Numbers 15:31

Translation
King James Version
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.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Because he hath despised H959 the word H1697 of the LORD H3068, and hath broken H6565 his commandment H4687, that soul H5315 shall utterly H3772 be cut off H3772; his iniquity H5771 shall be upon him.
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Complete Jewish Bible
Because he has had contempt for the word of ADONAI and has disobeyed his command, that person will be cut off completely; his offense will remain with him.'"
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Berean Standard Bible
He shall certainly be cut off, because he has despised the word of the LORD and broken His commandment; his guilt remains on him.”
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American Standard Version
Because he hath despised the word of Jehovah, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.
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World English Bible Messianic
Because he has despised the LORD’s word, and has broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off. His iniquity shall be on him.’”
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Because he hath despised the worde of the Lord, and hath broken his commandement: that person shalbe vtterly cut off: his iniquitie shalbe vpon him.
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Young's Literal Translation
because the word of Jehovah he despised, and His command hath broken--that person is certainly cut off; his iniquity is on him.'
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See also
Proverbs 13:132 Samuel 12:9Ezekiel 18:20Psalms 119:126Leviticus 5:11 Thessalonians 4:8Leviticus 26:43
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In the KJVVerse 4,185 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Numbers 15:31 delivers a profound and unyielding divine judgment against any individual who, with deliberate contempt, rejects the revealed word of the LORD and willfully disobeys His commandments. This verse stands in stark contrast to the provisions for unintentional sins outlined earlier in the chapter, underscoring the severe gravity of defiant rebellion and the absolute necessity of revering God's authority. The consequence—being "utterly cut off"—signifies complete and irreversible expulsion from the covenant community, entailing a loss of all covenant blessings and the direct, unmitigated bearing of one's unatoned transgression, highlighting the finality of divine judgment for such contemptuous disobedience.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Numbers 15 opens by establishing various laws concerning offerings, vows, and clean and unclean foods, setting the stage for Israel's continued covenant relationship with God as they prepare for entry into the Promised Land. Crucially, verses 22-29 detail the merciful provisions for atonement through sacrifice for unintentional sins, whether committed by the community or an individual, emphasizing God's grace for transgressions arising from ignorance or oversight. However, Numbers 15:30 introduces a stark and critical distinction, addressing the "high-handed" sin—a deliberate, defiant, and contemptuous act against God's law. Verse 31, the focus of this commentary, then elaborates on the severe and unmitigated consequence of such intentional rebellion, culminating in the immediate, chilling example of the Sabbath-breaker in Numbers 15:32-36, who is put to death as a direct and immediate application of this principle. This powerful juxtaposition highlights the qualitative difference between sins of ignorance and sins of contempt, revealing God's differing responses to the heart's disposition.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The book of Numbers chronicles Israel's formative journey through the wilderness, a pivotal period for establishing their identity as God's distinct covenant people. During this era, the Mosaic Law was progressively given, meticulously defining their relationship with Yahweh and governing all aspects of life, from sacred worship to civil conduct. The concept of being "cut off" (Hebrew: karath) from the community was a severe legal, social, and spiritual penalty, often implying exclusion from the blessings of the covenant, loss of communal identity, forfeiture of inheritance, and sometimes even physical death, whether by divine intervention or communal execution. This extreme punishment was reserved for the most grievous offenses, particularly those that directly challenged God's absolute authority, threatened the purity and integrity of the covenant community, or violated foundational covenant stipulations like the Sabbath. It reflects a societal structure where religious and civil laws were inextricably linked, and defiance against God was viewed as an act of treason against the divine King, warranting the most extreme form of judicial and spiritual alienation.
  • Key Themes: Numbers 15:31 contributes significantly to several overarching theological and narrative themes within the book of Numbers and the broader Pentateuch. It powerfully reinforces the holiness and absolute authority of God, demonstrating that His commands are not mere suggestions but divine decrees demanding reverent obedience. The verse also underscores the critical distinction between unintentional and intentional sin, revealing that while God provides merciful atonement for the former, deliberate rebellion, born of contempt for His word, carries an unmitigated penalty. This highlights the theme of covenant fidelity and accountability, emphasizing that participation in God's covenant community requires a heart of humble obedience, not defiant rejection. Furthermore, it foreshadows the severity of divine judgment for unrepentant sin, a theme echoed throughout biblical narrative from the expulsion from Eden to the solemn warnings in Deuteronomy 28 and the consequences of the wilderness generation's rebellion detailed in Numbers 13-14.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Despised (Hebrew, bâzâh', H959): This verb signifies to scorn, spurn, treat with contempt, or even to blaspheme. It denotes not merely a failure to obey, but an active, willful disdain and disrespect for the source of the command—God Himself. It implies a hardened heart that actively rejects divine wisdom and authority, indicating a deliberate and defiant posture rather than an accidental transgression.
  • Cut off (Hebrew, kârath', H3772): This primitive root means to cut (off, down, or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume. Specifically, in a covenantal context, it signifies to be alienated from the people of God, losing one's place within the community, and facing divine judgment. This term encompasses physical death, spiritual death, or complete exclusion from the blessings and protection of the covenant, effectively severing one's relationship with God and His people.
  • Iniquity (Hebrew, ʻâvôn', H5771): This word refers to perversity, i.e., moral evil; fault, iniquity, mischief, or the punishment (of iniquity), sin. In the phrase "his iniquity shall be upon him," it carries the sense of guilt, punishment, or the inescapable consequence of sin. It means the individual bears the full weight, responsibility, and deserved penalty of their willful transgression, with no possibility of atonement or transfer of guilt under the Mosaic system for such a high-handed offense.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Because he hath despised the word of the LORD": This opening clause identifies the fundamental root cause of the severe judgment: an internal attitude of profound contempt and scorn towards God's revealed will, His dâbâr (H1697). It is not born of ignorance or weakness but a deliberate, active rejection of divine authority, indicating a heart that actively disdains God's commands. This reveals that the sin is first and foremost a sin of attitude and disposition before it manifests in action.
  • "and hath broken his commandment": This phrase describes the outward manifestation and practical consequence of the inward contempt. The despising of God's word (H1697) leads directly to the willful transgression of His specific instructions (H4687). The verb "broken" (H6565, pârar) implies a deliberate violation, a frustrating or making void of the command. This is a conscious act of disobedience, not an accidental oversight, demonstrating the practical outworking of a rebellious and defiant heart.
  • "that soul shall utterly be cut off": This declares the dire and irreversible consequence. The "soul" (H5315, nephesh, meaning the person or life itself) will be completely and definitively severed from the covenant community. The repetition of the root kârath (H3772) in "utterly be cut off" emphasizes the finality and totality of this judgment, signifying expulsion, loss of covenant blessings, and often implying divine execution or spiritual death, with no provision for reconciliation under the law for this specific type of offense.
  • "his iniquity [shall be] upon him": This final clause powerfully emphasizes personal responsibility and the inability to escape the consequences. The guilt (H5771, ʻâvôn) and the resulting punishment for this defiant sin will rest solely and irrevocably upon the transgressor. There is no sacrifice, no ritual, and no intercession available under the Mosaic Law for such a deliberate, contemptuous act, highlighting the finality and inescapable personal accountability of the judgment.

Literary Devices

Numbers 15:31 employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound gravity and theological weight. Contrast is paramount, as the severe judgment for high-handed sin stands in stark opposition to the merciful provisions for unintentional sins detailed earlier in Numbers 15. This highlights the qualitative difference in God's response to different types of disobedience, emphasizing the heart's disposition. The phrase "utterly be cut off" functions as precise Legal Language, a technical term within the Mosaic Law signifying the most extreme form of excommunication and divine judgment, often implying capital punishment or complete alienation from the covenant. The repetition of the idea of personal responsibility in "despised the word... broken his commandment" and the concluding "his iniquity shall be upon him" creates a strong sense of Emphasis and reinforces the direct, inescapable link between willful defiance and its dire consequence. The overall tone is one of Solemn Warning, intended to instill deep reverence for God's law and deter deliberate rebellion within the covenant community, thereby maintaining its purity, holiness, and fidelity to Yahweh.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Numbers 15:31 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of sin, the demands of divine justice, and the parameters of the Old Covenant relationship. It underscores that God's holiness demands absolute reverence for His word, and that willful, high-handed rebellion against His revealed will is an affront of the highest order, for which no atonement was provided under the Mosaic system. This sharp distinction between unintentional and intentional sin highlights the critical importance of the heart's disposition before God. While God is merciful and provides forgiveness for sins committed in ignorance or weakness, a contemptuous rejection of His authority demonstrates a hardened heart that places itself outside the realm of covenant grace and provision. This principle reveals the unyielding standard of God's righteousness and the dire consequences of unrepentant defiance, setting the stage for a deeper appreciation of the boundless grace found in the New Covenant through Christ.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Numbers 15:31, though rooted in the Old Covenant, offers timeless and sobering principles for believers today. It compels us to deeply examine the posture of our hearts towards God's word. Are we genuinely seeking to know, understand, and obey His commands, or do we, at times, treat them lightly, dismiss them as inconvenient, or even actively defy them with a spirit of self-will? This verse is a powerful reminder that God takes our obedience seriously, not as a means to earn salvation, but as an indispensable expression of our love, reverence, and fidelity to Him. While the New Covenant emphatically emphasizes grace and boundless forgiveness through Christ, the underlying principle of the gravity of willful, defiant sin remains. A persistent, unrepentant, and high-handed rebellion against God's known will reveals a heart that is hardening itself against the Holy Spirit, risking spiritual alienation and demonstrating a lack of true faith. Therefore, this passage calls us to cultivate a humble, teachable, and contrite spirit, quick to confess and repent of all sin, and to cherish God's word as divine, life-giving truth, not a set of optional suggestions. It reminds us that genuine faith is always accompanied by a sincere desire to honor God with every facet of our lives.

Questions for Reflection

  • What is the fundamental difference between an unintentional sin and a "high-handed" sin, and why is this distinction crucial for understanding God's justice and mercy?
  • How might the concept of "despising the word of the LORD" subtly manifest in modern life, even among those who profess faith, perhaps through neglect or selective obedience?
  • In what ways do we, as New Covenant believers, need to be vigilant against the temptation to "break God's commandment" with a contemptuous heart, rather than out of weakness or ignorance?
  • How does understanding the severity of willful sin in the Old Testament deepen our appreciation for God's boundless grace and the all-sufficient atoning work of Jesus Christ?

FAQ

Does this verse mean there is no forgiveness for intentional sin under the Old Covenant?

Answer: Under the Mosaic Law, as specifically presented in Numbers 15, there was no prescribed sacrifice or ritual atonement for sins committed "with a high hand"—that is, deliberate, defiant acts against God's known commands, born of contempt for His authority. The provisions for atonement were specifically and exclusively for unintentional sins. This highlights the extreme gravity of such defiance and the lack of a ritual mechanism for its cleansing, leading to the consequence of being "cut off." While God's sovereign mercy could still be extended in individual cases of profound, heartfelt repentance (e.g., David's sin with Bathsheba), the legal system itself offered no remedy for such open, contemptuous rebellion.

What does "utterly be cut off" imply for the individual?

Answer: "Utterly be cut off" (Hebrew: karath) is a powerful and definitive phrase signifying complete expulsion and severance. It could mean physical death at the hands of God or the community, as vividly illustrated in the case of the Sabbath breaker in Numbers 15:32-36. More broadly and profoundly, it meant being alienated from the covenant community, losing one's place, inheritance, and all blessings within Israel. The individual was spiritually isolated, no longer considered part of God's chosen people, and was subject to direct divine judgment without the possibility of ritual atonement. It underscores the profound and devastating loss of relationship with God and His people due to willful, defiant rebellion against the covenant.

How does this verse relate to the New Testament concept of grace?

Answer: This verse provides a stark and compelling backdrop against which the boundless grace of the New Covenant shines even more brightly and gloriously. In the Old Testament, high-handed sin had no ritual atonement, leading inevitably to being "cut off" from God's people. However, under the New Covenant, Jesus Christ's perfect and once-for-all sacrifice is fully sufficient to atone for all sins—both intentional and unintentional—for those who genuinely repent and place their faith in Him. While the New Testament still issues solemn warnings against persistent, unrepentant rebellion and a deliberate rejection of Christ's sacrifice (e.g., Hebrews 10:26-27), the primary emphasis is on the complete, final, and all-encompassing atonement provided by Christ, which covers even the most grievous sins when met with a truly repentant heart. This highlights the superior and infinitely more gracious nature of Christ's redemptive work, offering full reconciliation and restoration where the law offered only judgment and separation.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Numbers 15:31, with its stark pronouncement against high-handed sin, powerfully illuminates the profound necessity and unparalleled glory of Christ's atoning work. In the Old Covenant, a defiant rejection of God's word left the sinner with no prescribed sacrifice, no ritual hope, and the terrifying prospect of being "cut off" from the covenant community, bearing their iniquity fully upon themselves. This legal and spiritual impasse underscores the utter inability of humanity to atone for deliberate rebellion and reveals the depth of our desperate need for a perfect mediator. Yet, in Christ, we see the ultimate fulfillment and glorious resolution of this dilemma. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, whose single, perfect, and voluntary sacrifice on the cross fully atoned for all sins—not just unintentional ones, but even the deepest, most defiant acts of rebellion, for those who turn to Him in faith and genuine repentance. Where the Mosaic Law offered no ritual remedy for the "high-handed" sinner, Christ offers complete forgiveness, reconciliation, and transformation, changing hearts of contempt into hearts of humble obedience through the power of the Holy Spirit. His precious blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7), ensuring that no one who truly believes and perseveres in faith will ever be "cut off" from the new covenant community, the Church, but rather will be eternally united with God through Him (John 6:37).

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Commentary on Numbers 15 verses 30–36

Here is, I. The general doom passed upon presumptuous sinners. 1. Those are to be reckoned presumptuous sinners that sin with a high hand, as the original phrase is (Num 15:30), that is, that avowedly confront God's authority, and set up their own lust in competition with it, that sin for sinning-sake, in contradiction to the precept of the law, and in defiance of the penalty, that fight against God, and dare him to do his worst; see Job 15:25. It is not only to sin against knowledge, but to sin designedly against God's will and glory. 2. Sins thus committed are exceedingly sinful. He that thus breaks the commandment, (1.) Reproaches the Lord (Num 15:30); he says the worst he can of him, and most unjustly. The language of presumptuous sin is, "Eternal truth is not fit to be believed, the Lord of all not fit to be obeyed, and almighty power not fit to be either feared or trusted." It imputes folly to Infinite Wisdom, and iniquity to the righteous Judge of heaven and earth; such is the malignity of wilful sin. (2.) He despises the word of the Lord, Num 15:31. There are those who, in many instances, come short of fulfilling the word, and yet have a great value for it, and count the law honourable; but presumptuous sinners despise it, thinking themselves too great, too good, and too wise, to be ruled by it. What is the Almighty that we should serve him? Whatever the sin itself is, it is contumacy that incurs the anathema. It is rebellion added to the sin that is as witch-craft, and stubbornness as idolatry. 3. The sentence passed on such is dreadful. There remains no sacrifice for those sins; the law provided none: That soul shall be cut off from among his people (Num 15:30), utterly cut off (Num 15:31); and that God may be for ever justified, and the sinner for ever confounded, his iniquity shall be upon him, and there needs no more to sink him to the lowest hell. Thus the Jewish doctors understand it, that the iniquity shall cleave to the soul, after it is cut off, and that man shall give an account of his sin at the great day of judgment. Perhaps the kind of offence might be such as did not expose the offender to the censure of the civil magistrate, but, if it was done presumptuously, God himself would take the punishment of it into his own hands, and into them it is a fearful thing to fall. In the New Testament we find the like sentence of exclusion from all benefit by the great sacrifice passed upon the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, and a total apostasy from Christianity.

II. A particular instance of presumption in the sin of sabbath-breaking. 1. The offence was the gathering of sticks on the sabbath day (Num 15:32), which, it is probable, were designed to make a fire of, whereas they were commanded to bake and seeth what they had occasion for the day before, Exo 16:23. This seemed but a small offence, but it was a violation of the law of the sabbath, and so was a tacit contempt of the Creator, to whose honour the sabbath was dedicated, and an incursion upon the whole law, which the sabbath was intended as a hedge about. And it appears by the context to have been done presumptuously, and in affront both of the law and to the Law-maker. 2. The offender was secured, Num 15:33, Num 15:34. Those that found him gathering sticks, in their zeal for the honour of the sabbath, brought him to Moses and Aaron, and all the congregation, which intimates that being the sabbath day the congregation was at that time gathered to Moses and Aaron, to receive instruction from them, and to join with them in religious worship. It seems, even common Israelites, though there was much amiss among them, yet would not contentedly see the sabbath profaned, which was a good sign that they had not quite forsaken God, nor were utterly forsaken of him. 3. God was consulted, because it was not declared what should be done to him. The law had already made the profanation of the sabbath a capital crime (Exo 31:14, Exo 35:2); but they were in doubt, either concerning the offence (whether this that he had done should be deemed a profanation or no) or concerning the punishment, which death he should die. God was the Judge, and before him they brought this cause. 4. Sentence was passed; the prisoner was adjudged a sabbath-breaker, according to the intent of that law, and as such he must be put to death; and to show how great the crime was, and how displeasing to God, and that others might hear and fear and not do in like manner presumptuously, that death is appointed him which was looked upon as most terrible: He must be stoned with stones, Num 15:35. Note, God is jealous for the honour of his sabbaths, and will not hold those guiltless, whatever men do, that profane them. 5. Execution was done pursuant to the sentence, Num 15:36. He was stoned to death by the congregation. As many as could were employed in the execution, that those, at least, might be afraid of breaking the sabbath, who had thrown a stone at this sabbath-breaker. This intimates that the open profanation of the sabbath is a sin which ought to be punished and restrained by the civil magistrate, who, as far as overt acts go, is keeper of both tables. See Neh 13:17. One would think there could be no great harm in gathering a few sticks, on what day soever it was, but God intended the exemplary punishment of him that did so for a standing warning to us all, to make conscience of keeping holy the sabbath.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 30–36. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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