Numbers 15

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said [to speak, communicate] to [toward, in the direction of] Moses [the Israelite leader, God’s chosen servant], word study 2 “Speak [to communicate, declare] to the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] and tell them [say unto them, command them]: After you enter [come into, arrive in] the land [earth, territory] that I am giving [bestowing, granting] you as a home [dwelling place, habitation, seat] word study 3 and you present [as an act of worship] an offering made by fire [a sacrifice to be completely consumed] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] from the herd [domesticated cattle] or flock [a group of sheep or goats] to produce a pleasing aroma [a soothing, fragrant smell] to the LORD—either a burnt offering [a sacrifice to be completely burned] or a sacrifice [an act of giving something to God], for a special vow [a promise made to God] or freewill offering [a voluntary gift] or appointed feast [a designated time of celebration]— word study 4 then the one presenting [approaching, coming near] his offering [sacrifice, gift] to the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] shall also present a grain offering [meal offering, gift of fine flour] of a tenth [tithe, one tenth part] of an ephah of fine flour [best meal, wheat flour] mixed [anointed, combined] with a quarter [fourth part] hin [unit of liquid measure, about 5 quarts] of olive oil [ointment]. word study 5 With the burnt offering [a step to the altar] or sacrifice [an act of offering flesh to God] of each lamb [a young ram], you are to prepare [to make, to do] a quarter [fourth, a portion] hin [an ancient unit of liquid measure, about 5 quarts] of wine [fermented wine] as a drink offering [a liquid poured out as a sacrifice, a libation]. word study 6 With a ram [a strong male sheep] you are to prepare [to make, to do] a grain offering [a gift, a donation] of two-tenths [a tenth part, like a tithe] of an ephah [a unit of dry measure] of fine flour [fine, refined meal] mixed [to feed, to anoint, blended] with a third [one of three parts] of a hin [an ancient unit of liquid measure] of olive oil [a highly valued liquid], word study 7 and a third [one part out of three] of a hin [about 5 quarts or 6 liters] of wine [fermented wine] as a drink offering [a liquid sacrifice, for a sweet savor], a pleasing aroma [soothing, a sweet smell] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 8 When you prepare [make or offer] a young bull [son of the herd, cattle] as a burnt offering [step or stairs to the altar] or sacrifice [flesh offered to God] to fulfill [accomplish or complete] a vow [promise made to God] or as a peace offering [voluntary sacrifice to show thanks] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], word study 9 present [bring near, offer] with the bull [cattle, ox] a grain offering [meal offering, gift] of three-tenths [a tenth part, a tithe] of an ephah [a unit of measure] of fine flour [best meal, wheat flour] mixed [mingled, blended] with half [middle, division] a hin [an ancient unit of liquid measure] of olive oil [anointing oil, rich oil]. word study 10 Also present [pour out, offer to God] half [a portion, a division] a hin [about 5 quarts or 6 liters, a liquid measure] of wine [fermented wine] as a drink offering [a liquid sacrifice, a ceremonial pouring out]. It is an offering made by fire [a burnt sacrifice, a fragrant aroma], a pleasing aroma [a soothing, sweet fragrance, a fragrant savor] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God, The covenant Name of God]. word study 11 This is to be done [in this way, thus] for each bull [or ox, cattle], ram [a strong male sheep], lamb [a young ram, a sheep], or goat [a female goat, a kid]. word study 12 This is how [in this way, thus] you must prepare [make, do, offer] each one [a single individual, one by one], no matter how many [according to their number, regardless of quantity]. word study 13 Everyone [all native-born, every home-born Israelite] who is native-born [born in the land, a native] shall prepare [do, make] these things [these offerings, these sacrifices] in this way [thus, in this manner] when he presents [offers, brings near] an offering [a sacrifice, a gift] made by fire [a burnt offering] as a pleasing aroma [a sweet savor, a soothing fragrance] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 14 And for the generations [throughout your history] to come, if a foreigner [sojourner, temporary resident] residing with you or someone else [a stranger, an alien] among you wants to prepare an offering [sacrifice, gift] made by fire as a pleasing [sweet, soothing] aroma to the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], he is to do exactly [just as, in the same way] as you do. word study 15 The assembly [congregation, group of people gathered together] is to have the same statute [ordinance, divine law] both for you and for the foreign resident [sojourner, stranger living among you]; it is a permanent [lasting forever, eternal] statute [rule, regulation] for the generations [periods of time, groups of people] to come. You and the foreigner [stranger, non-Israelite] shall be the same [equal, united] before the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 16 The same [one, united] law [instruction, guiding principles] and the same [one, unique] ordinance [justice, judgment] will apply [be in effect, govern] both to you and to the foreigner [sojourner, temporary resident] residing [living, dwelling] with you [in your midst, among you].” word study 17 Then the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] said [to speak, to communicate] to Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet], word study 18 “Speak [to communicate, declare] to the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] and tell [say, command] them: When you enter [come into, arrive at] the land [territory, region] to which [toward, in the direction of] I am bringing [leading, guiding] you word study 19 and you eat [consume, devour] the food [bread, produce] of the land [the earth, a country], you shall lift up [exalt, heave] an offering [contribution, tribute] to the LORD [Yehovah, the divine Savior]. word study 20 From the [firstfruits, initial part] first of your dough [mixture of flour and water, coarse meal], you are to lift up [exalt, raise] a cake [bun, perforated bread] as a contribution [offering, tribute]; offer it just like [in the same manner as] an offering from the threshing floor [open area for grain separation, barnfloor]. word study 21 Throughout your generations [to your descendants, in your generations], you are to give [offer, set apart] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] an offering [contribution, heave offering] from the first [beginning, initial part] of your dough [coarse meal, mixture of flour and water]. word study 22 Now if you stray unintentionally [err] and do not obey [fail to follow, disregard] all these commandments [instructions, laws] that the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] has spoken [communicated, commanded] to Moses— word study 23 all that [everything, the whole] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has commanded [given orders, appointed] you through [by the hand of, through the agency of] Moses from the day [the time, the period] the LORD gave [commanded, appointed] them and continuing [going further, onward] through the generations [periods of time, groups of people] to come— word study 24 and if it was done [unwittingly, without realizing] unintentionally [through ignorance, without knowledge] without the knowledge [awareness, understanding] of the congregation [gathering, community], then the whole congregation [entire assembly, all the people] is to prepare one young bull [a calf, a son of the herd] as a burnt offering [a sacrifice, a gift to God], a pleasing aroma [a sweet savour, a soothing fragrance] to the LORD [Yehovah, the divine Lord], with its grain offering [a gift of food, a meal offering] and drink offering [a liquid sacrifice, a libation] according to the regulation [the ordinance, the prescribed rule], and one male goat [a he-goat, a buck] as a sin offering [an atonement, a purification]. word study 25 The priest [holy servant, mediator] is to make atonement [cover, reconcile, restore] for the whole congregation [assembly, community] of Israel [God’s chosen people], so that they may be forgiven [pardoned, released from guilt]; for the sin [unintentional error, mistake] was unintentional [without knowledge, unaware] and they have brought to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] an offering made by fire [a sacrifice, a gift] and a sin offering [a purification, an atonement], presented before the LORD [in His presence, to His face] for their unintentional sin [ignorance, unawareness]. word study 26 Then the whole [entire, complete] congregation [gathering, assembly] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants] and the foreigners [sojourners, temporary residents] residing [living, dwelling] among them will be forgiven [pardoned, have mercy], since it happened [occurred, took place] to all [every, everything] the people [nation, community] unintentionally [in ignorance, without realizing it, by mistake]. word study 27 Also, if [unintentionally, through ignorance] one person [soul, living being] sins [misses the mark, goes wrong] unintentionally, he is to present [offer, bring near] a year-old [one year, a period of time] female goat [she-goat, kid] as a sin [guilt, punishment] offering [sacrifice, atonement]. word study 28 And the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] shall make atonement [to cover, reconcile] before the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] on behalf of the person who erred [sinned unintentionally, went astray] by sinning [missing the mark, rebelling] unintentionally [ignorantly, without realizing]; and when atonement [reconciliation, forgiveness] has been made for him, he will be forgiven [pardoned, have his guilt removed]. word study 29 You shall have the same [one, united] law for the one who acts in error [unintentionally, through ignorance], whether he is a native-born [born among the children of Israel] Israelite [a descendant of Jacob] or a foreigner [sojourner, temporary resident] residing [living, dwelling] among you. word study 30 But the person [soul, living being] who sins [does wrong, acts with a high hand] defiantly [with a high hand, presumptuously], whether a native [born in the land, Israelite] or foreigner [sojourner, stranger], blasphemes [reproacheth, speaks badly of] the LORD [Yehovah, God]. That person [soul, he or she] shall be cut off [destroyed, expelled] from among his people [nation, community]. word study 31 He shall certainly be cut off [utterly destroyed, without mercy], because he has despised [treated with contempt, held in low esteem] the word [command, divine instruction] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and broken [violated, frustrated] His commandment [law, divine instruction]; his guilt [iniquity, moral evil] remains on him [is upon him, rests with him].” word study 32 While the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] were in the wilderness [desert, open field], a man [male person, individual] was found [discovered, came across] gathering [collecting, assembling] wood [trees, sticks] on the Sabbath day [day of rest, day of worship]. word study 33 Those who found [discovered, came upon] the man gathering [collecting, assembling] wood [sticks, trees] brought him to Moses [the leader, prophet], Aaron [the high priest], and the whole [entire, all-inclusive] congregation [gathering, community], word study 34 and because it had [not yet been revealed, was unclear] not been declared what should be done [or made, as in a decision] to him, they placed [put, shut up] him in [a place of] custody [guard, confinement]. word study 35 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses, “The man [a male person, an individual] must surely be put to death [executed as a punishment, to die]. The whole congregation [a gathering of people, the community] is to stone him [kill him by throwing stones, as a form of punishment] outside [beyond the boundaries of] the camp [the Israelites’ encampments, a group of people].” word study 36 So the whole [entire, all-inclusive] congregation [gathering of people, community] took the man [namely, the one who broke the Sabbath] outside [beyond the boundaries of] the camp [encampment, army] and stoned [killed with stones, executed] him to death [as a punishment, until he died], as the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had commanded [given orders, appointed] Moses [the Israelite leader]. word study 37 Later [at a subsequent time, sometime after], the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said [to speak, to command, to utter words] to Moses [the Israelite leader, the one who receives the law from God], word study 38 “Speak [to communicate, command] to the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] and tell them that throughout the generations [periods of time, successive groups of people] to come they are to make [create, fashion] for themselves tassels [fringes, decorative strips of fabric] for the corners [edges, extremities] of their garments [clothing, robes], with a blue [violet, blue-purple] cord [thread, ribbon] on each tassel [fringe, twisted threads]. word study 39 These will serve as tassels [fringes, reminders of God’s commands] for you to look at, so that you may remember [recall, meditate on] all the commandments [laws, instructions] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], that you may obey [follow, keep] them and not prostitute [fornicate, be unfaithful] yourselves by following [pursuing, chasing after] your own heart [mind, will, emotions] and your own eyes [desires, lusts]. word study 40 Then you will remember [to recall, mark, or ponder] and obey [do, make, or fulfill] all [every, the whole of] My commandments [laws, precepts, or decrees], and you will be [exist, come into being as] holy [set apart, sacred, or consecrated] to your God [Elohim, the supreme Lord]. word study 41 I [the first person singular, emphasizing God’s personal involvement] am the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God] who brought you out [to come out, to be delivered] of the land [the soil or ground, a country, territory, or region] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] to be [to exist, to come into being] your God [the one you worship and obey]. I am the LORD your God.” word study