Numbers 15 33

Numbers 15:33 kjv

And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.

Numbers 15:33 nkjv

And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation.

Numbers 15:33 niv

Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly,

Numbers 15:33 esv

And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation.

Numbers 15:33 nlt

The people who found him doing this took him before Moses, Aaron, and the rest of the community.

Numbers 15 verses

Numbers 15 33 Meaning

Numbers 15:33 describes the moment the man, discovered gathering wood on the Sabbath, was brought before the leaders of Israel. This act was a direct violation of God's Sabbath commandment given at Mount Sinai, signifying a deliberate transgression against divine law within the sacred covenant. The verse sets the stage for the crucial divine pronouncement regarding the severity of presumptuous sin and its consequences for the community.

Numbers 15 33 Context

Numbers 15 follows a sequence of laws given by God after the initial rebellion at Kadesh-barnea, where the generation of disbelievers was condemned to die in the wilderness. The chapter provides instructions on various offerings and vows, particularly focusing on unintentional sins and the need for atonement. Verse 30 then introduces the stark contrast: "But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is a native or a sojourner, reviles the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from among his people." This defines presumptuous, defiant sin. Numbers 15:32-36 illustrates this principle with a concrete case: the man gathering sticks on the Sabbath. This incident highlights the critical importance of specific commands (like the Sabbath) as direct indicators of allegiance to God and the consequences of rebellion against Him, serving as a solemn warning to the new generation about the seriousness of the Mosaic covenant and individual responsibility within the community. The wilderness setting further underscores the reliance of the people on divine provision and law.

Numbers 15 33 Word analysis

• And those who found him: "And those who found" (הַמֹּצְאִים֙ אֹת֛וֹ - ha-motze'im oto). This implies a community surveillance and active enforcement. The people themselves, not just specific officials, recognized the violation, demonstrating a widespread understanding and expected adherence to the Sabbath law. Their action signifies their belief in the law's gravity and their responsibility in maintaining the purity of the community.
• gathering sticks: (מְקֹשֵׁ֣שׁ עֵצִים֙ - meqoshēsh ‘etzim). "Meqoshēsh" means "gathering, picking up, collecting," often implying a meticulous or intentional action. "Eztim" means "wood, trees." This was a common and seemingly innocent activity for fire-starting or building, yet forbidden on the Sabbath. The term implies not a quick, accidental grab, but a deliberate effort to collect. This mundane action became an overt act of rebellion when performed on the holy day of rest. It symbolizes a defiant disregard for divine authority in a very public and observable manner.
• brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation: (וַיַּקְרִ֤יבוּ אֹתֹו֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן וְאֶל־כׇּל־הָעֵדָ֖ה - vayyaqrivu 'oto el-Moshe v'el-Aharon v'el kol-ha-'edah). "Vayaqrivu" (and they brought/presented him) emphasizes a formal presentation.
  • to Moses and Aaron: As the chief divinely appointed leaders and mediators. Moses represented God's authority in lawgiving and judgment, Aaron as the high priest concerned with ritual purity and God's holiness.
  • and to all the congregation: (kol-ha-'edah). This term denotes the collective body of Israel, the entire assembly, underscoring that the matter was a public legal proceeding involving the whole community. It wasn't a private matter but a violation against the covenant under which the entire people lived, thus requiring public witnessing and judgment. This process demonstrates a legal framework where discovery by citizens led to referral to judicial authority for deliberation and judgment by the entire people or its representatives.

Numbers 15 33 Bonus section

The phrase "gathering sticks" (מְקֹשֵׁשׁ עֵצִים) for an average Israelite in the wilderness implies not just daily necessity but potentially an act that defied reliance on God's provision (like manna, which was collected on Friday for two days). By actively working on the Sabbath, the man directly violated the principles of rest, trust in God, and the communal recognition of divine sovereignty over time. The "Sabbath" was a foundational sign of the covenant between Yahweh and Israel (Ezek 20:12, 20), making its deliberate breach an attack on their unique relationship with God. This narrative functions as a strong cautionary tale for the wilderness generation, reinforcing the severity of God's laws and the immediate consequences for their open disregard. It also prefigures the emphasis on intentional sin in later prophetic writings and the New Testament's warnings against persistent disobedience (Heb 10:26-31). The specific act of gathering wood shows how God's law permeated everyday life, demonstrating that holiness was not confined to rituals but extended to daily activities and rest.

Numbers 15 33 Commentary

Numbers 15:33 illustrates the practical enforcement of God's covenant laws in early Israel. The discovery of the man gathering wood on the Sabbath was not merely about a broken rule, but a profound defiance of the covenant structure. The act of "gathering sticks" was not inherently evil, but doing it on the day sanctified by God for rest and worship directly challenged divine authority and disrupted the sacred rhythm established for Israel. Bringing him to Moses, Aaron, and the entire congregation signified that this was a public offense against God's direct command, not a private sin. The seriousness lay in the presumptuousness—knowing God's explicit prohibition of labor on the Sabbath (Ex 35:2-3) and willfully disregarding it. This action constituted a "high-handed" sin (Num 15:30), requiring a community-wide judgment and penalty to uphold the sanctity of God's law and protect the spiritual purity and covenant integrity of the nation. It was a test of Israel's faithfulness to their divine King and the necessity of immediate action to avoid communal guilt or divine judgment (Josh 7, for Achan).