Num 15:27-31 | NETfull | STEP | “‘If any person sins unintentionally, then he must bring a yearling female goat for a purification offering.

Numbers 15:27-31

27 “‘If any person ^{▼▼ The Hebrew text hasוְאִם־נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת (v^e’im-nefesh ’akhat), sometime translated “and if any soul.” But the word describes the whole person, the soul in the body; it refers here to the individual who sins.} sins unintentionally, then he must bring a yearling female goat for a purification offering. 28 And the priest must make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally – when he sins unintentionally before the Lord – to make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven. 29 You must have one law for the person who sins unintentionally, both for the native-born among the Israelites and for the resident foreigner who lives among them.

Deliberate Sin

30 “‘But the person ^{▼▼ Heb “soul.”} who acts defiantly, ^{▼▼ The sin is described literally as acting “with a high hand” – בְּיָד רָמָה (b^eyad ramah). The expression means that someone would do something with deliberate defiance, with an arrogance in spite of what the Lord said. It is as if the sinner was about to attack God, or at least lifting his hand against God. The implication of the expression is that it was done in full knowledge of the Law (especially since this contrasts throughout with the sins of ignorance). Blatant defiance of the word of the Lord is dealt with differently. For similar expressions, see Exod 14:8 and Num 33:3.} whether native-born or a resident foreigner, insults ^{▼▼ The verb occurs only in the Piel; it means “to blaspheme,” “to revile.”} the Lord. ^{▼▼ The word order in the Hebrew text places “Yahweh” first for emphasis – it is the Lord such a person insults.} That person ^{▼▼ Heb “soul.”} must be cut off ^{▼▼ The clause begins with “and” because the verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive. As discussed with Num 9:13, to be cut off could mean excommunication from the community, death by the community, or death by divine intervention.} from among his people. 31 Because he has despised ^{▼▼ The verb בָּזָה (bazah, “to despise”) means to treat something as worthless, to treat it with contempt, to look down the nose at something as it were.} the word of the Lord and has broken ^{▼▼ The verb פָּרַר (parar, “to break”) can mean to nullify, break, or violate a covenant.} his commandment, that person ^{▼▼ Heb “soul.”} must be completely cut off. ^{▼▼ The construction uses the Niphal imperfect with the modifying Niphal infinitive absolute. The infinitive makes the sentence more emphatic. If the imperfect tense is taken as an instruction imperfect, then the infinitive makes the instruction more binding. If it is a simple future, then the future is certain. In either case, there is no exclusion from being cut off.} His iniquity will be on him.’” ^{▼▼ The point is that the person’s iniquity remains with him – he must pay for his sin. The judgment of God in such a case is both appropriate and unavoidable.}