Numbers 15:28-30
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
28 And the priest shall make atonement before the Lord for the person who commits an error, when he sins unwittingly, to make atonement for him; and he shall be forgiven. 29 You shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is native among the people of Israel, and for the stranger who sojourns among them. 30 But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from among his people.
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Numbers 15:28-30
New International Version
28 The priest is to make atonement(A) before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made, that person will be forgiven.(B) 29 One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.(C)
30 “‘But anyone who sins defiantly,(D) whether native-born or foreigner,(E) blasphemes the Lord(F) and must be cut off from the people of Israel.(G)
Numbers 15:28-30
New English Translation
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[a] who acts defiantly,[b] whether native-born or a resident foreigner, insults[c] the Lord.[d] That person[e] must be cut off[f] from among his people.
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- Numbers 15:30 tn Heb “soul.”
- Numbers 15:30 tn The sin is described literally as acting “with a high hand”—בְּיָד רָמָה (beyad 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.
- Numbers 15:30 tn The verb occurs only in the Piel; it means “to blaspheme,” “to revile.”
- Numbers 15:30 tn The word order in the Hebrew text places “Yahweh” first for emphasis—it is the Lord such a person insults.
- Numbers 15:30 tn Heb “soul.”
- Numbers 15:30 tn 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.
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