Numbers 15:1-31

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you,¹ and you make an offering by fire to the Lord from the herd or from the flock—whether a burnt-offering or a sacrifice, to fulfil a vow or as a freewill-offering or at your appointed festivals—to make a pleasing odour for the Lord, then whoever presents such an offering to the Lord shall present also a grain-offering, one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour, mixed with one-fourth of a hin of oil.² Moreover, you shall offer one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink-offering with the burnt-offering or the sacrifice, for each lamb. For a ram, you shall offer a grain-offering, two-tenths of an ephah of choice flour mixed with one-third of a hin of oil; and as a drink-offering you shall offer one-third of a hin of wine, a pleasing odour to the Lord. When you offer a bull as a burnt-offering or a sacrifice, to fulfil a vow or as an offering of well-being to the Lord, then you shall present with the bull a grain-offering, three-tenths of an ephah of choice flour, mixed with half a hin of oil,and you shall present as a drink-offering half a hin of wine, as an offering by fire, a pleasing odour to the Lord.'”

“'Thus it shall be done for each ox or ram, or for each of the male lambs or the kids. According to the number that you offer, so you shall do with each and every one. Every native Israelite shall do these things in this way, in presenting an offering by fire, a pleasing odour to the Lord. An alien who lives with you, or who takes up permanent residence among you, and wishes³ to offer an offering by fire, a pleasing odour to the Lord, shall do as you do. As for the assembly, there shall be for both you and the resident alien a single statute, a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you and the alien shall be alike before the Lord. You and the alien who resides with you shall have the same law and the same ordinance.'”⁴

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'After you come into the land to which I am bringing you,whenever you eat of the bread of the land, you shall present a donation to the Lord. From your first batch of dough you shall present a loaf as a donation; you shall present it just as you present a donation from the threshing-floor. Throughout your generations you shall give to the Lord a donation from the first of your batch of dough.'”⁵

“'But if you unintentionally fail to observe all these commandments that the Lord has spoken to Moses— everything that the Lord has commanded you by Moses, from the day the Lord gave commandment and thereafter, throughout your generations— then if it was done unintentionally without the knowledge of the congregation, the whole congregation⁶ shall offer one young bull for a burnt-offering, a pleasing odour to the Lord, together with its grain-offering and its drink-offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin-offering.⁷ The priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the Israelites, and they shall be forgiven; it was unintentional,⁸ and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the Lord, and their sin-offering before the Lord, for their error. All the congregation of the Israelites shall be forgiven, as well as the aliens residing among them, because the whole people was involved in the error.'”⁹

An individual who sins unintentionally shall present a female goat a year old for a sin-offering. And the priest shall make atonement before the Lord for the one who commits an error, when it is unintentional, to make atonement for the person, who then shall be forgiven. For both the native among the Israelites and the alien residing among them¹⁰—you shall have the same law for anyone who acts in error. But whoever acts high-handedly, whether a native or an alien, affronts the Lord, and shall be cut off from among the people.¹¹ Because of having despised the word of the Lord and broken his commandment,¹² such a person shall be utterly cut off and bear the guilt.

1 At this point they would know that it would be 40 years before they could fulfill this command, and almost none of them would be there to fulfill it themselves. Would this really be a meaningful timing to give such a command?

2 This seems to be adding to the sacrifice regulations of Leviticus 1, 2, and 3.

3 This statute at least seems to be completely voluntary for aliens.

4 Emphasizes that, for better or for worse, aliens and native-born alike shall follow the same laws.

5 Seems to add to the firstfruits law of Leviticus 23

6 The sin was done without the knowledge of the congregation, but the whole congregation offers the sacrifice.

7 Adding to the “unintentional sin” regulations of Leviticus 4-5.

8 The forgiveness is closely tied to the unintentional nature of the sin. Intentional sin would receive a different verdict.

9 Somehow the whole congregation is involved – perhaps an ordinance which they collectively forgot to uphold?

10 Fourth repetition in this passage of the need for aliens and native-born to adhere to the same law.

11 Yet again, is this a punishment to be carried out by God or by man?

12 To break a commandment is to despise the word of God.

Take-home: The Israelites are reminded that the promised land still awaits and they can please God with their sacrifices there, but that intentional sin will bring great punishment.