Numbers 15:35

And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

And the LORD {H3068} said {H559} unto Moses {H4872}, The man {H376} shall be surely {H4191} put to death {H4191}: all the congregation {H5712} shall stone {H7275} him with stones {H68} without {H2351} the camp {H4264}.

Then ADONAI said to Moshe, "This man must be put to death; the entire community is to stone him to death outside the camp."

And the LORD said to Moses, โ€œThe man must surely be put to death. The whole congregation is to stone him outside the camp.โ€

And Jehovah said unto Moses, The man shall surely be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

Commentary

Commentary on Numbers 15:35 (KJV)

Numbers 15:35 records a direct divine command concerning the punishment for a severe transgression against God's law, specifically the violation of the Sabbath. This verse concludes the narrative of a man found gathering sticks on the Sabbath, a deliberate act of defiance against the fourth commandment.

Context

This verse follows the account in Numbers 15:32-34, where a man was caught violating the Sabbath. The Israelites, then in the wilderness, brought the man before Moses, Aaron, and the congregation because they did not know what to do with him. This particular incident highlights the early stages of Israel's legal system, where certain serious offenses required direct divine revelation for judgment, especially when not explicitly covered by existing statutes. The Sabbath was not merely a day of rest but a holy sign of the covenant between God and His people, symbolizing their relationship and God's creation work (Exodus 31:13).

Key Themes

  • Sanctity of the Sabbath: The extreme penalty underscores the profound importance and holiness of the Sabbath day in God's eyes. It was a foundational commandment, part of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11), signifying Israel's unique relationship with God.
  • Divine Justice and Authority: The Lord Himself issues the decree for capital punishment, demonstrating His absolute authority over His laws and the serious consequences for deliberate disobedience. This was not a human decision but a divine judgment.
  • Communal Responsibility: The instruction that "all the congregation shall stone him" emphasizes the corporate responsibility of the community in upholding God's laws. It was a public act of judgment, intended to purge evil from their midst and serve as a deterrent for others (Deuteronomy 13:11).
  • Exclusion and Purification: The phrase "without the camp" signifies the removal of defilement and sin from the holy community. The camp was where God's presence dwelled, and anything that violated His holiness had to be expelled to maintain ritual purity and spiritual integrity.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase for "shall be surely put to death" is moth yumath (ืžื•ึนืช ื™ื•ึผืžึธืช), a grammatical construction known as an infinitive absolute followed by a finite verb. This intensifies the verb, emphasizing the certainty and inevitability of the death sentence. It leaves no room for doubt or leniency; the judgment is absolute and final. The method of execution, "stone him with stones," was a common form of capital punishment in ancient Israel for severe offenses against God or the community, such as blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16) or idolatry.

Practical Application

While the specific punishment prescribed in this verse belongs to the Old Covenant's legal framework and is not directly applied in the New Covenant, the underlying principles remain relevant. This passage teaches us about:

  • The Seriousness of God's Commands: God takes His commands seriously, and deliberate disobedience has consequences. It reminds believers of the importance of reverence and obedience to God's revealed will.
  • God's Holiness and Justice: God is perfectly holy and just. Sin, especially deliberate sin, is an affront to His character and must be dealt with.
  • The Shift from Law to Grace: The New Testament emphasizes that Christ has fulfilled the law, and believers are now under grace (John 1:17). While we are not condemned by the law, the principle of respecting God's divine order and seeking to live righteously through the power of the Holy Spirit remains.
  • The Consequences of Defiance: Even today, a defiant attitude towards God's principles can lead to spiritual death or separation from His blessings, though not through physical stoning.

Ultimately, Numbers 15:35 serves as a stark reminder of God's demand for holiness and the gravity of intentionally disregarding His sacred commands within the context of the Old Covenant.

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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Acts 7:58 (5 votes)

    And cast [him] out of the city, and stoned [him]: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

  • Exodus 31:14 (5 votes)

    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 (5 votes)

    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.

  • 1 Kings 21:13 (4 votes)

    And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, [even] against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

  • Deuteronomy 21:21 (3 votes)

    And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

  • Leviticus 24:23 (3 votes)

    And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.

  • Leviticus 24:14 (3 votes)

    Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard [him] lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.