Numbers – Chapter 15

Old Testament41 Verses

Chapter Summary

"And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:" — so begins Numbers 15. The chapter centers on Moses and Aaron. Across its 41 verses, two threads run through the text: worship and praise and sin and divine judgment. Taken as a whole, the chapter forms one movement in the account, preparing what follows and completing what came before.

1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

2Speak to the children of Israel and thou shalt say to them: When you shall be come unto the land of your habitation, which I will give you,

3And shall make an offering to the Lord, for a holocaust, or a victim, paying your vows, or voluntarily offering gifts, or in your solemnities burning a sweet savour unto the Lord, of oxen or of sheep:

4Whosoever immolateth the victim, shall offer a sacrifice of fine flour, the tenth part of an ephi, tempered with the fourth part of a hin of oil:

5And he shall give the same measure of wine to pour out in libations for the holocaust or for the victim. For every lamb,

6And for every ram there shall be a sacrifice of flour of two tenths, which shall be tempered with the third part of a hin of oil:

7And he shall offer the third part the same measure of wine for the libation, for a sweet savour to the Lord.

8But when thou offerest a holocaust or sacrifice of oxen, to fulfil thy vow or for victims of peace offerings,

9Thou shalt give for every ox three tenths of flour tempered with half a hin of oil,

10And wine for libations of the same measure, for an offering of most sweet savour to the Lord.

11Thus shalt thou do

12For every ox and ram and lamb and kid.

13Both they that are born in the land, and the strangers

14Shall offer sacrifices after the same rite.

15There shall be all one law and judgment both for you and for them who are strangers in the land.

16And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

17Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them:

18When you are come into the land which I will give you,

19And shall eat of the bread of that country, you shall separate firstfruits to the Lord,

20Of the things you eat. As you separate firstfruits of your barnfloors:

21So also shall you give firstfruits of your dough to the Lord.

22And if through ignorance you omit any of these things, which the Lord hath spoken to Moses,

23And by him hath commanded you from the day that he began to command and thenceforward,

24And the multitude have forgotten to do it: they shall offer a calf out of the herd, a holocaust for a most sweet savour to the Lord, and the sacrifice and libations thereof, as the ceremonies require, and a buck goat for sin:

25And the priest shall pray for all the multitude of the children of Israel: and it shall be forgiven them, because they sinned ignorantly, offering notwithstanding a burnt offering to the Lord for themselves and for their sin and their Ignorance:

26And it shall be forgiven all the people of the children of Israel: and the strangers that sojourn among them: because it is the fault of all the people through ignorance.

27But if one soul shall sin ignorantly, he shall offer a she goat of a year old for his sin.

28And the priest shall pray for him, because he sinned ignorantly before the Lord: and he shall obtain his pardon, and it shall be forgiven him.

29The same law shall be for all that sin by ignorance, whether they be natives or strangers.

30But the soul that committeth any thing through pride, whether he be born in the land or a stranger (because he hath been rebellious against the Lord) shall be cut off from among his people:

31For he hath contemned the word of the Lord, and made void his precept: therefore shall he be destroyed, and shall bear his iniquity.

32And it came to pass, when the children of Israel were in the wilderness, and had found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day,

33That they brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole multitude.

34And they put him into prison, not knowing what they should do with him.

35And the Lord said to Moses: Let that man die, let all the multitude stone him without the camp.

36And when they had brought him out, they stoned him, and he died as the Lord had commanded.

37The Lord also said to Moses:

38Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt tell them to make to themselves fringes in the corners of their garments, putting in them ribands of blue:

39That when they shall see them, they may remember all the commandments of the Lord, and not follow their own thoughts and eyes going astray after divers things,

40But rather being mindful of the precepts of the Lord, may do them and be holy to their God.

41I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that I might be your God.

Important Verses in Numbers 15

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Numbers 15:1

And he shall offer the third part the same measure of wine for the libation, for a sweet savour to the Lord.

Numbers 15:7

And the priest shall pray for him, because he sinned ignorantly before the Lord: and he shall obtain his pardon, and it shall be forgiven him.

Numbers 15:28

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that I might be your God.

Numbers 15:41

Historical Context

Numbers belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for israel on the threshold of the Promised Land, warned by the failures of the wilderness generation. Chapter 15 of 36 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a legal and cultic instruction given to Israel regarding worship, holiness, and daily life with 41 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The chapter focuses on Moses and Aaron, whose actions and words drive the passage forward. The chapter begins: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:" It concludes: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. " Read against its original backdrop, Numbers takes its name from the two censuses of Israel and covers nearly forty years of wandering between Sinai and the plains of Moab. Scholarly and ecclesial tradition places the composition of Numbers around Wilderness traditions of the 13th century BC; final form by the 5th century BC.

Who Wrote It

Traditionally attributed to Moses, with priestly editing

When It Was Written

Wilderness traditions of the 13th century BC; final form by the 5th century BC

Catholic Commentary

At the literal level, Numbers 15 delivers commandments and ritual instructions given under the old covenant. A pivotal line is verse 1: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:" The passage repeatedly touches on worship and praise.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 721). Here, the Church sees Israel's journey as an image of our pilgrimage to heaven (CIC 2119). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize worship and praise as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

Applied to the life of faith, the passage supports the Church's conviction that God guides His people through the desert. Whether read privately or heard in the liturgy, Numbers 15 calls for a response of faith, repentance, and charity.

Main Teachings

  • Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.
  • Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.

People in This Chapter

Moses6 mentionsAaron1 mention

Reflection for Today

Catholic exegesis approaches Numbers Chapter 15 with reverence, seeking both the literal sense and the spiritual meaning ordered to Christ.

Catholic theology recognizes that wilderness journey and God's faithfulness is not an abstract idea but a reality encountered in prayer, sacraments, and charity. This chapter contributes to that vision by stressing forgiveness and reconciliation.

Let Numbers Chapter 15 deepen your love for the Eucharist, where the Word made flesh continues to feed His people. The same Christ who speaks in Scripture offers Himself sacramentally on the altar.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Numbers Chapter 15 about?

Numbers 15 contains 41 verses. It opens with "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:" and closes with "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. ". The book as a whole is narrative, census lists, and law.

What is a key verse in Numbers 15?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:" It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Numbers Chapter 15?

This chapter mentions Moses, Aaron.

Who wrote Numbers and when?

Traditionally attributed to Moses, with priestly editing. Wilderness traditions of the 13th century BC; final form by the 5th century BC.

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