New Living Translation
Numbers 15:31
31Since they have treated the Lord’s word with contempt and deliberately disobeyed his command, they must be completely cut off and suffer the punishment for their guilt.”
Numbers 15:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.
- New International Version (NIV)Because they have despised the Lord’s word and broken his commands, they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Because he has despised the word of the Lord, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him.’ ”
Context of Numbers 15:31
29These same instructions apply both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you. 30“But those who brazenly violate the Lord’s will, whether native-born Israelites or foreigners, have blasphemed the Lord, and they must be cut off from the community. Since they have treated the Lord’s word with contempt and deliberately disobeyed his command, they must be completely cut off and suffer the punishment for their guilt.” 32One day while the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they discovered a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day. 33The people who found him doing this took him before Moses, Aaron, and the rest of the community.
Read all of Numbers 15Numbers 15:31 word by word
כִּ֤י דְבַר־יְהוָה֙ בָּזָ֔ה וְאֶת־מִצְוָת֖וֹ הֵפַ֑ר הִכָּרֵ֧ת׀ תִּכָּרֵ֛ת הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא עֲוֹנָ֥ה בָֽהּ׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Because he hath despisedבָּזָהbâzâh · to despiseH959
- the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and hath brokenפָּרַרpârar · to breakH6565
- his commandmentמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
- that soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: personH5315
- shall utterlyכָּרַתkârath · to cut: eliminateH3772
- his iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
Cross-references for Numbers 15:31
- Leviticus 26:15and if you break my covenant by rejecting my decrees, treating my regulations with contempt, and refusing to obey my commands,
- 2 Samuel 12:9Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.
- Psalms 119:126Lord, it is time for you to act, for these evil people have violated your instructions.
- Proverbs 13:13People who despise advice are asking for trouble; those who respect a command will succeed.
- Isaiah 30:12This is the reply of the Holy One of Israel: “Because you despise what I tell you and trust instead in oppression and lies,
- 1 Thessalonians 4:8Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
- Hebrews 10:28For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Leviticus 5:1“If you are called to testify about something you have seen or that you know about, it is sinful to refuse to testify, and you will be punished for your sin.
- Psalms 38:4My guilt overwhelms me— it is a burden too heavy to bear.
- Isaiah 53:6All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.
- Ezekiel 18:20The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness.
- 1 Peter 2:24He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.
- 2 Peter 2:21It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.
Commentaries on Numbers 15:31
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22-31Verses 22-31 The heavy punishments which had already overtaken the people might naturally give rise to apprehensions for the future, especially in view of the fact that on the approaching entrance into Canaan the complete observance of the Law in all its details would become imperative on them. To meet such apprehensions a distinction is emphatically drawn between sins of ignorance (Leviticus 4:13 ff) and those of presumption Numbers 15:30-31. The passage…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 30-36Verses 30-36 Those are to be reckoned presumptuous sinners, who sin designedly against God's will and glory. Sins thus committed are exceedingly sinful. He that thus breaks the commandment reproaches the Lord. He also despises the word of the Lord. Presumptuous sinners despise it, thinking themselves too great, too good, and too wise, to be ruled by it. A particular instance of presumption in the sin of sabbath-breaking is related. The offence was…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 30-31Atonement (the way God provides forgiveness and restores a relationship with him) could be made for sins done without knowing or by accident (15:22–29). However, a person who sinned openly and proudly was treated differently (literally with a high hand; compare Exodus 14:8). Such a person showed open disrespect toward God. This was considered blasphemy (speaking against God in a dishonoring way). That person had to face serious consequences (compare…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. his iniquity shall be upon him--The punishment of his sins shall fall on himself individually; no guilt shall be incurred by the nation, unless there be a criminal carelessness in overlooking the offense.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 15:31
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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