savor unto Jehovah, with the meal-offering thereof, and the drink-offering thereof, according to the ordinance, and one he-goat for a sin-offering.
KJV
Then it shall be, if ought 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 savour unto the Lord, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering.
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This verse in Numbers 15
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
if you stray unintentionally
on Numbers 15:22-26
The error in view is national, the whole congregation straying unintentionally from what the LORD commanded through Moses. Leviticus 4:14 had given a bull as the sin offering, and here one male goat is the sin offering while the young bull is the burnt offering. Barnes reads the law as an answer to fear, given to people who had just seen what one generation's disobedience cost.
This site's exposition
without the knowledge of the congregation
The fault is one the whole people committed without anyone seeing it at the time. The offering follows once it comes to light. The burnt offering carries its full grain and drink offering, so the rule of verses 1 to 12 is applied at once to the remedy for sin.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
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.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And we find the like done after the return out of captivity, Ezra viii. It is likewise supposed to be the case of a particular person: If any soul sin through ignorance (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
if aught be committed by ignorance--The Mosaic ritual was complicated, and the ceremonies to be gone through in the various instances of purification which are specified, would expose a worshipper, through ignorance, to the risk of omitting or neglecting some of them. This law includes the stranger in the number of those for whom the sacrifice was offered for the sin of general ignorance.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
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.
The words behind it
24 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָיָ֗ה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| אִ֣ם | ʾim | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| מֵעֵינֵ֣י | meeinei | away from [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| הָעֵדָה֮ | haedah | the congregation | H5712 → | 149 times |
| נֶעֶשְׂתָ֣ה | neestah | it was done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לִשְׁגָגָה֒ | lishgagah | to inadvertence | H7684 → | 19 times |
| וְעָשׂ֣וּ | veasu | and they will offer | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| כָל־ | khol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעֵדָ֡ה | haedah | the congregation | H5712 → | 149 times |
| פַּ֣ר | par | a young bull | H6499 → | 132 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | a young one of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בָּקָר֩ | bakar | cattle | H1241 → | 183 times |
| אֶחָ֨ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לְעֹלָ֜ה | leolah | to a burnt offering | H5930 → | 287 times |
| לְרֵ֤יחַ | lereiach | to an odor of | H7381 → | 58 times |
| נִיחֹ֙חַ֙ | nichoach | soothing | H5207 → | 43 times |
| לַֽיהוָ֔ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וּמִנְחָת֥וֹ | uminchato | and grain offering its | H4503 → | 211 times |
| וְנִסְכּ֖וֹ | venisko | and drink offering its | H5262 → | 64 times |
| כַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט | kamishpat | according to the ordinance | H4941 → | 422 times |
| וּשְׂעִיר־ | useir- | and a male goat of | H8163 → | 59 times |
| עִזִּ֥ים | ʾizim | goats | H5795 → | 74 times |
| אֶחָ֖ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לְחַטָּֽת׃ | lechatat | to a sin offering | H2403 → | 295 times |
וְהָיָ֗הand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
אִ֣םif
ʾimH518 →1069 times
מֵעֵינֵ֣יaway from [the] eyes of
meeineiH5869 →887 times
הָעֵדָה֮the congregation
haedahH5712 →149 times
נֶעֶשְׂתָ֣הit was done
neestahH6213 →2628 times
לִשְׁגָגָה֒to inadvertence
lishgagahH7684 →19 times
וְעָשׂ֣וּand they will offer
veasuH6213 →2628 times
כָל־all
khol-H3605 →5413 times
הָעֵדָ֡הthe congregation
haedahH5712 →149 times
פַּ֣רa young bull
parH6499 →132 times
בֶּן־a young one of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
בָּקָר֩cattle
bakarH1241 →183 times
אֶחָ֨דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
לְעֹלָ֜הto a burnt offering
leolahH5930 →287 times
לְרֵ֤יחַto an odor of
lereiachH7381 →58 times
נִיחֹ֙חַ֙soothing
nichoachH5207 →43 times
לַֽיהוָ֔הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
וּמִנְחָת֥וֹand grain offering its
uminchatoH4503 →211 times
וְנִסְכּ֖וֹand drink offering its
veniskoH5262 →64 times
כַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑טaccording to the ordinance
kamishpatH4941 →422 times
וּשְׂעִיר־and a male goat of
useir-H8163 →59 times
עִזִּ֥יםgoats
ʾizimH5795 →74 times
אֶחָ֖דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
לְחַטָּֽת׃to a sin offering
lechatatH2403 →295 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Leviticus 4:23When he becomes aware of the sin he has committed, he must bring an unblemished male goat as his offering.
it leads to
- Romans 8:3
For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin.…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 4:14
when they become aware of the sin they have committed, then the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the Tent of Meeting.
- Romans 8:3
Through
Leviticus 5:15“If someone acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against any of the LORD’s holy things, he must bring his guilt offering to the LORD: an unblemished ram from the flock, of proper value in silver…
it leads to
- Exodus 30:13
Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD.
- Leviticus 4:2
“Tell the Israelites to do as follows with one who sins unintentionally against any of the LORD’s commandments and does what is forbidden by them:
- Ezra 10:19
Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. They pledged to send their wives away, and for their guilt they presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.
- Leviticus 27:9–33
If he vows an animal that may be brought as an offering to the LORD, any such animal given to the LORD shall be holy.
- Leviticus 7:6
Every male among the priests may eat of it. It must be eaten in a holy place; it is most holy.
- Exodus 30:13
Through
Numbers 28:15In addition to the regular burnt offering with its drink offering, one male goat is to be presented to the LORD as a sin offering.
it leads to
- Numbers 28:3
And tell them that this is the offering made by fire you are to present to the LORD as a regular burnt offering each day: two unblemished year-old male lambs.
- Numbers 28:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Numbers

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
