Types of Offerings in the Old Testament Table

15:2 the land of your dwellings The land of Canaan. See Gen 12:7; 13:15, 18; 24:7; 26:4; Num 34:2; Deut 34:4.

15:3 you will make an offering by fire for Yahweh Several different types of sacrifices and offerings are brought up here with little elaboration. This passage provides a brief survey of sacrifices and specifies the amounts of grain, oil, and wine needed for the grain offerings and drink offerings that should accompany the various sacrifices. Most of the offerings are treated in more detail in Lev 1–7.

a burnt offering An offering where the sacrificial animal was entirely burned on the bronze altar (Exod 27:1–8). See note on Lev 1:3–17.

fulfill a vow Sacrifice was an act of worship, not merely a ritual done for atonement. Offerings might be brought for a variety of reasons including to give thanks to Yahweh, to fulfill a vow, to commemorate a religious festival, or as a freewill offering (see Lev 7:12–18; 22:18–33). The sacrifices brought for these varied occasions were generally either burnt offerings (olah) or peace offerings (zevach shelamim; see Num 15:8; compare Lev 3:1–17 and note).

your feasts The holy seasons and celebrations of ancient Israel in the context of a religious calendar. See note on Lev 23:2.

Israelite Festivals Table

Israelite Calendar Table

Calendars in Old Testament Times

15:4 a tenth An ephah was equal to about 3/5 of a bushel, or 22 liters.

the liquid measure Equal to about four quarts, or 3.5 liters.

15:5 wine This meal offering and its wine libation are relevant for a future time when the people live in the land (Num 15:2), as they are products of a settled agricultural society. The practices are attested to early in Israel’s occupation of the land (1 Sam 1:24; 10:3).

15:7 libation Drink offerings are not covered in the detailed account of the various offerings in Lev 1–7, but they are often mentioned elsewhere in association with various offerings (e.g., Num 6:15; 28:7; Exod 29:40–41; Lev 23:18).

a fragrance of appeasement The smoke from the offering on the altar rises up to Yahweh, carrying a smell that satisfies and pleases Him. See note on Lev 1:9.

15:10 as a food offering The Hebrew term used here, isheh, most likely designates a gift of food. This Hebrew word has often been interpreted as “offering by fire” based on a sound association with the Hebrew word for fire (esh). However, the term is more likely related to another Semitic word for gift (see note on Lev 1:9).

15:15 You as well as the alien will be This language is used to indicate specific instances where the same law applies to both native-born Israelites and sojourners (e.g., Exod 12:49; see note on Num 15:13–16). Other laws make distinctions between native Israelites and foreigners living among them. For example, the law about observing Sukkoth only mentions native Israelites having to live in booths during the festival (Lev 23:42).

15:18 When you come into the land The setting for these laws is after Israel has entered the land of Canaan. See note on Num 15:1–41.

15:20 the first batch of your ring-shaped dough bread The priests received the first of the produce. The amount contributed was likely the first loaf made from the dough (compare Lev 2:14–15).

a contribution of The Hebrew phrase used here, tarimu terumah, refers to the transfer of something from its owner to God.

15:23 Yahweh commanded Refers to the giving of the law at Mount Sinai. See Exod 19:16–20:21.

15:24 without the knowledge of the community The Israelite community discovers an unintentional violation that makes the whole group impure (see Lev 4:13–21 and note).

15:25 will make atonement See note on Lev 4:20.

15:27 a female goat in its first year The usual sacrifice required for the average Israelite’s purification offering was a female sheep or goat. See note on Lev 4:28.

15:29 the alien that dwells in their midst The procedures cover both native Israelites and resident aliens.

15:30 one who acts presumptuously Describes a deliberate and brazen sin. The sin is all the more serious because of the defiant attitude of the sinner, which revealed the sinful behavior resulted from willful opposition to God’s commands (Num 15:31). This attitude of rebellion against God was a threat to the entire community (see 16:19–23).

must be cut off The Hebrew term used here, karath, can describe either capital punishment or banishment (see Exod 12:15; 30:33; Lev 7:20–27). Numbers 15:32–36 may illustrate that karath in this context could refer to capital punishment (compare note on v. 34). The seriousness of the sin demanded a serious penalty for the sake of the community (compare Deut 17:12; 19:13).

15:32 who was gathering wood on the day of the Sabbath Work was forbidden on the Sabbath (Exod 20:10; 31:14–15; Lev 23:3). However, ot law does not explicitly define everything that qualifies as work.

15:34 should be done to him The penalty for violating the Sabbath was death according to Exod 31:14–15. Their uncertainty over how to handle the violation could indicate that this portion of the law had not been fully articulated at this time. There may have been some confusion about whether the man’s actions consisted of prohibited work, or Moses may have been waiting for confirmation from Yahweh that the violation had been deliberate and demanded the death penalty.

15:36 a place outside the camp Executions were always held outside the camp (Lev 24:14, 23) or the city (1 Kgs 21:10, 13)—probably to prevent the number of people who might come into contact with a corpse and be rendered unclean. The same logic lies beneath stoning procedures.

15:38 to make for themselves tassels on the hems of their garments The reason or occasion for this rule is unknown. Compare Deut 22:12.

15:39 remember all the commands of The tassels served as a physical reminder of the need for the Israelites to remain faithful to God’s law.