King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
Complete Jewish Bible:
While the people of Isra'el were in the desert, they found a man gathering wood on Shabbat.
Berean Standard Bible:
While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day.
American Standard Version:
And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks upon the sabbath day.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And while the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} were in the wilderness{H4057}, they found{H4672} a man{H376} that gathered{H7197} sticks{H6086} upon the sabbath{H7676} day{H3117}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Exodus 35:2
- Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.
Exodus 35:3
- Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.
Exodus 20:8
- Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exodus 20:10
- But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates:
Exodus 31:14
- Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it [is] holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth [any] work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Exodus 31:15
- Six days may work be done; but in the seventh [is] the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth [any] work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
Exodus 16:23
- And he said unto them, This [is that] which the LORD hath said, To morrow [is] the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake [that] which ye will bake [to day], and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Numbers 15:32
1. **Themes:**
- **Sabbath Observance:** Numbers 15:32 reflects the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy, a commandment given to the Israelites in Exodus 20:8-11. The incident underscores the strict observance of the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship, emphasizing its sanctity.
- **Divine Justice and Community Accountability:** The verse introduces a narrative that deals with how the community is to respond to violations of divine law. It raises questions about the role of witnesses, the process of judgment, and the execution of divine justice.
- **Law and Order:** The incident serves as a case study in the application of Mosaic Law, providing insight into the legal system established by God for the Israelites during their wilderness journey.
2. **Historical Context:**
- **Wilderness Wanderings:** The event occurs during the Israelites' 40-year journey in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt and before their entry into the Promised Land. This period is characterized by the establishment of the Israelite nation, the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, and the challenges of survival in a harsh environment.
- **Mosaic Law:** The narrative is set within the broader context of the Law of Moses, which governed the religious, civil, and moral life of the Israelites. The Sabbath law was a key component of this legal framework, designed to set the Israelites apart from other nations and to remind them of God's rest after creation.
- **Transition to Settled Life:** The incident can be seen as part of the preparation for the Israelites' transition from a nomadic existence to a settled life in Canaan, where the observance of the Sabbath would continue to play a central role in their identity and religious practice.
In summary, Numbers 15:32 highlights the centrality of Sabbath observance in Israelite society and reflects the broader themes of divine law, community responsibility, and the historical context of the wilderness period, as the Israelites were being shaped into a nation under God's covenant.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H3478
There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel. - Strong's Number: H4057
There are 257 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִדְבָּר
Transliteration: midbâr
Pronunciation: mid-bawr'
Description: from דָבַר in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs); desert, south, speech, wilderness. - Strong's Number: H4672
There are 425 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מָצָא
Transliteration: mâtsâʼ
Pronunciation: maw-tsaw'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present; [phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), [idiom] occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on. - Strong's Number: H376
There are 1507 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אִישׁ
Transliteration: ʼîysh
Pronunciation: eesh
Description: contracted for אֱנוֹשׁ (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation); also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare אִשָּׁה. - Strong's Number: H7197
There are 7 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קָשַׁשׁ
Transliteration: qâshash
Pronunciation: kaw-shash'
Description: a primitive root; to become sapless through drought; used only as denominative from קַשׁ; to forage for straw, stubble or wood; figuratively, to assemble; gather (selves) (together). - Strong's Number: H6086
There are 288 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֵץ
Transliteration: ʻêts
Pronunciation: ates
Description: from עָצָה; a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks); [phrase] carpenter, gallows, helve, [phrase] pine, plank, staff, stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood. - Strong's Number: H7676
There are 89 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שַׁבָּת
Transliteration: shabbâth
Pronunciation: shab-bawth'
Description: intensive from שָׁבַת; intermission, i.e (specifically) the Sabbath; ([phrase] every) sabbath. - Strong's Number: H3117
There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יוֹם
Transliteration: yôwm
Pronunciation: yome
Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger.