The Meaning of Numbers 15:35 Explained

Numbers 15:35

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.'

Darby: And Jehovah said to Moses, The man shall certainly be put to death: the whole assembly shall stone him with stones outside the camp.

ASV: And Jehovah said unto Moses, The man shall surely be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Numbers 15:35 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 15:27-41 - Exemplary Punishment For Sabbath-Breaking
This chapter resembles a sweet flute-like melody inserted between two fierce strains. It reminds us that in the middle of wrath God remembers mercy. The stranger-whether pilgrim, emigrant or slave-was to be included in burned-offerings and sacrifices; a prevision of the time when all holy souls shall be reckoned in the household of God, Ephesians 2:19.
Sins of ignorance may be forgiven, Numbers 15:22-29. They are sins. Debts of shortcoming need pardon equally as do trespasses. But, as Paul teaches us, we may confidently count on forgiveness for evil things done unwittingly. See 1 Timothy 1:12-14; Hebrews 5:2. It is quite otherwise with sins of presumption, Numbers 15:30-36. If persisted in, these induce death. See 1 John 5:16.
We have something better than the memorial fringe, in the ministry of the Holy Spirit, John 14:26. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 15

1  The law of the meat offering, and the drink offering
14  The stranger is under the same law
17  The law of the first of the dough
22  The sacrifice for sins of ignorance
30  The punishment of presumption
32  He who violated the Sabbath is stoned
37  The law of tassels

What do the individual words in Numbers 15:35 mean?

And said Yahweh to Moses must surely be put to death the man shall stone him with stones all the congregation outside the camp
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֔ה מ֥וֹת יוּמַ֖ת הָאִ֑ישׁ רָג֨וֹם אֹת֤וֹ בָֽאֲבָנִים֙ כָּל־ הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
מֹשֶׁ֔ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
מ֥וֹת  must  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
יוּמַ֖ת  be  put  to  death 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
הָאִ֑ישׁ  the  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
רָג֨וֹם  shall  stone 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: רָגַם  
Sense: to stone, slay or kill by stoning.
בָֽאֲבָנִים֙  with  stones 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה  the  congregation 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.
מִח֖וּץ  outside 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חוּץ  
Sense: outside, outward, street, the outside.
לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה  the  camp 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.