Numbers 15:31
in Numbers 15He shall certainly be cut off, because he has despised the word of the LORD and broken His commandment; his guilt remains on him.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Because he hath despised the word of Jehovah, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.
KJV
Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.
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This verse in Numbers 15
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThere 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.
This site's exposition
if one person sins unintentionally
on Numbers 15:27-31
One person's error is met with a year-old female goat, but the one who sins defiantly receives no offering. The Hebrew is a high hand, the phrase used of Israel's leaving Egypt at Numbers 33:3.
This site's exposition
he has despised the word of the LORD
The ground of the sentence is contempt for the word itself. Matthew Henry separates those who fall short yet count the law honourable from those who despise it as beneath them. He finds the curse in that defiance, whatever the sin.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
); and that God may be for ever justified, and the sinner for ever confounded, his iniquity shall be upon him, and there needs no more to sink him to the lowest hell. Thus the Jewish doctors understand it, that the iniquity shall cleave to the soul, after it is cut off, and that man shall give an account of his sin at the great day of judgment.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And for their better assurance hereof he repeats and amplifies the laws of sacrifices, whereby through Christ he would be reconciled to them and theirs upon their repentance. A sacrifice - A peace-offering. A tenth deal - The tenth part of an Ephah, that is, about five pints.
Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
his iniquity shall be upon him--The punishment of his sins shall fall on himself individually; no guilt shall be incurred by the nation, unless there be a criminal carelessness in overlooking the offense.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| דְבַר־ | devar- | [the] word of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בָּזָ֔ה | bazah | he has despised | H959 → | |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מִצְוָת֖וֹ | mitzvato | commandment his | H4687 → | 181 times |
| הֵפַ֑ר | hefar | he has broken | H6565 → | 50 times |
| הִכָּרֵ֧ת׀ | hikaret | certainly <cut off> | H3772 → | 288 times |
| תִּכָּרֵ֛ת | tikaret | it will be cut off | H3772 → | 288 times |
| הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ | hanefesh | the person | H5315 → | 754 times |
| הַהִ֖וא | hahiv' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| עֲוֹנָ֥ה | ʾavonah | iniquity its | H5771 → | 233 times |
| בָֽהּ׃ פ | vah | [will be] on <the> it |
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
דְבַר־[the] word of
devar-H1697 →1440 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בָּזָ֔הhe has despised
bazahH959 →
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
מִצְוָת֖וֹcommandment his
mitzvatoH4687 →181 times
הֵפַ֑רhe has broken
hefarH6565 →50 times
הִכָּרֵ֧ת׀certainly <cut off>
hikaretH3772 →288 times
תִּכָּרֵ֛תit will be cut off
tikaretH3772 →288 times
הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁthe person
hanefeshH5315 →754 times
הַהִ֖וא<the> that
hahiv'H1931 →1879 times
עֲוֹנָ֥הiniquity its
ʾavonahH5771 →233 times
בָֽהּ׃ פ[will be] on <the> it
vah
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
Ezekiel 18:20The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of…
it leads to
- 2 Kings 14:6
Yet he did not put the sons of the murderers to death, but acted according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, where the LORD commanded: “Fathers must not…
- Deuteronomy 24:16
Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.
- Ezekiel 18:4
Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
- Jeremiah 31:29–30
“In those days, it will no longer be said: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge.’
- 2 Chronicles 25:4
Yet he did not put their sons to death, but acted according to what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded: “Fathers must not be put to…
- 2 Kings 14:6
Through
Proverbs 13:13He who despises instruction will pay the penalty, but the one who respects a command will be rewarded.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 36:16
But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.
- 2 John 1:8
Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded.
- Psalms 119:165
Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your law; nothing can make them stumble.
- 2 Chronicles 36:16
Where this verse is studied
About Numbers
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.