Single lesson
Offerings and Remembering God's Commands
Numbers 15:1–31; Numbers 15:37–41
These instructions in Numbers 15 explain worship in the land, gifts from the first dough, how unwitting sin was addressed, and how fringes on clothing were to help Israel remember Yahweh’s commands.
Before you teach
Yahweh speaks to Moses for the children of Israel about what to do when they come into the land. The passage gives measured offerings with sacrifices, the same rule for the foreigner, a wave offering from first dough, commands about unwitting sin, and fringes as a reminder to obey.
Explain the central teaching of Offerings and Remembering God's Commands, using two details from the reading. This passage shows that Yahweh gave ordered worship, provision for unwitting sin, and a visible reminder to remember and do his commandments.
Welcome: Offerings and Remembering God's Commands
5 minIntroduce “Offerings and Remembering God's Commands” and locate Numbers 15:1–31; Numbers 15:37–41. This passage shows that Yahweh gave ordered worship, provision for unwitting sin, and a visible reminder to remember and do his commandments. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
Numbers 15:1, Numbers 15:19, Numbers 15:41
Read and explain the passage
12 minWhen Israel comes into the land, offerings by fire to Yahweh are to include set meal and drink offerings. The amounts differ for a lamb, a ram, and a bull. The passage ends this unit by saying it is to be done for each animal according to the number prepared.
When the people eat bread from the land, they are to offer the first of their dough to Yahweh throughout their generations. The passage then explains what happens when the congregation or an individual sins unwittingly. Sacrifice, priestly atonement, and forgiveness are named, including for the foreigner.
A sharp contrast follows. The person who acts with a high hand is described as blaspheming Yahweh, despising his word, and breaking his commandment. Then Yahweh commands fringes with a blue cord so the people may see, remember, do his commandments, and be holy to their God.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Offerings and Remembering God's Commands”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Numbers 15:2, Numbers 15:3, Numbers 15:4, Numbers 15:5, Numbers 15:6, Numbers 15:7, Numbers 15:8, Numbers 15:9, Numbers 15:10, Numbers 15:11, Numbers 15:12, Numbers 15:18, Numbers 15:19, Numbers 15:20, Numbers 15:21, Numbers 15:24, Numbers 15:25, Numbers 15:26, Numbers 15:27, Numbers 15:28, Numbers 15:29, Numbers 15:30, Numbers 15:31, Numbers 15:38, Numbers 15:39, Numbers 15:40, Numbers 15:41
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with “How does the passage show that worship offerings were carefully ordered?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. This passage shows that Yahweh gave ordered worship, provision for unwitting sin, and a visible reminder to remember and do his commandments. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Numbers 15:4, Numbers 15:5, Numbers 15:6, Numbers 15:7, Numbers 15:9, Numbers 15:10, Numbers 15:11, Numbers 15:12, Numbers 15:14, Numbers 15:15, Numbers 15:16, Numbers 15:29, Numbers 15:38, Numbers 15:39, Numbers 15:40, Numbers 15:41
Make and respond: Instruction and context chart
12 minWork on “Offerings and Remembering God's Commands: Instruction and context chart”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Offerings and Remembering God's Commands” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Numbers 15:1, Numbers 15:19, Numbers 15:41
Closing: return to Offerings and Remembering God's Commands
3 minRevisit Numbers 15:1–31; Numbers 15:37–41. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about Offerings and Remembering God's Commands and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Numbers 15:1, Numbers 15:19, Numbers 15:41
Questions to explore
How does the passage show that worship offerings were carefully ordered?
Notice the different measured amounts for lamb, ram, and bull, and the summary that this was to be done for each animal according to number.
Numbers 15:4, Numbers 15:5, Numbers 15:6, Numbers 15:7, Numbers 15:9, Numbers 15:10, Numbers 15:11, Numbers 15:12
What does the text repeat about the foreigner living among Israel?
Look for the repeated statements that the same statute, law, and ordinance applied before Yahweh.
Numbers 15:14, Numbers 15:15, Numbers 15:16, Numbers 15:29
What were the fringes meant to help the people do?
Read the purpose words in the command: see, remember, do, and be holy are all stated.
Numbers 15:38, Numbers 15:39, Numbers 15:40, Numbers 15:41
Make, think or respond
Offerings and Remembering God's Commands: Instruction and context chart
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “Who is addressed?”, “What is required?”, “What reason or purpose is given?”.
- Read Numbers 15:1–31; Numbers 15:37–41. Use “Offerings and Remembering God's Commands” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Under the chart, distinguish instructions in their original setting from an application you could discuss today.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Offerings and Remembering God's Commands connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “Offerings and Remembering God's Commands” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of Numbers 15:1–31; Numbers 15:37–41. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Numbers 15:1–31; Numbers 15:37–41. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Numbers 15
1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you have come into the land of your habitations, which I give to you,
3 and will make an offering by fire to Yahweh—a burnt offering, or a sacrifice, to accomplish a vow, or as a free will offering, or in your set feasts, to make a pleasant aroma to Yahweh, of the herd, or of the flock—
4 then he who offers his offering shall offer to Yahweh a meal offering of one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one fourth of a hin of oil.
5 You shall prepare wine for the drink offering, one fourth of a hin, with the burnt offering or for the sacrifice, for each lamb.
6 “ ‘For a ram, you shall prepare for a meal offering two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with the third part of a hin of oil;
7 and for the drink offering you shall offer the third part of a hin of wine, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
8 When you prepare a bull for a burnt offering or for a sacrifice, to accomplish a vow, or for peace offerings to Yahweh,
9 then he shall offer with the bull a meal offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil;
10 and you shall offer for the drink offering half a hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
11 Thus it shall be done for each bull, for each ram, for each of the male lambs, or of the young goats.
12 According to the number that you shall prepare, so you shall do to everyone according to their number.
13 “ ‘All who are native-born shall do these things in this way, in offering an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
14 If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you, or whoever may be among you throughout your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh, as you do, so he shall do.
15 For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner, a statute forever throughout your generations. As you are, so the foreigner shall be before Yahweh.
16 One law and one ordinance shall be for you and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner with you.’ ”
17 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
18 “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you come into the land where I bring you,
19 then it shall be that when you eat of the bread of the land, you shall offer up a wave offering to Yahweh.
20 Of the first of your dough you shall offer up a cake for a wave offering. As the wave offering of the threshing floor, so you shall heave it.
21 Of the first of your dough, you shall give to Yahweh a wave offering throughout your generations.
22 “ ‘When you err, and don’t observe all these commandments which Yahweh has spoken to Moses—
23 even all that Yahweh has commanded you by Moses, from the day that Yahweh gave commandment and onward throughout your generations—
24 then it shall be, if it was done unwittingly, without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bull for a burnt offering, for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh, with its meal offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin offering.
25 The priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to Yahweh, and their sin offering before Yahweh, for their error.
26 All the congregation of the children of Israel shall be forgiven, as well as the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them; for with regard to all the people, it was done unwittingly.
27 “ ‘If a person sins unwittingly, then he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering.
28 The priest shall make atonement for the soul who errs when he sins unwittingly before Yahweh. He shall 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-born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them.
30 “ ‘But the soul who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native-born or a foreigner, blasphemes Yahweh. That soul shall be cut off from among his people.
31 Because he has despised Yahweh’s word, and has broken his commandment, that soul shall be utterly cut off. His iniquity shall be on him.’ ”
37 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
38 “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them that they should make themselves fringes on the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put on the fringe of each border a cord of blue.
39 It shall be to you for a fringe, that you may see it, and remember all Yahweh’s commandments, and do them; and that you don’t follow your own heart and your own eyes, after which you used to play the prostitute;
40 so that you may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.
41 I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am Yahweh your God.”
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.