The Meaning of Numbers 15:31 Explained

Numbers 15:31

KJV: Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

YLT: because the word of Jehovah he despised, and His command hath broken -- that person is certainly cut off; his iniquity is on him.'

Darby: For he hath despised the word of Jehovah, and hath broken his commandment: that soul shall surely be cut off; his iniquity is upon him.

ASV: Because he hath despised the word of Jehovah, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Because he hath despised  the word  of the LORD,  and hath broken  his commandment,  that soul  shall utterly  be cut off;  his iniquity  [shall be] upon him. 

What does Numbers 15:31 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 15:31 mean?

Because the word of Yahweh he has despised and His commandment has broken completely shall be cut off person that his guilt [shall be] upon him -
כִּ֤י דְבַר־ יְהוָה֙ בָּזָ֔ה וְאֶת־ מִצְוָת֖וֹ הֵפַ֑ר הִכָּרֵ֧ת ׀ תִּכָּרֵ֛ת הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא עֲוֺנָ֥ה בָֽהּ פ

כִּ֤י  Because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
דְבַר־  the  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
יְהוָה֙  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בָּזָ֔ה  he  has  despised 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּזָה 
Sense: to despise, hold in contempt, disdain.
מִצְוָת֖וֹ  His  commandment 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
הֵפַ֑ר  has  broken 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּרַר 
Sense: to break, frustrate.
הִכָּרֵ֧ת ׀  completely 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Infinitive absolute
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
תִּכָּרֵ֛ת  shall  be  cut  off 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ  person 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
הַהִ֖וא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
עֲוֺנָ֥ה  his  guilt  [shall  be] 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
בָֽהּ  upon  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation