Matthew Henry on Numbers 15:30-36
Here is, I. The general doom passed upon presumptuous sinners. 1. Those are to be reckoned presumptuous sinners that sin with a high hand, as the original phrase is (Num 15:30), that is, that avowedly confront God's authority, and set up their own lust in competition with it, that sin for sinning-sake, in contradiction to the precept of the law, and in defiance of the penalty, that fight against God, and dare him to do his worst; see Job 15:25. It is not only to sin against knowledge, but to sin designedly against God's will and glory. 2. Sins thus committed are exceedingly sinful. He that thus breaks the commandment, (1.) Reproaches the Lord (Num 15:30); he says the worst he can of him, and…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 15:35
The Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death--The Lord was King, as well as God of Israel, and the offense being a violation of the law of the realm, the Sovereign Judge gave orders that this man should be put to death; and, moreover, He required the whole congregation unite in executing the fatal sentence.
John Gill on Numbers 15:35
And the Lord said unto Moses,.... Who consulted the Lord upon this affair, in the tabernacle, even at the most holy place, from above the mercy seat, where he promised to meet him, and commune with him about whatsoever he should consult him, Exodus 25:22,
the man shall surely be put to death; for as no fire was to be made throughout their habitations on a sabbath day, gathering sticks for such a purpose was a work that was a violation of the sabbath, punishable with death, Exodus 35:2; and the kind of death follows:
all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp; as afterwards without the city: of the place and manner of stoning; see Gill on Acts 7:58.
John Calvin on Numbers 15:32-36
Numbers 15:32-36
32. And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath-day.
32. Quum autem essent filii Israel in deserto, invenerunt virum colligentem ligna die Sabbathi:
33. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
33. Et adduxerunt illum qui invenerunt colligentem ligna, ad Mosen et Aharon, et universam congregationem.
34. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
34. Qui posuerunt eum in custodiam: quia nondum patefactum erat quid faciendum esset ei.
35. And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to d…
