Bible Commentaries
Numbers 15

Verse 2

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. — God, who in the midst of judgment remembereth mercy, and suffereth not his whole wrath to arise, seals up his love again to these recent revolters: and although he led them in and out, backward and forward, in that terrible wilderness, as if he had been treading a maze; yet he here gives them new directions what to do, when they, that is their children, came into the land of Canaan. Yea, he further tells them that he will smell a sweet savour of the herd, and of the flock; and is pleased to enlarge and explain some laws formerly delivered, in token of his reconciliation to them. So he renewed his favour to his relapsed spouse, now returning unto him, Song of Solomon 5:3 ; Song of Solomon 6:4-5 , … and to his disciples, that had basely forsaken him, by giving them a new commission to execute the ministerial function. John 20:21

Verse 4

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.

Bring a meat offering. — As an appendix to the other sacrifices. These following laws were given likely during their so long station at Kadesh. Abulens.

Verse 5

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.

For a drink offering. — These drink offerings of wine signified that the saints must be most ready and cheerful to offer themselves up to God in martyrdom, as a drink offering, for the testimony of their faith, and for the service and ministry of the Church, as Paul, Philippians 2:17 2 Timothy 4:6 and many martyrs, who went as willingly to die as to dine. One of them called it his wedding day, and invited his friends thereunto: others, filled with the Holy Ghost, so rejoiced, that they were misjudged by their adversaries to be drunk with wine, wherein is excess, as Morgan falsely objected to Mr Philpot in a conference. Act. and Mon., fol. 1653.

Verse 20

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 up a cake. — As a homage penny, as acknowledging God the chief Lord of all; and as craving his leave to partake of his creatures.

Verse 22

And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses,

And if ye hath erred and not observed. — Not serving of God, not sacrificing, is a sin. Malachi 3:8 Ecclesiastes 9:2 Not robbing only, but the not relieving of the poor, was the rich man’s ruin. Luke 16:21 Omission of diet breeds diseases, so doth omission of duty; and makes work for hell, or for the physician of our souls.

Verse 24

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.

By ignorance. — Or, Infirmity; incogitancy; inadvertency. For such there is a pardon, of course, ready sealed by God in Christ: else we might die in our sins, while the pardon is providing.

Verse 30

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. — When the heart at any time deliberates, saith a learned divine, Dr Preston, Of God’s All-suff. and yet that word is not sufficient to express it; but when the heart works according to its own proper inclination, and then wilfully disobeys the Lord in any commandment, certainly then it casts God away. And this is that "great transgression." Psalms 19:11

The same reproacheth the Lord. — As if he wanted either wisdom to observe, or power to punish, such as take themselves to be out of the reach of his rod. See Ezekiel 20:27 .

Verse 31

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.

That gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day. — This he did with a high hand, as Numbers 15:30 , in contempt of God and his law. The baser sort of people in Sweden do always break the Sabbath day, saying, that it is only for gentlemen to keep that day. Mr Abbot’s Sermons. How much better that poor Indian in New England, who, coming by, and seeing one of the English profaning of the Lord’s day, by felling of a tree, said unto him, Do you not know that this is the Lord’s day? Much machet man, i.e., very wicked man, what! break you God’s day? New England’s Firstfruits, p. 4. The best and wealthiest of the Jews, to prevent servile work on the Sabbath day, with their own hands chop the herbs, sweep the house, cleave wood, kindle the fire, …, on the day before. Buxtorf. Synagog.

Verse 38

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:

That they may make them fringes. — See Trapp on " Matthew 23:5 "

A ribband of blue. — This sky coloured ribbon taught them, that though their commoration was on earth, their conversation should be in heaven. Philippians 3:20

Verse 40

That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.

That ye may remember. — Our memories are like strainers, nets, grates, that let the pure water run away, but retain mud, trash, … It is with us as with those in Psalms 106:13 , "they soon forgat his works," …, and therefore we have need of all good helps.