26 It shall be forgiven the whole congregation of the children of Israel and the stranger who dwells among them, because all the people didit unintentionally.
27 ‘And aif a person sins unintentionally, then he shall bring a female goat in its first year as a sin offering.
28aSo the priest shall make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally, when he sins unintentionally before the Lord, to make atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.
29aYou shall have one law for him who sins unintentionally, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwells among them.
Law Concerning Presumptuous Sin
30a‘But the person who does anything1 presumptuously, whetherheis native-born or a stranger, that one2 brings reproach on the Lord, and he shall be3 cut off from among his people.
31 Because he has adespised the word of the Lord, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his1 guilt shallbe upon him.’ ”
Penalty for Violating the Sabbath
32 Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, athey found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day.
33 And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation.
34 They put him aunder guard, because it had not been explained what should be done to him.
35 Then the Lord said to Moses, a“The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall bstone him with stones outside the camp.”
36 So, as the Lord commanded Moses, all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him with stones, and he died.
38 “Speak to the children of Israel: Tell athem to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners.
39 And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and aremember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you bmay not cfollow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined,
40 and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be aholy for your God.
41 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.”
The heavy punishments which had already overtaken the people might naturally give rise to apprehensions for the future, especially in view of the fact that on the approaching entrance into Canaan the complete observance of the Law in all its details would become imperative on them. To meet such apprehensions a distinction is emphatically drawn between sins of ignorance (Leviticus 4:13 ff) and those of presumption Numbers 15:30-31. The passage deals separately with imperfections of obedience which would be regarded as attaching to the whole nation Numbers 15:22-26, and those of individuals Numbers 15:27-30.
Numbers 15:24
Without the knowledge of the congregation - literally, as marginal. The words point to an error of omission which escaped notice at the time: i. e. to an oversight.
Numbers 15:30
Presumptuously - The original (compare the margin, and Exodus 14:8) imports something done willfully and openly; in the case of a sin against God it implies that the act is committed ostentatiously and in bravado.
Reproacheth the Lord - Rather, revileth or blasphemeth the Lord: compare Ezekiel 20:27.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Numbers 15:28:
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