Numbers 15:24 kjv
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 savor 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.
Numbers 15:24 nkjv
then it will be, if it is unintentionally committed, without the knowledge of the congregation, that the whole congregation shall offer one young bull as a burnt offering, as a sweet aroma to the LORD, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one kid of the goats as a sin offering.
Numbers 15:24 niv
and if this is done unintentionally without the community being aware of it, then the whole community is to offer a young bull for a burnt offering as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, along with its prescribed grain offering and drink offering, and a male goat for a sin offering.
Numbers 15:24 esv
then if it was done unintentionally without the knowledge of the congregation, all the congregation shall offer one bull from the herd for a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the rule, and one male goat for a sin offering.
Numbers 15:24 nlt
If the mistake was made unintentionally, and the community was unaware of it, the whole community must present a young bull for a burnt offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. It must be offered along with its prescribed grain offering and liquid offering and with one male goat for a sin offering.
Numbers 15 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 4:13-21 | 'If the whole congregation of Israel commits error unknowingly... | Direct parallel for congregational sin offering. |
| Num 15:22-29 | Broader context of unintentional sins, corporate and individual. | Context for the sin of the congregation. |
| Num 15:30-31 | But the person who does anything defiantly, whether native or foreigner... | Contrasts with defiant, "high-handed" sin. |
| Lev 5:17-19 | If anyone sins and does what is forbidden... though he does not know it... | General law for unintentional individual sin. |
| Ps 19:12 | Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. | Acknowledgment of hidden, unintentional sins. |
| Heb 9:7 | but only the high priest, and he only once a year, and not without blood.. | Blood is essential for forgiveness. |
| Heb 9:22 | Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood... | Reinforces the necessity of blood sacrifice. |
| Heb 9:28 | so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many... | Christ as the ultimate, sufficient offering. |
| Rom 8:3 | For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do... | Christ came as a sin offering. |
| Heb 10:1-4 | For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come... | Old Covenant sacrifices were insufficient. |
| Lev 16:29-30 | Day of Atonement: atonement for all sins. | Covers unknown communal sins annually. |
| Exod 29:38-42 | Regular daily offerings for the congregation. | Continual atonement for Israel. |
| Matt 27:46 | My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? | Christ bearing sin on the cross. |
| John 1:29 | Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! | Jesus identified as the ultimate sacrifice. |
| 1 John 1:7 | the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. | Efficacy of Christ's blood for all sin. |
| 2 Cor 5:21 | For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin... | Christ's substitutionary atonement. |
| Isa 53:10 | But it was the will of the Lord to crush him... a guilt offering. | Prophecy of Christ's suffering for sin. |
| Acts 3:19 | Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out... | Forgiveness through repentance and faith. |
| Rom 3:23-26 | For all have sinned... justified by his grace as a gift... | Universal sin and justification by Christ. |
| Eph 1:7 | In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins... | Forgiveness and redemption in Christ. |
| Col 1:13-14 | He has delivered us from the domain of darkness... | Forgiveness and deliverance in Christ. |
| Lev 1:3-4 | Instructions for a burnt offering (general). | Principles of the burnt offering. |
| Lev 4:2-3 | General law for sin offering. | Principles of the sin offering. |
| Heb 13:11 | For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought... | Animal sacrifices pointed to Christ. |
Numbers 15 verses
Numbers 15 24 Meaning
This verse specifies the required offering when the entire Israelite congregation unintentionally commits a sin or is unknowingly implicated in a transgression that would typically require atonement. It outlines the ritual act through which the community could seek divine forgiveness and purification, demonstrating God's provision for communal reconciliation even in instances of corporate, unrecognized error.
Numbers 15 24 Context
Numbers chapter 15 provides detailed regulations for various offerings and laws, given to the Israelites immediately after their forty-year wilderness wanderings were pronounced due to their rebellion regarding the spies' report (Numbers 13-14). These laws, including those for unintentional sin, offer a pathway for forgiveness and restoration of the covenant relationship even in light of the prior disobedience and future potential for failure. This specific verse (Num 15:24) follows verses 22-23, which describe a hypothetical scenario of unintentional communal sin, and outlines the precise atonement sacrifice needed. It contrasts sharply with verses 30-31, which state that there is no prescribed sacrifice for high-handed, defiant sin, emphasizing the gracious provision for unintentional errors versus the severe judgment for deliberate rebellion.
Numbers 15 24 Word analysis
- then it shall be: This phrase introduces the consequence and prescribed action. It signifies a divine directive following a specified condition.
- if it is done unintentionally: (Hebrew: שְׁגָגָה - shegāgâ). This crucial term refers to a sin committed in error, by mistake, without knowing it was a sin, or inadvertently. It stands in direct contrast to "high-handed" or defiant sin (Num 15:30-31). God provides atonement for this type of sin, emphasizing His mercy and grace towards human frailty.
- without the knowledge of the congregation: (Hebrew: וְנֶעְלַם מֵעֵינֵי הַקָּהָל - v'ne'lam me'einei ha'qahal - lit. "and it is hidden from the eyes of the assembly"). This clarifies that the collective transgression was not known or realized by the community at the time it occurred. This speaks to a corporate unawareness, which underscores the "unintentional" nature from the community's perspective.
- that the whole congregation: (Hebrew: כָּל הָעֵדָה - kol hā'ēdâ). This highlights collective responsibility and solidarity. Even if the error originates with one or a few, if it affects the whole community or involves a communal lapse, the entire assembly must participate in the atonement. This signifies a strong corporate identity in Israelite covenant relationship.
- shall offer: Indicates a mandatory action; this is a divine command for restitution.
- one young bull: (Hebrew: פַּר בֶּן בָּקָר - par ben bāqār). A bull, a large and valuable animal, signifies the significant nature of the communal sin, even if unintentional. In the Mosaic law, a bull was often prescribed for the high priest's or the entire congregation's sin (e.g., Lev 4).
- as a burnt offering: (Hebrew: עֹלָה - 'ōlâ). This offering was completely consumed by fire on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication to God and making atonement for general sin. It speaks of propitiation and consecration.
- with its grain offering and its drink offering: (Hebrew: מִנְחָה וְנֵסֶךְ - minḥâ v'nesekh). These were complementary offerings. The grain offering was typically of flour, representing the worshiper's substance and dedication. The drink offering, usually wine poured out, symbolized fellowship and a joyful libation. These accompanying offerings often went with the burnt offering.
- and one male goat: (Hebrew: שָׂעִיר עִזִּים - sā'îr 'izzîm). A male goat was the standard animal for the congregational sin offering in many instances (Lev 4:23).
- as a sin offering: (Hebrew: חַטָּאת - ḥaṭṭā't). This offering specifically addressed and atoned for sin, purifying the defilement caused by the transgression and restoring the covenant relationship. It covered specific sins and provided ceremonial cleansing.
Numbers 15 24 Bonus section
- Typology and Christ: The repeated sacrifices for unintentional sin highlight the ongoing need for atonement in the Old Covenant. This repetitive nature serves as a 'tutor' pointing towards the single, ultimate sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 9:26-28), whose perfect blood accomplished what bulls and goats could not, once for all. His death on the cross atoned for the sins of humanity, whether known or unknown (1 John 1:7).
- Purity and Holiness: The emphasis on cleansing and making atonement for communal sin (even unintentional) underscores God's absolute demand for holiness within the covenant community. Any sin, regardless of intent, had the potential to defile the community and thus the tabernacle, God's dwelling place, necessitating the prescribed rituals for restoration.
- No Purgatory Concept: This provision for "unintentional" sin within the Levitical system dealt with immediate earthly purification and restoration of covenant standing. It does not introduce or support the concept of a "purgatory" or an intermediate state of suffering for sins not confessed in life. Rather, it speaks to God's gracious provision for atonement in the present life for a repentant, yet fallible, community.
Numbers 15 24 Commentary
Numbers 15:24 demonstrates the meticulously designed system God established to maintain a holy relationship with Israel. This verse, along with its surrounding context, emphasizes several core theological points. Firstly, God's holiness demands accountability for sin, even unintentional ones, and the corporate body is responsible for its actions and even its collective ignorance. Secondly, the distinction between unintentional sin and deliberate rebellion is crucial; while a pathway for atonement exists for the former, no sacrifice is prescribed for defiant, high-handed sin (Num 15:30-31), highlighting the severity of outright rejection of God's command. Thirdly, the complexity of the sacrifices—a burnt offering (for general propitiation and complete devotion) alongside a sin offering (for specific cleansing and atonement)—underscores the multifaceted nature of reconciling with a holy God. This elaborate ritual was not just about forgiving a past act but also about restoring the community's standing and purifying their corporate spiritual state before the Lord, maintaining their covenant purity. Ultimately, these Mosaic laws foreshadowed the singular, perfect, and all-sufficient sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who through His blood offers complete forgiveness and cleanses believers from all sin—known and unknown, intentional and unintentional—that the old covenant animal sacrifices could only temporarily cover.