Numbers 15:24 Explained in Context

Read It With

• Numbers 15:22–26

Read Numbers 15:24 with 15:22–26. It within “Unintentional Communal Failure Receives Atonement,” marks this ritual movement and its named participants; in lightly modernized wording, the clause reads: Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour to the LORD, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. The complete unit establishes this contextual meaning: If the whole congregation unintentionally fails to observe commands, the assembly brings a bull and goat with accompanying offerings, and priestly atonement brings forgiveness to Israelites and resident outsiders because the error involved all.

Why It Needs Context

Numbers 15:24 within “Unintentional Communal Failure Receives Atonement,” marks this ritual movement and its named participants; in lightly modernized wording, the clause reads: Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour to the LORD, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. Its responsible force depends on 15:22–26; isolated from “Unintentional Communal Failure Receives Atonement,” the verse's actor, action, reason, object, or transition could be mistaken for independent teaching.