Numbers 15

Immigrants in the land of Canaan

¹The LORD spoke to Moses:²Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land where you will live, which I am giving you,³and you make a food gift to the LORD as a soothing smell for the LORD from the herd or the flock—whether an entirely burned offering, or a sacrifice to fulfill a solemn promise, or a spontaneous gift, or at your sacred seasons—⁴the one presenting the offering to the LORD will bring a grain offering of one-tenth of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of oil.⁵You will also offer one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering with either the entirely burned offering or the sacrifice, for each lamb.⁶For a ram you will offer a grain offering of two-tenths of a measure of fine flour mixed with one-third of a hin of oil.⁷You will also present one-third of a hin of wine for a drink offering as a soothing smell for the LORD.⁸When you offer a bull for an entirely burned offering, or a sacrifice to fulfill a solemn promise, or a well-being sacrifice to the LORD,⁹you will present with the bull a grain offering of three-tenths of a measure of fine flour mixed with a half hin of oil.¹⁰You will present a half hin of wine for a drink offering as a food gift that is a soothing smell to the LORD.¹¹So will it be done with each ox, each ram, or for any sheep or goat.¹²However many you offer, you will do the same for each one.

¹³Every citizen will perform these rituals in bringing a food gift that is a soothing smell to the LORD.¹⁴If an immigrant lives with you or has settled among you for many years and would also like to offer a food gift that is a soothing smell to the LORD, that person must do just as you do.¹⁵The assembly will have the same regulation for you and for the immigrant. The regulation will be permanent for all time. You and the immigrant will be the same in the LORD’s presence.¹⁶There will be one set of instructions and one legal norm for the immigrant and for you.

¹⁷The LORD spoke to Moses:¹⁸Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land to which I’m bringing you,¹⁹whenever you eat the land’s food you will present a gift offering to the LORD.²⁰You will present a gift offering from the first bread you bake just like you present a gift offering from the threshing floor.²¹You will give a gift offering from the first bread you bake for all time.

Offerings for accidental sin

²²If by accident you don’t obey all these commands that the LORD spoke to Moses,²³or everything that the LORD commanded you through Moses from the day of the LORD’s command onward for all time,²⁴then if it was done unintentionally without the knowledge of the community, the entire community must offer one bull from the herd as an entirely burned offering, a soothing smell to the LORD, with its grain and drink offering according to the specific instruction, and one male goat for a purification offering.²⁵The priest will seek reconciliation for the entire Israelite community. They will be forgiven, because it was unintentional and because they brought their food gift to the LORD, along with their purification offering in the LORD’s presence for their accidental error.²⁶The entire Israelite community and the immigrant residing among them will be forgiven, because all the people acted unintentionally.

²⁷If an individual sins unintentionally, that person must present a one-year-old female goat for a purification offering.²⁸The priest will seek reconciliation in the LORD’s presence for the person who sinned unintentionally, when the sin is an accident, seeking reconciliation so that person will be forgiven.²⁹There will be one set of instructions for the Israelite citizen and the immigrant residing with you for anyone who commits an unintentional sin.

Punishment for intentional sin

³⁰But the person who acts deliberately, whether a citizen or an immigrant, and insults the LORD, that person will be cut off from the people³¹for despising the LORD’s word and breaking his commands. That person will be completely cut off and bear the guilt.

Instructions for Sabbath observance

³²When the Israelites were in the desert, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day.³³Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the entire community.³⁴They placed him in custody, because it wasn’t clear what should be done to him.³⁵Then the LORD said to Moses: The man should be put to death. The entire community should stone him outside the camp.³⁶The entire community took him outside the camp and stoned him. He died as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Fringes on garments

³⁷The LORD said to Moses:³⁸Speak to the Israelites and say to them: Make fringes on the edges of your clothing for all time. Have them put blue cords on the fringe on the edges.³⁹This will be your fringe. You will see it and remember all the LORD’s commands and do them. Then you won’t go exploring the lusts of your own heart or your eyes.⁴⁰In this way you’ll remember to do all my commands. Then you will be holy to your God.⁴¹I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD your God.