Numbers 15 39

Numbers 15:39 kjv

And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

Numbers 15:39 nkjv

And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined,

Numbers 15:39 niv

You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.

Numbers 15:39 esv

And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.

Numbers 15:39 nlt

When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the LORD instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do.

Numbers 15 verses

Numbers 15 39 Meaning

Numbers 15:39 outlines the purpose of the fringe (tzitzit) that Israelites were commanded to wear on the corners of their garments. It states that the fringe serves as a visual reminder to look upon and recall all the commandments of the Lord. The ultimate aim is to ensure obedience to these commandments and to prevent the Israelites from straying after their own internal desires (heart) or external temptations (eyes), which leads to spiritual unfaithfulness, likened to going whoring. This precept underscores the importance of visual aids for memory, the dangers of human lust and desire, and the call to faithful adherence to God's will.

Numbers 15 39 Context

Numbers chapter 15, immediately preceding this verse, details laws concerning various offerings for unintentional sins committed by individuals or the entire community, as well as an offering for unintentional breaking of the commandments. It also describes the strict consequence for a deliberate, presumptuous sin (such as the Sabbath breaker who was put to death). This chapter thus highlights the importance of obedience to God's commandments and the gravity of rebellion. Within this context, the command to wear the fringes (tzitzit) in verse 37-41 serves as a perpetual, tangible reminder for the Israelites to live a life of conscious obedience to the Lord's commands and to remain separate and holy, thereby avoiding the very unintentional and presumptuous sins discussed earlier in the chapter. Historically, during their desert wanderings, this visual reminder would have been vital in a society heavily influenced by pagan practices and prone to forgetting God's covenant.

Numbers 15 39 Word analysis

• And it shall be to you for a fringe

  • fringe (צִיצִת, tzitzit): Hebrew for "tassel" or "fringe." More than mere decoration; it signified adherence to God's law. Etymologically, it's linked to the Hebrew word for "flower" (like the flower's edge or a tuft of hair), suggesting something distinct and outwardly visible. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, garment hems and fringes often held significant symbolic, legal, or authoritative meaning, distinguishing status or identity. For Israel, it distinctly identified them with Yahweh.

• that ye may look upon it, and remember

  • look upon it (רְאִיתֶם אֹתוֹ, re'item oto): Emphasizes the visual aspect. The instruction isn't merely to wear it, but to actively look at it. This highlights the importance of intentional mindfulness and the role of physical symbols in spiritual discipline.
  • remember (וּזְכַרְתֶּם, u'zekhartem): Implies not just recollection of facts, but also an active call to obedience. Remembering God's commands leads to action, not just mental assent. In the Bible, remembering God's covenant often means acting faithfully within it.

• all the commandments of the Lord, and do them;

  • commandments (מִצְוֹת, mitzvot): Refers to the divine precepts given by God. It implies the totality of God's revealed will.
  • do them (וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם, va'asitem otam): This phrase emphasizes the practical outcome of remembrance. Knowledge without action is insufficient. Obedience is the direct consequence and ultimate goal of remembering the commandments.

• and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes,

  • seek not after (וְלֹא תָתוּרוּ, ve'lo taturu): A strong prohibition, literally "do not spy out" or "do not wander after." It implies an unrestrained, inquisitive pursuit.
  • your own heart (אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם, acharei levavchem): Refers to the inner person, thoughts, desires, motives, and emotions. The unredeemed heart is deceitful (Jer 17:9). Following one's own heart signifies internal rebellion and reliance on self rather than God's law.
  • your own eyes (וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם, ve'acharei eineychem): Refers to external perception, sight, coveting, and external temptations. The eyes often lead to desire and sin (Gen 3:6, Josh 7:21, 1 Jn 2:16).

• after which ye use to go a whoring.

  • go a whoring (זֹנִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם, zonim achareihem): This powerful metaphor refers to spiritual unfaithfulness or idolatry. It vividly portrays the betrayal of the covenant relationship with God. Just as marital unfaithfulness involves straying to other lovers, spiritual unfaithfulness involves pursuing false gods, idols, or worldly desires instead of God. It's not just a warning for the future but indicates a past or present inclination within Israel to apostatize.

Words-group analysis:

• "look upon it, and remember all the commandments...and do them": This phrase highlights the intentional link between sight, memory, and obedience. The tzitzit acts as a mnemonic device, leading directly to adherence to divine will. It's a continuous cycle: see, recall, obey.
• "seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring": This group identifies the core sources of sin – internal desires and external temptations – and directly links yielding to them with spiritual harlotry. It is a profound warning against living autonomously and a call to a consecrated life wholly devoted to the Lord, in stark contrast to the surrounding pagan nations who followed their lusts. The verb "use to go" (present continuous/habitual) indicates this was a persistent problem for Israel.

Numbers 15 39 Bonus section

The command of tzitzit provided a collective visual identity for Israel, distinguishing them as God's chosen people set apart by His laws. The thread count and specific knots associated with tzitzit in later Jewish tradition (though not explicit in this verse) are said to encode numerical values referencing God's name or the number of commandments (613 Mitzvot), further strengthening the symbolic link between the object and God's law. While the external garment and its fringe faded with the New Covenant's shift to internal law, the principle of remembering and obeying God's commands and resisting the lusts of heart and eyes remains central to Christian faith, emphasizing a heart circumcised by the Spirit rather than outward appearance. The example of the woman with the issue of blood touching the fringe of Jesus’ garment shows that Jesus, in His humanity, observed this command, and even this outwardly mundane piece of His garment was touched by His divine power. This verse also implicitly polemicizes against the prevalent idolatrous practices where pagans would follow their own desires, worshiping gods that mirrored human depravity; Israel was called to follow the One true God, whose ways are holy and pure.

Numbers 15 39 Commentary

Numbers 15:39 encapsulates the spiritual intent behind the visible command of wearing fringes (tzitzit). Its core purpose is not merely external compliance but internal transformation and persistent remembrance. By making the Divine commands visible on the fringes of their garments, God provided a continuous sensory anchor, compelling His people to consciously recall and, crucially, to act upon His will. This instruction reveals God's deep understanding of human nature: we are prone to forget, easily swayed by our own internal impulses (the heart's deceitful desires), and easily led astray by external allurements (what the eyes behold). These unchecked tendencies lead to spiritual "whoring"—a grave metaphor for covenant unfaithfulness and idolatry, forsaking God for worldly attractions. The fringe was thus a constant guard against apostasy, urging a moment-by-moment commitment to holiness and covenant fidelity, serving as a boundary against sinful indulgence and a beacon towards God's righteous path.