Passage
Numbers 15
Numbers 15, Num 15, the Sabbath-breaker stoning, the gatherer of sticks on the SabbathBook: Numbers · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT
The narrative pivot (verses 32-36, the Sabbath-breaker)
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ASV (ASV)
32. And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks upon the sabbath day. 33. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. 34. And they put him in ward, because it had not been declared what should be done to him. 35. And Jehovah said unto Moses, The man shall surely be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. 36. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him to death with stones; as Jehovah commanded Moses. (Numbers 15:32-36, ASV)
WEB (WEB)
32. While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33. Those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. 34. They put him in custody, because it had not been declared what should be done to him. 35. Yahweh said to Moses, “The man shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him with stones outside of the camp.” 36. All the congregation brought him outside of the camp, and stoned him to death with stones, as Yahweh commanded Moses. (Numbers 15:32-36, WEB)
KJV (KJV)
32. And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. 33. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. 34. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. 35. And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. 36. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses. (Numbers 15:32-36, KJV)
YLT (YLT)
32. And the sons of Israel are in the wilderness, and they find a man gathering wood on the sabbath-day, 33. and those finding him gathering wood bring him near unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto all the company, 34. and they place him in ward, for it [is] not explained what is [to be] done to him. 35. And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'The man is certainly put to death, all the company stoning him with stones, at the outside of the camp.' 36. And all the company bring him out unto the outside of the camp, and stone him with stones, and he dieth, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses. (Numbers 15:32-36, YLT)
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Setting
- Speaker: Moses (traditionally) / narrator
- Audience: the wilderness-generation Israelites; the post-exilic reader
- Location: wilderness of Sinai / Paran
- Time period: events c. 1446-1406 BC (per traditional dating); composed c. 1400-450 BC
Theological reading
Numbers 15 is structured around sacrificial regulations (vv. 1-31) interrupted by the Sabbath-breaker narrative (vv. 32-36), the OT's principal capital-Sabbath-violation case. Cited in Lesson 4.3, Old Testament Difficulties as one of the three test-cases (Sabbath-breaker / David / John 8 woman) for the OT-capital-offense apologetic. The book of Numbers hub (Numbers) provides higher-level theological context.
See also
- Lesson 4.3, Old Testament Difficulties, the Course lesson
- Mosaic Law, the legal framework
- Old Testament Difficult Texts, the master OT-difficulties hub
- Numbers, book hub
Quoted in
Arguments and defeaters:
- Deuteronomy 28-68 Slave Trade Prophecy Objection Defeater
- Gentiles Cannot Be Saved Objection Defeater, via Numbers 15.14-16, Numbers 15.15, Numbers 15.15-16
- Isaiah 14 Reverse Slavery Prophecy Objection Defeater, via Numbers 15.14-16
- Mosaic Law Binding for True Israelites Objection Defeater, via Numbers 15.32-36, Numbers 15.38
- Sabbath Breaking Stoning Objection Defeater
Concepts:
- Black Hebrew Israelite Doctrine, via Numbers 15.14-16, Numbers 15.29
- Canaanite Conquest and Herem, via Numbers 15.15-16
- Evilbible.com, via Numbers 15.32-36
- Lesson 4.3, Old Testament Difficulties
- Sabbath, via Numbers 15.30-31, Numbers 15.32-36
- The Hebrew Israelite Defense, via Numbers 15.14-16, Numbers 15.38
Lexicon:
Passages:
Why these four translations
ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.
The four:
- ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.
See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.