Numbers 15:31
 Numbers 15:31 
New International Version (©2011)
Because they have despised the LORD's word and broken his commands, they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.'"

New Living Translation (©2007)
Since they have treated the LORD's word with contempt and deliberately disobeyed his command, they must be completely cut off and suffer the punishment for their guilt."

English Standard Version (©2001)
Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt will be on him.'"

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
He will certainly be cut off, because he has despised the LORD's word and broken His command; his guilt remains on him."

International Standard Version (©2012)
Because he has despised the law of the LORD and has broken his commands, that person is certainly to be eliminated. His iniquity will remain on him."

NET Bible (©2006)
Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken his commandment, that person must be completely cut off. His iniquity will be on him.'"

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
That person has despised the word of the LORD and broken the LORD's command. He must be excluded completely. He remains guilty."

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

American King James Version
Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.

American Standard Version
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.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For he hath contemned the word the Lord, and made void his precept: therefore shall he be destroyed, and shall bear his iniquity.

Darby Bible Translation
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.

English Revised Version
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.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
Because he has despised the word of Yahweh, and has broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.'"

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

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

15:30-36 Those are to be reckoned presumptuous sinners, who sin designedly against God's will and glory. Sins thus committed are exceedingly sinful. He that thus breaks the commandment reproaches the Lord. He also despises the word of the Lord. Presumptuous sinners despise it, thinking themselves too great, too good, and too wise, to be ruled by it. A particular instance of presumption in the sin of sabbath-breaking is related. The offence was gathering sticks on the sabbath day, to make a fire, whereas the people were to bake and seethe what they had occasion for, the day before, Ex 16:23. This was done as an affront both to the law and to the Lawgiver. God is jealous for the honour of his sabbaths, and will not hold him guiltless who profanes them, whatever men may do. God intended this punishment for a warning to all, to make conscience of keeping holy the sabbath. And we may be assured that no command was ever given for the punishment of sin, which, at the judgment day, shall not prove to have come from perfect love and justice. The right of God to a day of devotion to himself, will be disputed and denied only by such as listen to the pride and unbelief of their hearts, rather than to the teaching of the Spirit of truth and life. Wherein consists the difference between him who was detected gathering sticks in the wilderness on the day of God, and the man who turns his back upon the blessings of sabbath appointments, and the promises of sabbath mercies, to use his time, his cares, and his soul, in heaping up riches; and waste his hours, his property, and his strength in sinful pleasure? Wealth may come by the unhallowed effort, but it will not come alone; it will have its awful reward. Sinful pursuits lead to ruin.


Pulpit Commentary

Verse 31. - His iniquity... upon him. עַונָה בָהּ, "its crime upon it," i.e., the sin of that soul must come upon it in punishment.

CHAPTER 15:32-36 THE SABBATH-BREAKER (verses 32-36).


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment,.... That is, has broken it through contempt of it, despising it as a command of God, paying no regard to it as a law of his; otherwise such who sin ignorantly break the commandment of God:

that soul shall be utterly cut off; or "in cutting off shall be cut off" (u); most certainly cut off and entirely ruined and destroyed in this world and in that to come, as the Targum of Jonathan; and Maimonides (w) understands it of such a cutting off, that the soul itself perishes and is no more; but such annihilation the Scripture nowhere gives us any reason to believe:

his iniquity shall be upon him; the punishment of it, no atonement being made for it by sacrifice; it shall be upon him and him only, or be "in him" (x), not repented of and not forgiven.

(u) "excidendo excidetur", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius. (w) In Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 11. sect. 1.((x) "in ea", Montanus, Junins & Tremellius, Drusius; "in ipso", Piscator.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

31. his iniquity shall be upon him—The punishment of his sins shall fall on himself individually; no guilt shall be incurred by the nation, unless there be a criminal carelessness in overlooking the offense.


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Offerings for Unintentional Sins
29You shall have one law for him that sins through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojournes among them. 30But the soul that does ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproaches the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 31Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.

2 Samuel 12:9 Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.
Psalm 107:11 because they rebelled against God's commands and despised the plans of the Most High.
Proverbs 13:13 Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded.
Ezekiel 18:20 The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.