Numbers 15:26

15:22-29 Though ignorance will in a degree excuse, it will not justify those who might have known their Lord's will, yet did it not. David prayed to be cleansed from his secret faults, those sins which he himself was not aware of. Sins committed ignorantly, shall be forgiven through Christ the great Sacrifice, who, when he offered up himself once for all upon the cross, seemed to explain one part of the intention of his offering, in that prayer, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. It looked favourably upon the Gentiles, that this law of atoning for sins of ignorance, is expressly made to extend to those who were strangers to Israel.

And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel,.... Which is repeated for the certainty of it, and for the sake of what follows: and the stranger that sojourneth among them; the proselyte of righteousness; so the blessing of pardon, through the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, comes upon believing Gentiles as well as Jews, Romans 4:9, seeing all the people were in ignorance; both the congregation of Israel and the stranger; See Gill on Numbers 15:25.

Verse 26. - Seeing all the people were in ignorance. Literally, "because ( sc. it happened) to the whole nation in ignorance." As the stranger was counted as of the nation for religious purposes, he shared both in its sin and in its forgiveness. There is no record of this atonement ever having been made, although there was abundant occasion for it; it may well be that it was intended only to stand on record against the Jews, and to point them to the one true expiation for their national as well as for their particular transgressions. Numbers 15:26

24-26. if aught be committed by ignorance—The Mosaic ritual was complicated, and the ceremonies to be gone through in the various instances of purification which are specified, would expose a worshipper, through ignorance, to the risk of omitting or neglecting some of them. This law includes the stranger in the number of those for whom the sacrifice was offered for the sin of general ignorance.

This law was to apply not only to the children of Israel, but also to the stranger among them, "for (sc., it has happened) to the whole nation in mistake." As the sin extended to the whole nation, in which the foreigners were also included, the atonement was also to apply to the whole.

[Reformed Biblical] ites, whether of a whole tribe meeting together by their representatives, or a lesser congregation, such as there were to be many in Canaan; and the words rendered all the congregation may be, and are by some here, rendered every congregation. And by virtue of this law, as some suppose, the Israelites newly after their return from the captivity offered twelve bullocks, one for each tribe, Ezr_8:35. Numbers 15:23 Numbers 15:24 ## In Le 4 the bullock is for a sin-offering, here it is for a burnt- offering, either because they are different laws, as hath been said; or because here is added a new penalty, to breed the greater caution and diligence in the Israelites, who had given many instances, and now a fresh and eminent instance, of their heedlessness in observing the commands of God; and so, besides that bullock for a sin-offering, which he leaves to be gathered out of Lev_4:11, he now requires another bullock for a burnt-offering. Numbers 15:25 Numbers 15:26 Numbers 15:27 Numbers 15:28 Numbers 15:29 Numbers 15:30 ## Ought; understand such things as ought not to be done and things relating to the worship of God; ## presumptously, Heb. with a high or lifted hand i. e. knowingly willfully, boldly, resolvedly, deliberately, designedly. So this phrase is elsewhere used. See Exo_14:8 Lev_26:21 Num_33:3 Job_15:26 Psa_19:13. ## Reproacheth the Lord, i.e. he sets God at defiance, and exposeth him to contempt, as if he were unworthy of any regard, and unable to punish transgressors.

[Reformed Biblical] t the example of Zimri, one of their princes, Num 25 , and some others among them, did infect the generality of the tribe, and so caused this great diminution in their numbers. Numbers 26:15 ## Gad is placed next, because he was joined with Reuben and Simeon in the same camp and quarters, Num_2:10 ,14 . ## Zephon, called Ziphion , Gen_46:16. Numbers 26:16 ## Ozni, called Ezbon , Gen_46:16. Numbers 26:17 ## Arod, called Arodi , Gen_46:16 Numbers 26:18 Fewer by above five thousand than there were in their last numbering, Num_2:15. Numbers 26:19 Numbers 26:20 Numbers 26:21 ## The sons of Pharez, though Judah’s grandchildren, are here mentioned among his sons, because they are put in the stead of Er and Onan, which died before. Numbers 26:22 About two thousand more than they were Num_1:27; whereas the foregoing tribes were all diminished, this tribe was now increased, and the blessing promised to that tribe above the rest, Gen_49:8, doth herein begin to show itself. Numbers 26:23 ## Pua, called also Phuvah , Gen_46:13; as his brother Jashub , Num_26:24, is called Job , Gen_46:13. Numbers 26:24 Numbers 26:25 A great increase. Compare Num_2:6. Numbers 26:26 Numbers 26:27 ## Whereas before they were but 57,400 in Num_1:31 2:8 . So that Judah’s camp was much increased, as Reuben’s was much diminished.

(7) Strangers, uncircumcised in heart.— The heathen living in Israel, or coining to worship at the Temple, were allowed, and even in some cases required, to offer sacrifices ( Leviticus 17:10 ; Leviticus 17:12 ; Numbers 15:14 ; Numbers 15:26 ; Numbers 15:29 ). This seems also to have been recognised in Solomon’s prayer at the consecration of the Temple ( 1Kings 8:41-43 ); but the ground on which the Israelites are here censured for the licence given to strangers is, that they allowed those to draw near in worship who were uncircumcised in heart as well as in flesh, i.e., ungodly men who had no real purpose to worship God.