P.

The chapter contains a miscellaneous collection of priestly laws on five different subjects:

(a) Numbers 15:1-16. The proper meal-offerings and libations which should accompany burnt- and peace-offerings.

(b) Numbers 15:17-21. The contribution of the ‘first of ‘arîsôth.’

(c) Numbers 15:22-31. Propitiatory offerings for inadvertent transgressions.

(d) Numbers 15:32-36. The penalty for working on the Sabbath.

(e) Numbers 15:37-41. The tassels to be worn at the corners of garments.

1–16. Meal-offerings and Libations. These are to accompany both private and public sacrifices, and are arranged according to a fixed scale as follows (ephah = c. 1 bushel; hin = c. 1½ gallon):

  Meal.  Oil.  Wine.

With every lamb  1/10 ephah.  ¼ hin.  ¼ hin.

With every ram  2/10 ephah  ⅓ hin.  ⅓ hin.

With every bullock  3/10 ephah.  ½ hin.  ½ hin.

It will be seen that the amount in each case varies according to the size of the animal. Ezekiel, in his ideal arrangements for worship in the restored Jerusalem, has a similar scale (Ezekiel 46:5-7; Ezekiel 46:11; Ezekiel 46:14), but the amounts are larger, they are not graduated so carefully with respect to the size of the animal, and the libation of wine is not included. The present scale appears to be a later modification of Ezekiel’s.

But while the fixing of definite amounts was probably a late development, the practice of offering meal, oil and wine as an accompaniment of sacrifice was ancient. Men offered to their God the same food which they enjoyed at their own table; cf. Jdg 9:9; Jdg 9:13 (oil and wine), 1 Samuel 1:24; 1 Samuel 10:3 (meal and wine), Hosea 9:4 (wine), Micah 6:7 (oil). Leviticus 2 (P ) contains regulations for meal-offerings, without fixed amounts, but with the addition of salt and frankincense.

3. an offering by fire] A general term covering every kind of offering that was consumed on the altar. The next words define the two species of these offerings with which the section deals, i.e. burnt- and peace-offerings, after which are mentioned the different occasions (private and public) on which the peace-offerings might be presented.

a sacrifice] This, as distinguished from the burnt-offering, means the peace-offering, of which the worshipper and priest partook. See on Numbers 6:14.

a sweet savour] a soothing odour. The expression had its origin in far-off days when the deity was supposed to be soothed or placated by the actual smell of the sacrificial smoke. In Genesis 8:21 (J ), the only Biblical occurrence of the words earlier than Ezekiel, there is a trace of the primitive conception.

7. the drink-offering] The wine was offered as a libation to God by being poured out. Whether it was poured on the sacrifice, or, as in later times, at the foot of the altar (Sir 50:15), is uncertain,

13. homeborn] i.e. native Israelites.

14. a stranger] a sojourner. For this word and the ‘homeborn,’ see on Numbers 9:14.

or whosoever be among you] This appears to mean one who is residing in the land but has not been granted the definite status of a gêr or ‘sojourner.’ Some, with less probability, understand it of a foreigner who is staying temporarily with Israelites.

throughout your generations] i.e. at any future time.

15. For the assembly] As for the assembly. The subst. is (so to speak) a nominative absolute. It is a general term for the whole of the privileged community, consisting of true Israelites and sojourners.

17–21. The offering of ‘the first of ‘arîsôth.’ The law deals with some species of meal-offering. But the meaning of ‘arîsôth (R.V. ‘dough,’ marg. ‘coarse meal’) is obscure. It occurs elsewhere only in Ezekiel 44:30, Nehemiah 10:37. A similar word ‘arsân in Talmudic writings denotes ‘a porridge or paste made from the meal of barley or wheat,’ which was said to be good for invalids and infants.

19. an heave-offering] a contribution. See on Numbers 15:9.

20. the first of your dough] The word rç’shîth ‘the first’ need not necessarily mean ‘first-fruits,’ which were offered annually. It may be simply ‘the first part,’ i.e. a small fixed amount, perhaps at the getting in of each fresh supply for the household.

22–26. Errors of the whole congregation. No detailed instances are given; but such errors might consist in some mistake or omission in ritual, or some miscarriage of justice discovered too late; or the error might not be traceable, but the occurrence of some public catastrophe or trouble would be assumed to be a divine punishment for a mistake which had been committed.

22–31. Propitiation for inadvertent transgressions—(a) Numbers 15:22-36 committed by the congregation as a whole; (b) Numbers 15:27-29 by individuals. To these is added the provision that deliberate transgressions cannot be atoned for (Numbers 15:30-31). Another set of laws relating to inadvertent transgressions, apparently dating from a different period, is found in Leviticus 4, Leviticus 5; it is more elaborate, dealing with four classes of persons—the high priest, the congregation, a prince, and a private individual.

24. The offering is a young bullock for a burnt-offering, together with the proper meal-offering and libation, and a he-goat for a sin offering.

27. The offering is a she-goat of one year old for a sin-offering.

27–29. Errors of an individual.

30. with an high hand] with deliberate defiance. In Numbers 33:3, Exodus 14:8 it is used of the bold defiance with which the Israelites marched out of Egypt.

the same blasphemeth the Lord] Jehovah doth he revile. The emphatic position of ‘Jehovah’ lays stress on the enormity of the crime. The ‘reviling’ was not necessarily in speech; actions speak louder than words.

31. his iniquity shall be upon him] with his iniquity upon him. The sinner shall be ‘cut off’ (see on Numbers 9:13) with the burden of his sin still attaching to him, and unatoned for. In the Christian dispensation the one great Sacrifice has procured atonement for all sinners who repent, even though, like the crucified robber, they have sinned with an high hand.

32–36. The penalty for breaking the Sabbath. This section was perhaps placed by the compiler next to the preceding because it relates a signal instance of deliberate transgression.

34. It had been declared in Exodus 31:14 f., Numbers 35:2 (both P ) that Sabbath-breaking must be punished with death, but the method of execution had not been laid down. If, however, the meaning is that they did not know what the man’s punishment should be, the present passage is independent of those in Exodus. The Jews who laid down this law in the period after the exile were sternly acting in accordance with the dictates of their conscience. But (though in early days stern punishments may have been salutary) no Christian is compelled to believe that because the law stands in the Bible it is now in accordance with the mind of God. One effect of Christian civilization has been to confine the death penalty to murderers.

37–41. Tassels to be worn as a reminder of Jehovah’s commandments.

38. that they make them tassels upon the corners of their garments] This is commanded (with different words for ‘tassels’ and ‘garments’) in Deuteronomy 22:12. No statement is there made as to the reason for the observance. It was probably a very ancient custom, dating from a time when such tassels were superstitiously worn as magical charms. Here, however, it has been invested with a higher religious significance. The practice is referred to in the N.T., Matthew 14:36, Mark 6:56 (E.V. ‘border of his garment’); and it continues among the Jews to this day. In the synagogue all males over thirteen years of age wear a special garment called a tallith, which ‘consists of an oblong cloth with a tassel at each corner. The head is passed through a hole in the middle of the cloth, which hangs over the breast and back.’ See art. ‘Fringes’ in Hastings’ DB. ii.

upon the tassel of each corner a thread of violet] in order to fasten it to the garment.

39. it shall be unto you for a tassel] The point of this appears to lie in a play on the words ẓîẓîth (‘tassel’) and ẓîẓ1 [Note: Used in Exodus 28:36; Exodus 39:30, Leviticus 8:9 of the diadem (R.V. ‘plate’) on the high priest’s forehead.] ‘a shining thing,’ ‘an ornament.’ The tassels are not to be superstitious charms but striking ornaments, which will constantly catch the wearer’s eye, and act as a religious reminder.

after which ye go a whoring] The Heb. has a participle, not an imperfect as R.V. suggests. The words apparently mean—Ye are still prone to follow the superstitious and illegitimate practices to which your heart and your eyes lead you. It is an obscure sentence, and perhaps something has been lost from the text. But there seems little doubt that the earlier superstitions connected with the tassels are referred to.