Numbers 15 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

Bible Comments
  • Numbers 15:2 open_in_new

    Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you, 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.

  • Numbers 15:3 open_in_new

    And will make an offering by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the LORD, of the herd, or of the flock: And will make an offering - For the different kinds of offerings, sacrifices, etc., see Leviticus 1:2, Leviticus 1:7.

  • Numbers 15:4 open_in_new

    Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the LORD bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil.

  • Numbers 15:5 open_in_new

    And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb. 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 Exodus 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. With a Bullock, three tenth deals of flour, half a hin of oil, and half a hin of wine. See Numbers 15:4-11.

  • Numbers 15:6 open_in_new

    Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.

  • Numbers 15:7 open_in_new

    And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

  • Numbers 15:8 open_in_new

    And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the LORD:

  • Numbers 15:9 open_in_new

    Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil.

  • Numbers 15:10 open_in_new

    And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

  • Numbers 15:13 open_in_new

    All that are born of the country shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

  • Numbers 15:14 open_in_new

    And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; as ye do, so he shall do. If a stranger sojourn - See the notes on Leviticus 19:33;Leviticus 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. All strangers - all that came to sojourn in the land, were required to conform to it; and it was right that those who did conform to it should have equal rights and privileges with the Hebrews themselves, which we find was the case. But under the Christian dispensation, as no particular form of worship is prescribed, the types and ceremonies of the Mosaic institution being all fulfilled, unlimited toleration should be allowed; and while the sacred writings are made the basis of the worship offered to God, every man should be allowed to worship according to his own conscience, for in this respect every one is

    "Lord of himself, accountable to none

    But to his conscience and his God alone."

  • Numbers 15:15 open_in_new

    One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD.

  • Numbers 15:19 open_in_new

    Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the LORD.

  • Numbers 15:20 open_in_new

    Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it. Ye shall offer - the first of your dough - Concerning the offerings of first-fruits, see the notes on Exodus 22:29.

  • Numbers 15:23 open_in_new

    Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations;

  • Numbers 15:24 open_in_new

    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. If aught be committed by ignorance - See the notes on Leviticus 4:2, and Leviticus 5:17. The case here probably refers to the whole congregation; the cases above, to the sin of an individual.

  • Numbers 15:25 open_in_new

    And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance: The priest shall make an atonement - Even sins committed through ignorance required an atonement; and God in his mercy has provided one for them.

  • Numbers 15:26 open_in_new

    And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.

  • Numbers 15:27 open_in_new

    And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering.

  • Numbers 15:28 open_in_new

    And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.

  • Numbers 15:29 open_in_new

    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.

  • Numbers 15:30 open_in_new

    But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 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. It is probably a case similar to that mentioned Hebrews 6:4-8 (note); Hebrews 10:26-31 (note); on which passages see the notes.

  • Numbers 15:31 open_in_new

    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.

  • Numbers 15:32 open_in_new

    And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. 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 Numbers 15:31. On this ground he was punished with the utmost rigor of the law.

  • Numbers 15:35 open_in_new

    And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

  • Numbers 15:38 open_in_new

    Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: Bid them - make them fringes - We learn from Numbers 15:39 that these fringes were emblematical of the various commands of God. That there was any analogy between a fringe and a precept, it would be bold to assert; but when a thing is appointed to represent another, no matter how different, that first object be comes the regular representative or sign of the other. There is no analogy between the term bread and the farinaceous nutritive substance thereby signified; but because this term is used to express and represent that thing, every person thus understands it; and when the word bread is seen or heard, a perfect knowledge, not of the letters which compose that word, but of the thing signified by it, is conveyed to the mind. So the fringes, being appointed by God to represent and bring to mind the commandments of God, Numbers 15:39, the mention or sight of them conveyed the intelligence intended. All the Jews wore these, and so probably did our Lord; see Matthew 9:20, where the word κρασπε ον is rather to be understood of the fringe than of the hem of his garment.

  • Numbers 15:39 open_in_new

    And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

  • Numbers 15:41 open_in_new

    I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God. Commentary on the Bible, by Adam Clarke [1831].