---

1. The perpetration of one particular presumptuous sin, together with its circumstances, as what, where, when, and how. The fact was seemingly but a small matter, namely, gathering a few sticks, &c., and possibly he might pretend some necessity or conveniency to himself thereby, &c., but because really it was done with an high hand, in contempt of God and His law, and a profaning of His holy Sabbath.

2. The punishment for this perpetrated fact of profaning the Sabbath, wherein —

(1)  The sinner is apprehended.

(2)  Accused.

(3)  Imprisoned, because it was not yet known what sentence to pass upon him.For though the matter of the fact was twice doomed with death (Exodus 31:14; Exodus 35:2), yet was it not declared what manner of death such a sinner should die. Therefore God is consulted about this, who expressly declareth it (ver. 35). Besides, though the law be in the rigour of it a killing letter, yet might it admit of some favourable construction from necessity, &c., which might make the offender capable of pardon. So Moses did not rashly doom him; nor ought magistrates be hasty in matters of life and death, as in other cases of an inferior nature. They ought to be wary: God and His Word ought to be consulted.

(4) He was condemned, God Himself passing the sentence that he should be stoned (ver. 35). This was the heaviest of all the four kinds of death that malefactors suffered in Israel for capital crimes — some were sentenced to be strangled, others to be slain with the sword, some to be burned, and others to be stoned; the two last were undoubtedly the most painful (because longer in dying), and therefore inflicted upon the grossest offenders. Though in man's judgment this might seem too severe a sentence for such a seeming small offence, yet in God's judgment it is not a light offence to profane the Sabbath by doing needless works upon that holy day. We may well suppose that this sinner (by the connection of ver. 30 with this relation) sinned presumptuously and with public scandal.

(5) He was executed accordingly, being carried without the camp, which was a circumstance aggravating the punishment, being a kind of reproach, as the apostle noteth (Hebrews 13:11-13). This was done to the blasphemer before (Leviticus 24:14). This severity doth likewise farther signify the eternal death of such as do not keep the Sabbath of Christ, entering into the rest of God by faith, and ceasing from their own works as God did from His (Hebrews 4:1-11), finding rest for the soul in Christ (Matthew 11:28).

(C. Ness.)

---

---

KJV: And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.

WEB: While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day.