Numbers 15

Nu 15:1-41.

THE

LAW OF

SUNDRY

OFFERINGS.

1, 2. The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of

Israel--Some infer from

Nu 15:23

that the date of this communication must be fixed towards the close of

the wanderings in the wilderness; and, also, that all the sacrifices

prescribed in the law were to be offered only after the settlement in

Canaan.

3. make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering--It is

evident that a peace offering is referred to because this term is

frequently used in such a sense

(Ex 18:12;

Le 17:5).

4. tenth deal--that is, an omer, the tenth part of an ephah

(Ex 16:36).

fourth part of an hin of oil--This element shows it to have been

different from such meat offerings as were made by themselves, and not

merely accompaniments of other sacrifices.

6-12. two tenth deals--The quantity of flour was increased because

the sacrifice was of superior value to the former. The accessory

sacrifices were always increased in proportion to the greater worth and

magnitude of its principal.

13-16. a stranger--one who had become a proselyte. There were scarcely

any of the national privileges of the Israelites, in which the Gentile

stranger might not, on conforming to certain conditions, fully

participate.

19. when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave

offering--The offering prescribed was to precede the act of eating.

unto the Lord--that is, the priests of the Lord

(Eze 44:30).

20. heave offering of the threshing-floor--meaning the corn on the

threshing-floor; that is, after harvest.

so shall ye heave it--to the priests accompanying the ceremony with

the same rites.

22. if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments,

&c.--respecting the performance of divine worship, and the rites and

ceremonies that constitute the holy service. The law relates only to

any omission and consequently is quite different from that laid down

in

Le 4:13,

which implies a transgression or positive neglect of some observances

required. This law relates to private parties or individual

tribes; that to the whole congregation of Israel.

24-26. 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.

27-29. if any soul sin through ignorance--not only in common with the

general body of the people, but his personal sins were to be expiated

in the same manner.

30. the soul that doeth aught presumptuously--Hebrew, "with an

high" or "uplifted hand"--that is, knowingly, wilfully, obstinately.

In this sense the phraseology occurs

(Ex 14:8;

Le 26:21;

Ps 19:13).

the same reproacheth the Lord--sets Him at open defiance and dishonors

His majesty.

31. 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.

32-34. a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day--This incident

is evidently narrated as an instance of presumptuous sin. 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. For the deed was done with unblushing boldness in broad

daylight, in open defiance of the divine authority--in flagrant

inconsistency with His religious connection with Israel, as the

covenant-people of God; and it was an application to improper purposes

of time, which God had consecrated to Himself and the solemn duties of

religion. The offender was brought before the rulers, who, on hearing

the painful report, were at a loss to determine what ought to be done.

That they should have felt any embarrassment in such a case may seem

surprising, in the face of the sabbath law

(Ex 31:14).

Their difficulty probably arose from this being the first public

offense of the kind which had occurred; and the appeal might be made to

remove all ground of complaint--to produce a more striking effect, so

that the fate of this criminal might be a beacon to warn all Israelites

in the future.

35, 36. The Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to

death--The Lord was King, as well as God of Israel, and the offense

being a violation of the law of the realm, the Sovereign Judge gave

orders that this man should be put to death; and, moreover, He required

the whole congregation unite in executing the fatal sentence.

38. bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their

garments--These were narrow strips, in a wing-like form, wrapped

over the shoulders and on various parts of the attire. "Fringe,"

however, is the English rendering of two distinct Hebrew words--the

one meaning a narrow lappet or edging, called the "hem" or "border"

(Mt 23:5;

Lu 8:44),

which, in order to make it more attractive to the eye and consequently

more serviceable to the purpose described, was covered with a riband of

blue or rather purple color; the other term signifies strings with

tassels at the end, fastened to the corners of the garment. Both of

these are seen on the Egyptian and Assyrian frocks; and as the Jewish

people were commanded by express and repeated ordinances to have them,

the fashion was rendered subservient, in their case, to awaken high and

religious associations--to keep them in habitual remembrance of the

divine commandments.

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.